Lenny's and the Lobster Shack in Branford

Had some time near Branford and an appetite, so I tucked in at two places, Lenny's and the Branford Lobster Shack. Lenny's is actually Lenny's Indian Head Inn, which I'm pretty sure is just a restaurant, not an inn at all, although it could've been at one point. It's in the Indian Neck section of Branford (get it, Indian Head and Indian Neck?), which is primarily residential, with marsh land and inlets off the Branford River curling in and around throughout the area. It still has an old resort vibe that apparently started back in the early 1900s when it was a part time seaside community.

Walking into Lenny's, you immediately feel like you're at an old established standby, a place old-timers still go. A honey-toned, wood-lined interior with booths and tables seat many inside, and picnic tables and a kitschy bar behind a boat hull allow outdoor seating on the deck facing a marsh. It feels like a place generations of families have come and gone, and in fact, during my visit, pairs of mothers and daughters and groups of 3-generation families kept coming in. And of course, your friendly, occasional odd duck, the single person looking to try the hot sauteed lobster roll.

It was overstuffed! The meat couldn't stay in the bun, and the whole thing was falling apart almost before picking it up.  Unlike Seawell's and Edd's Place, the large meat quantity wasn't necessarily a great thing.  However, the lobster was definitely fresh picked, still had some green guts stuff on it. It was a wee bit overcooked, so a little tough, but it wasn't bad. The butter on the side flummoxed me as usual, and the portion of fries was large. No cole slaw. All this for $21.95, making it the most expensive lobster roll of the pack, regardless of sides.

I would say, between the price and the taste, it wouldn't be my top choice.

Looking out to the Branford River.

Claw and tail meat which is tasty.

Maybe should've brought my cup of butter from Lenny's?

I decided to try my luck next at Branford's famed Lobster Shack, just a few miles away on Indian Neck Avenue, within the boatyard of the Branford Marine Railway. Which is literally a boatyard just across the river from the northeast corridor railway and Branford train station. It was a nice enough spot, and the shack is really a larger food truck set up to be stationary at the far end of the boatyard. Would be cool if they were more nautically themed, maybe serving out an old, decommissioned yacht. But décor is not the object here.

For $15, you get a toasted, top-sliced, smaller submarine roll and a quarter pound of lobster meat with pre-applied butter and lemon. You can get a larger one for $25. It was tasty enough, and I know it's got a reputation as one of the best hot lobster rolls in the state, but I am just not a fan of the heavier roll. Lobster meat is delicate in flavor, and if you've got really good, fresh lobster meat, you might be able to get away with a heavy roll, but typically, it's really not that fresh. So a roll heavier than the top-loading New England hot dog roll gets in the way. I ended up with a lot of bread left over at the end of this lobster roll. Fortunately, they also had gelato.

They get their lobster sent down from Groton, which doesn't necessarily prove it's not from Canada, but it is certainly fresh enough. But, if it isn't abundantly clear already, lighter bread is better. Maybe they should think about getting an old yacht to serve out of…

Just my personal opinion, on my personal opinion blog, but I would not go out of my way to get this lobster roll, and if it's pre-applied butter and lemon you're after, I'd head for Clinton's Lobster Shack.