Maine-ly Sandwiches: Even Better Than the Real Thing

In her review this week, Press critic Katharine Shilcutt visits Maine-ly Sandwiches, where Maine native Melvin "Buddy" Charity sells authentic Maine-style lobster rolls that get the details (toasted, split-top rolls, just enough mayo) right. While she's never been to Maine to try an "authentic" lobster roll, Shilcutt decides that doesn't matter. "And I realized that I didn't need a Maine story of my own in order to enjoy the lobster roll at Maine-ly Sandwiches. Authenticity is an artificial construction biased by our own personal histories and preferences and colored by our own affections and nostalgia. All that's important is that the lobster roll that Buddy Charity makes at Maine-ly ­Sandwiches is stupendous in its simplicity, attractive in its honest and straightforward construction, and far more delicious than the sum of its few, perfect parts." [Eating Our Words]

The Blogs: In the closest he's ever come to writing something negative, Hank on Food has strong words for macro brewers who buy craft beer breweries. Catherine Martins compares the booths at Pho and Grill to the worst kind of treachery. Eating Our Words contributor Minh T Truong checks out lunch at Uptown French restaurant Etoile.

[Maine-ly Sandwiches/Official Site]