The test revealed that Red Lobster's Lobster Bisque did not consistently contain lobster. One out of three tested locations had no lobster in the bisque at all. The other two locations had a mix of lobster and "mystery crustacean," identified as langostino.
Langostino, a cousin of the hermit crab, is commonly used as a substitute for lobster.
This issue of mislabeling cheaper fish as lobster has been a point of contention for Red Lobster in the past. Their 'endless shrimp'promotion drove them into bankruptcy back in 2024. No geniuses at that joint. I have never been to one. What's your impression?
Treat yourself. Click on the picture...
Interesting topic in a couple of ways. The RL franchise has been a clown show for at least 40 years. In a previous lifetime, I did tech support for point of sale systems that hundreds of locations in the chain were using under contract. The computer systems were very primitive and simple compared to today's examples, and the nightly system shutdown process and data backup to disk was a routine of about 4 or 5 simple functions on the keyboard for the manager. Most of the restaurants in North America using our systems managed this every night by themselves, but not Red Lobster. They had a corporate policy of having our tech support reps on the phone every night at every location, (several hundred) to have the manager walked through the same repetitive process every single night. The stupid was monumental.
ReplyDeleteThe marketing of cold water lobster as a gourmet meal is one of the biggest scams ever foisted upon the public. It is good if you like it, and sometimes it is excellent if done right. The classic New England in the ruff lobster feed combined with french fries, wet naps, a bib, and preferably, oceanfront dining is the most over rated eating experience anyone could have. The boiled or steamed meal is supposed to be cracked open and consumed like a primitive in order to be doing it right. That includes eating the repulsive tamale and trying to suck every scrap of meat out of every appendage as if it were literally edible gold. The less adventurous often opt for the lobster role or lobster pie in order to take part without needing a bath afterwards. Lobster may as well be gold to those in the industry. They have sold this experience to the dinning public and have convinced them that it is better than it really is, so good in fact that the price cannot be permanently displayed in the menu and must be simply indicated as "Market Price". Get real. I have seen a market glut in Maine so bad that the lobstermen actually stopped fishing for most of the summer of 2012. Even with too much lobster on hand, the mysterious "Market Price" remained the same as always, which was something like $23 for a hot dog roll overstuffed with lobster meat and a side of french fries. The paper napkins were complimentary.
I went to a Red Lobster once.
ReplyDeleteONCE.
Been there a few times over the years. Average seafood, a bit overpriced for what they deliver, but as long as you stick to identifiable dishes (eg, shrimp) or don't care if your generic white fish isn't quite what's on the label it's an OK alternative to Applebees and the like. And they are everywhere.
ReplyDeleteWant good seafood? Gotta be 4 hours or less from a coast. You might find a specialty house that does regular 'fresh' runs farther inland, but 10 hours is about the limit. We had a guy like that for a while; two trucks, a day to the bay and a day back. Excellent shrimp, fish were what was caught that day. Gas prices eventually killed him. Couldn't sell for his cost of acquisition.
no thanks. I seen who goes into that place and want no part of them. now the old Bookbinders back in Philly was a whole different place for seafood. but they closed down years ago now. they also cooked a great steak too !
ReplyDeleteMaybe they can rebrand it "Lob'str" Bisque and get away ith it on a legal technicality ?
ReplyDeleteI always found Red Lobster to be a mixed bag. It was chain food, and some locations were acceptably good, and some were ... not. Not being near a coast, if I wanted something other than just fried shrimp, the alternative was usually limited to another chain that had a fish dish or two on their menu, or one of a select few higher-end seafood restaurants.
ReplyDeleteI may have had their lobster bisque once, but I don't remember. The false advertising bothers, but does not really surprise, me. I do like langostino, though. I used to eat a fair amount of it when I was stationed on Antigua with the Navy, and I can occasionally find it in the frozen seafood section of my local grocery stores.
Here in Maine, with the largest lobster landings by far, there are no Red Lobsters.
ReplyDeleteThat tells you something.
Like a Pizza Hut franchise in New Haven
DeleteRed Lobster is to sea food what the Olive Garden is to Italian food. If you've ever been to a great Italian restaurant, Olive Garden is greatly disappointing. If you're used to Chef Bouyardee, they're pretty good.
ReplyDeleteMost of the cost for lobster, once you get away from Maine, is transportation. Live lobster requires a tank. The actual lobster may be cheaper than left over ground beef, but the trip to market is expensive.
I'm sure the transport and live wet storage add great cost, but the Market Price phenomenon I am talking about above is true throughout the New England coast to include all of Maine. Very many lobster pound eat in the rough establishments in Maine are literally at the lobsterman's landing and they will broadcast the cost of everything as being "Market Price" as if they have no idea how much lobster is sitting around right on their own dock, they are the market! The only way to circumvent this scam is to catch a lobsterman on the water by his mooring and ask if he is interesting in selling a few for cash. You might get a deal doing that. I have not ordered or eaten lobster anywhere else in the world, seems like a bad idea. When I am in the Chesapeake area I eat crabcakes. Its been a while, but I think they play that game there too.
DeleteThey have the same cold water lobsters in Scotland. I sailed hundreds of miles off the Argyle Coast and only counted 4 or 5 lobster traps. They could have easily been crab traps as well. In Maine's Muscongus Bay there are as many lobster bouys as stars in the sky. If you look for lobster ashore where local seafood is served, it might be on the menu at 2 out of 10 fish and chip "carry away" shops as they call it. They do not do the Maine style lobster pound experience and there is not of the mystique associated with eating them. If the price is high, (I don't recall) it is probably justified by the lack of people actively fishing for them.
Do NOT patronize chain or franchise restaurants unless you want to pay for goo and be treated as a commodity.
ReplyDeleteRL was a site for ghetto gatherings, like Asian hibachi places have become.