Several U.S. restaurants are celebrating National Lobster Day on 15 June, even though there are two National Lobster Day celebrations in the U.S., with the other one falling on 25 September.
Panera, Legal Sea Foods, and Corvina Seafood Grill are some of the national chains that have launched lobster promotions for the holiday.
While 15 June was the original day dedicated to celebrating lobster, in 2015, U.S. senators Angus King and Susan Collins, both representing the U.S. state of Maine, where lobster is the biggest seafood export, declared a 25 September as a second National Lobster Day to coincide with the height of the season’s harvest, according to LobsterAnywhere.com.
Panera locations owned by Allendale, New Jersey, U.S.A.-based Doherty Enterprises are touting their seasonal offerings: Lobster Roll and Lobster Mac & Cheese.
The Mac & Cheese dish features Vermont white cheddar and macaroni, topped with buttered claw and knuckle lobster meat and seasoned Panko breadcrumbs. Panera’s Lobster Roll includes lobster claw and knuckle meat, tossed in a lemon tarragon mayonnaise-based dressing in a New England Roll.
“At Panera, we change our menu regularly to bring in the flavors of the seasons and we’re thrilled to offer our East Coast guests two outstanding Lobster entrees for the summer. Pairing juicy, delicious lobster with our iconic Mac & Cheese is truly ‘The Familiar, Made Fantastic’ – and it’s a bold flavor sensation we think our guests will wish could be on the menu all year round,” Panera’s Head Chef & Chief Innovation Officer Claes Petersson said in a statement emailed to SeafoodSource.
Meanwhile, Oak Long Bar + Kitchen in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A., is using the holiday to donate a portion of sales from each lobster roll sold today to help combat invasive green crabs. USD 5.00 (EUR 4.81) of every USD 39.00 (EUR 37.50) lobster roll sold will be donated to Green Crab Org, a Massachusetts-based organization that seeks to educate the public about the ecological issues associated with the promulgation of invasive green crabs.
The restaurant’s signature Maine Lobster Roll is “filled generously with meat sourced from Boston’s Foley Fish,” the restaurant said, MassLive reported.
Boca Raton, Florida, U.S.A.-based Corvina Seafood Grill added a new dish to the menu in honor of National Lobster Day. Its Maine Lobster Mac and Cheese is made with butter poached lobster, white cheddar mornay, and toasted Pancko bread crumbs.
Boston, Massachusetts-based Legal Sea Foods is encouraging its customers to enjoy “all your Legal lobster favorites,” including Lobster Bisque, steamed or baked Maine Lobster, Half-Pound Maine Lobster Roll, and Baked Lobster Mac and Cheese.
Photo courtesy of Doherty Enterprises
