Thirty-four dollars for a lobster roll? Seriously?
But, wait. What if that lobster roll is loaded with meat — knuckle, claw and tail — on a buttery hot dog bun served with melted butter and mayo on the side? (The latter condiment is obviously for folks who don’t know the proper way to eat a lobster roll. Just sayin’.)
And how about getting that fresh lobster, shipped in from Maine within a few days, right here in landlocked Denver?
Yeah, I thought you’d reconsider.
That, my friends, is what Maine Shack is offering.
The restaurant is early in its venture with just a few pop-ups before the brick-and-mortar opens, but the folks behind it are New Englanders who know how to get mouths watering: whole-belly fried clams; large, tender sea scallops; steamers with beurre fondue or spicy buffalo butter; and for land-lubbers, New England roast beef, hot or cold. And the skin-on fries — served with a side of crab boil aioli — are pretty delicious, too.
The surprise hit of sand in a clam or two will take you right back to the beach.
Max Mackissock, Katie O’Shea and Juan Padro of Denver Culinary Creative Group — the team behind Señor Bear and Bar Dough — are partnering with music entrepreneur Drew Ryan and Fiddler’s Green GM John Caprio to bring traditional New England coastal dishes to landlocked Colorado.
These folks know seafood: Ryan is from Cobbossee Lake, Maine; Caprio is from Boston; Mackissock is from New Hampshire; and longtime Denver chef Craig Dixon is from Saugus, Mass.
Ryan grew up working in wholesale food distribution, his father’s business, in Maine.
“My dad sold it all,” Ryan said. “At 15, I was driving a van to the coast to deliver food.”
All of Maine Shack’s goods are shipped directly from Maine. Clams? Ipswich. Lobster? Fresh. Decor? Authentic Maine.
In fact, Ryan scoured junk shops around Maine, shipping reclaimed barnwood, lobster traps, buoys, a 6-foot lighthouse and more back to Denver to decorate the new restaurant.
The new restaurant will be “like walking into Maine, right here in Denver,” Ryan said. Maine Shack will also have rooftop seating, and a wall mural of the Portland Head Light lighthouse, based on a photo taken by Ryan.
Oh, and even the towel holders are from Maine, made by state prisoners.
“We had to do all New England,” Dixon said. “It’s been missing in Denver, and we wanted the inside track.”
Coming once the fast casual eatery is settled: clam chowdah (yeah, that’s how New Englanders say it), lobster mac and cheese, lobster pot pie, and more.
For dessert: whoopie pies, the “official state treat of Maine.” Who knew?
Maine Shack also will have gluten-free batter for its fried clams and scallops. But, thankfully, no Manhattan clam chowder.
Of course, we had to ask about that sports rivalry:
“We have no arugments with Broncos fans,” Dixon said. “We invite them to come on in and enjoy a Red Sox or Patriots game on TV.”
Maine Shack is scheduled to open later this summer at 1535 Central St. in Denver’s Lower Highland neighborhood.
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