Citi Field – Lobster Roll

That photo is from the last regular season game at Citi Field that was included in my Sunday plan (September 25, 2011). 

This picture is from the last regular season game that I actually attended – September 27, 2011 – courtesy of my overactive Twitter account one day a few months ago.  I participated in a Twitter battle between the Detroit Tigers and the New York Mets, and because I helped them beat the competition, they DMed me for my address “to send me an autographed photo of Mr. Met” – but included in the envelope was a couple of surprise goodies, including a nifty orange watch with the Mets logo on it, and… four tickets to the second-to-last game of the season, with these seats. 

Because I’m a nice “boss” – and because there are few people in this world more fun to watch baseball with than Beer Boor – I decided to take the NY-based members of the Feisty Family (bloggers, not my blood family, because they hate baseball – I am the only one who enjoys it): Beer Boor, TT & CT. 

After my usual photo of David’s first at-bat (posted above), we went to get food.  Most of this is nothing new – the elotes that I love so dearly, but this time they were not mine.  Beer Boor smartly ordered this… I should have asked him to get one for me too! 

He also got the taco combo, which he logically pointed out was $10.75 for three tacos, and pretty good quality ones at that.  Fine, they’re not expensive, I just don’t particularly like them there.  I’ll take Nixtamal any day! 

TT opted for Blue Smoke and ordered the BBQ bologna sandwich.  It’s definitely one of the more interesting offerings at the park; the bologna is cut very thick, then grilled to give it a smoky flavor, doused in BBQ sauce, onions and pickles.  I remember I’d enjoyed the less saucy bologna sandwich last year, and it looks even better now… I just couldn’t justify the price when I got it.  However, since then, they’ve lowered the price to $7.75, which is more in line with what I said I’d pay for it (in that first link when I ate it) – and it looks bigger now, too.  Interesting – I might get this again at some point! 

CT went for the buttermilk ranch sandwich, which hadn’t been good the time I sampled it but I’ve heard varying reports, and I think she enjoyed it.  I didn’t hear any complaints, anyway! 

What did I eat?  Well…

I finally decided to bite the bullet and order the lobster roll from Catch of the Day.  I always balked at the price and at eating lobster at the ballpark, but TT sent me a photo earlier in the day from another blog and it looked half decent.  I justified it by saying lobster rolls elsewhere around the city are easily $30 – Ed’s Chowder House, anyone? – so why not?  Here’s why not: the photo TT sent was from a few years ago and showed a top-split hot dog bun with chunks of lobster, not much mayo, and just… a lobster roll.  What I got, as you can see in the pics above, is chopped up lobster meat.  You don’t chop up lobster meat unless it’s to get rid of bad parts / hide the funky bits.  No one wants to eat shreds of lobster meat, they want to eat chunks of it.  While it was tasty enough – like chopped up lobster meat, bits of celery, and I squeezed lemon on it for a little brightness… I would not recommend this – even at a cheaper price.  I didn’t get sick, but really, I was offended by the chopped up lobster meat.  Let the meat shine!  Let it speak for itself! 

Unfortunately, though we were winning for most of the game, true to form, we wound up tying, then going into extra innings and just… bleh.  I hope TT and CT enjoyed their first ever game at Citi Field, despite the cold and the loss (they left before the game ended; it was a school night after all!). 

One more season down at Citi Field, and one more sadface from me.  My home for 6 months out of the year, and it’s over!  Next year guys… there’s always next year.