Lobsta Shack
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES – Opened late last year just outside Chinatown, the Lobsta Shack restaurant marks the brick and mortar debut for founder Justin Mi’s widely popular Lobsta Truck, which truck chasers have been following around Downtown (and other locales) religiously since it hit the road in 2010.
The truck’s signature Lobsta Roll sandwiches are on the menu at the new outpost for $20, but here you get the “extra meat” version, as in the meat of one whole lobster served in a New England split top roll with hot drawn butter or a seasoned mayo and a side of truffle fries. For those who prefer crab, there’s also the Crab Roll, which is overflowing with sweet lump crab meat. It’s just two of several tempting options at the new eatery, which offers Downtowners a New England-style alternative for lunch or dinner, seven days a week.
If you love a good grilled cheese, the restaurant’s beloved version — overflowing with the crustacean and a three-cheese blend — is sandwiched between two slices of brioche. You can also go with the beer battered cod sandwich served with house tartar sauce on a hoagie roll. Don’t miss the shrimp Po Boy sandwich, grilled ribeye sandwich, or even a smoked Andouille hot dog.
Lobster lovers will be hard pressed to find a better deal on a whole live lobster in Downtown or beyond. Lobsters are flown in live from the East Coast a few times a week. The meal, which includes a whole 1 1/3 pound live lobster, either steamed or grilled, with a side of corn on the cob and coleslaw, will set you back just $21. If you want to kick it up a notch, try the Cajun lobster, which gets you a 1 1/3 pound live lobster grilled and seasoned with a Cajun spice blend and served with Andouille sausage, corn on the cob, and Cajun butter.
Start a main entree with a traditional cup or bowl of white New England-style clam chowder with bacon or the lobster bisque. Then, dig into a main dish of pan-seared or grilled salmon topped with herb aioli, pan-seared scallops with garlic butter sauce, or grilled apple-thyme marinated chicken. All entrees come with rice pilaf and a choice of two sides, which can include coleslaw, potato salad, corn on the cob, or fries. Entrees range from $12 to $16. If it’s pasta you crave, the lobster spaghetti is tossed in a house-made lobster sauce and topped with half of a grilled lobster. There’s also the shrimp scampi spaghetti in white wine butter garlic sauce or linguini with steamed clams in a lemon butter sauce.
Try really hard to save some room for dessert. If you do, you’ve got a couple options: the Whoopie Pie, a sweet marriage of frosting sandwiched between two chocolate cake slices, or the blueberry crisp, crafted with a brown sugar oat toping and sweet blueberry filling.
The Lobsta Shack also caters a mean lobster bake, creating an authentic New England experience for any occasion, complete with steaming pots of lobster, clam chowder, clams, Andouille sausage, corn on the cob, potatoes, and blueberry pie. You can also always call the Lobsta Truck to cater your office party with lobster rolls, crab rolls, Cape Cod potato chips, and clam chowder.
At 701 W. Cesar Chavez Ave., (323) 999-1797. Open Mon. – Sun. 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Visit lobstashack.com.
Cuisine: American/Seafood
Source: DT News