Maine Diner: Fresh Frozen and Triple D



Bad Roll Photo

Maine Diner

2265 Post Road

Route One
Wells, ME 04090
(207) 646-4441 

Original Review May, 2008- see updates below:

I went specifically for the Lobster Roll. It was a perfectly respectable roll with surprisingly large chunks of knuckle and claw. I suspect the vat of lobster salad was whipped up in the morning, since the mayo had lost any creaminess. The roll with some tasty potato salad was $15.99, it seemed fair. Some of the diner food circulating around looked tremendous. Sometimes I wish my obsession with lobster/crab rolls could be kept in perspective. It would have been nice to order the mac & cheese with franks. My favorite thing about the seemingly sterile diner was the autographed picture of the Soup Nazi over the chowder warmer. For you non Seinfeld watchers, the Soup Nazi was a character who was very militant about serving his soup, not really a Nazi. I don't groove on Nazis.

If I am passing through Wells (which will be never) and need the feed, I'll stop in for some diner fare, but will pass on the lobster roll. They serve Inglenook Wine? I thought that stuff went the way of Paul Mason and those cheesy fake carafes.

If I were rating diners instead of lobster rolls, I would have given 5 stars.

September 15, 2008 Update:



I went back recently for diner food and suppressed my urge to eat a lobster roll. We parked out back and cut through the loading/trash area to get back to the car. I noticed a number of boxes in the recycling pile that once contained " fresh - frozen" lobster meat. That explains a lot!

I have a friend that is an executive chef at a well known coastal restaurant and he told me it is very common to purchase fresh-frozen and cut it 50/50 or even 80/20 with fresh lobster. Now I know why so many rolls lack that subtle sweetness.

September 15, 2008 Update:



I tried their crab salad club sandwich, that has bacon on it. Imagine being raptured from your earthly bonds by a crab and a pig. From now on I want to ask if a slice of bacon can be wedged in to my crab roll- no matter where I am. Why hasn't the Pork Council started the slogan: Bacon Makes it Better? Sorry, no photos since I wasn't expecting sandwich bliss on that visit -no camera on hand.

If I am not mistaken, J and G Oyster in the South End (Boston) does a lobster roll with bacon on it.

2011 Update:

I cannot resist the temptation to continue eating here, but bear in mind that the human walrus Guy Fieri has been here in his red "Cammy" and made it difficult to eat here. "Triple D," or "X-D" means something completely different amongst my juvenile friends. It has more to do with severe gastrointestinal distress. If you are unfamiliar, Guy refers to his Diners, Drive-ins and, Dives show as the "The Triple D."
The Maine Diner now has those buzzers that the Cheesecake Factory has allowing you to stroll around the mall while you wait to advance your heart disease. You can do that here now too- they have a gift shop within range of the buzzer.