The Maine Lobster Roll Company — Restaurant in Wilmington

The Maine Lobster Roll Co. is a newcomer to Wilmington, bringing their specialty sandwich flavors & combinations from The Pine Tree State to The Port City. Since I am a huge fan of lobster and was craving a hearty lunch, I pulled up to The Maine Lobster Roll Co. What is appealing about this quaint spot in the center of a small strip mall, is that it could easily disguise itself as a physician's or optometrist's office if it weren't for the text on the signage! Lol

FOOD: The Mainah (Full sz) with a cup of fresh clam chowder & a side of cole slaw. The lobster roll featured X-Large chunks of fresh, succulent lobster meat blended with just the right touch of mayo, keeping it all about the lobster!  Tucked into a lightly toasted, split hot dog bun and spilling over with the slightest of grasps...this lobster roll is here to win!!  The clam chowder was also sublime with the perfect balance of thickness within the broth.  The clams were bountiful throughout; not chewy, whatsoever.  The cole slaw side was refreshingly crisp with plenty of juice in the cup, but not as to make the fresh cabbage soggy or limp. Areas of opportunity that I note would only be for the chowder and the cole slaw. The lobster roll was a perfect 5 stars. However, the cole slaw's pleasant creaminess was overpowered by the amount of vinegar (possibly malted) throughout. Having a vinegar-centric slaw might be the preferred choice in Maine, but I prefer a velvety balance of sweet and tang with plenty of juice. The chowder tasted delicious, but just needed some additional spice or pepper (included in a pack). The clams were tender, flavorful and fresh but I was hoping to see some larger strips of clams within the broth, mimicking the chunks of lobster in the roll. The clams in the chowder were more of bits and pieces. Still...all was delicious and the featured star of the restaurant met expectations. SCORE: 4.4 STARS

SERVICE: When I arrived, I called and placed my curbside pickup order. I had the privelage of meeting the restaurant owner, Bill, who had a wonderful personality and carried himself as a small business owner who truly cares about pleasing the community's palates. Not only was he the General of each order coming in, he was doing legwork, delivering and greeting customers outside, personally. Multiple vehicles were lined up, waiting for their authentic, northeastern seafood delicacies from this hole-in-the-wall so you know they're doing things right. The wait was acceptable, food was delivered with a smile and everything was logistically organized! SCORE: 5 STARS!!

OVERALL SCORE: Maine Lobster Roll Co. is gaining some serious notoriety in the Port City, and now I see why. This place means Lobstah and you will see once you try one of their specialty rolls!...

Let me start with saying that the staff was very friendly and helpful in selecting which Items I chose to try. My first choice was the New England clam chowder: the chowder is presented on their menu as a "thin" chowder. It is a thin chowder, but it is not "savory" in my opinion. The main flavor I came away with was chicken broth. No distinguishable flavor of clam that I could pick up on. For my roll, I chose the "Rockland". I cannot complain about the serving size as they are true to what they advertise as just how much lobster to expect. The roll size is the same for whatever size you chose, they just increase the amount of lobster meat as you chose "half", "whole" or "hearty". The "Rockland" is advertised on their site as having lettuce, celery, onions and chive. I don't recall seeing "lettuce" on their board inside the store and my roll did not have any lettuce. Not an issue with me. The only issue I had was that the roll was rather bland. Other than the very faint flavor of the lobster, it was rather bland to say the least.

Now, having said all this, I will return but try the "Stonington" roll which is served warm with butter.

I will brag on their lobster mac and cheese. Although I think they should season the lobster meat offering that goes into the mix, the mac and cheese portion was delicious and creamy.

Again, I will return and give it another go, but this is my first impression. Don't let my review stop YOU from going, you may in fact find it is just what you are looking for!

People who know me, know me as a foodie and food critic. This is just MY opinion of my experience, again, try it, don't miss out on something you may enjoy based on one...

The Maine Lobster Roll Company was only open for curbside pickup on the day I visited. They offer a few different types of lobster rolls, a fantastic lobster bisque and some other mainly Maine treats. They even offer some treats for the kids that brought back memories of my childhood, like the fluffernutter sandwich and Whoopie Pies. I decided to have a Stonington lobster roll. It's a lobster roll dripping with butter. It's all of the joy of freshly picked lobster with none of the work. Delicious. As you get older, good food always triggers good memories. My lobster roll brought me back to the days of sitting at the lobster shacks along route one, driving up along the Maine coastline, wondering if I was going to make it all the way up to Bar Harbor or just take an extra day or two to photograph the coastline and eat more lobster. This lobster roll is that authentic. One other item I noticed, through the window, was a Down East treat, blueberry jam made with wild Maine blueberries. If you've never had the intense flavor of a jam made with real wild blueberries you are missing out. This jam is a special treat you need to try.. If you like fresh lobster or just miss Maine, stop by and have a conversation with the owner. He learned to make these delicious little sandwiches during his time in Bangor and he's happy to talk about Maine and good lobster... When he...