Irresistible Eats: Lobstercraft on 33rd Street

Lobster roll aficionados may already be familiar with Connecticut-based Lobstercraft, but for those of us who have never dined at their popular food truck or Darien location, it's a new Midtown delight (the NYC shop opened just before the holidays in One Penn Plaza).

And by delight, I mean a buttery, lobster-filled, fresh-baked-roll delight. 

Above is The Coastal ($17), aka Lobster Roll Perfection. I ordered this as I wanted to start with the basics, but next time I'm going for this:

The LBLT ($18). Take The Coastal and add fresh bacon from a local farm, romaine lettuce, tomatoes, and a topping of garlic aioli. This is a house favorite, and I can't wait to try it.

Other items on the menu include mac-n-cheese, lobster bisque, lobster salad, shrimp salad roll, lobster tacos, and more. There's even a kids menu with hot dog, mac-n-cheese, and quesadilla options, and wine and beer for adults. Big bonus for locals? If you work in One Penn Plaza, show Lobstercraft your work ID and get a free side of soup with any roll.

The atmosphere is quaint, casual, and appropriately seaside rustic with chalkboards, lots of wood beams, and lights hanging from nautical ropes. Dine-in space is somewhat limited, but hopefully come spring/summer Lobstercraft will be able to utilize their abundant patio space for dining alfresco.

Now I've got to run down to One Penn Plaza, because it's impossible to write about Lobstercraft lobster rolls and edit Lobstercraft photos without desperately needing a lobster roll, RIGHT NOW. It's worth the visit, trust me. See you there for dinner?


Lobstercraft
One Penn Plaza, entrance on 33rd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues

Open Mon-Fri 11am-8pm

212-465-0700

Beer Garden Opens for Thirsty Shoppers

Because shopping on 34th Street is often an afternoon long jaunt that can leave a girl awfully parched, we would like to let you know about the newest addition joining our 34th Street restaurant offerings: a beer garden. Yes, right across from Madison Square Garden, down the street from Macy's Herald Square, H&M, Footaction, and Swarovski (and perhaps soon DSW), there will be a new, 6,000 square-foot beer garden.

Rendering of the beer garden from Local West. The big building is Duane Reade, Local West is to the left, and on the right is Lucy's Cantina Royale.

Pretty, yes? The good people at Local are bringing us shady trees, picnic-style communal tables (as well as cozy 2-tops), 16 different craft beers, a menu of handcrafted soft pretzels, kettle corn, and sausages, all in close proximity to Madison Square Garden and the best of 34th Street shopping. Meet your friends for a nosh, meet the guys before heading to a game, or meet your friends and then meet some guys. It's all good, and it should be opening in early June.

The Beer Garden (name is TBD) enter on 33rd or 34th Streets just off of Eighth Avenue