2010 Fall Dining Guide

By Tom Sietsema
Sunday, October 17, 2010

Waiting for the crew of the city's most transporting food truck to set up shop once they've tweeted their location for the day is like watching the warm-up for Bon Jovi. The anticipation in line -- and there's always a line -- is palpable. The dude ahead of me is snapping photos with his cellphone; the gal behind me tells me this is her fourth attempt at sampling the seafood rolls since the business rolled into town from its (grounded) base in Brooklyn in August. (Local angle: The co-founder of that Red Hook Lobster Pound in New York is Susan Povich, granddaughter of the late, great Washington Post sports scribe, Shirley Povich.) Fifteen bucks is a lot to shell out for a sandwich served in a foil container at lunch. But one bite into the lobster roll, bursting with seafood that's trucked down from Maine, and I'm hooked; bonus points for the barely there binder of mayonnaise, fresh lemon juice and minced celery. For just over half the price, but just as much savor, there are sweet wild shrimp tossed with a tarragon mayonnaise and cradled with shredded lettuce in a buttered roll that's faintly crisp from the griddle. Eating the prize catch, you almost expect a sea breeze, or a gull cry. Want to upgrade? Ask for your lobster roll Connecticut-style, and it's bathed in warm butter. Be sure to check your order: Mine was missing a whoopie pie -- the perfect excuse this lobstah lovah needs to return. // Various locations; 202-341-6263; www.redhooklobsterdc.com; @LobstertruckDC. Open: Monday through Saturday, days and location posted on Twitter page. All major credit cards. Prices: $8 to $18.