The Dish: New England style lobster roll from Oyster House in Center City
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- In this edition of The Dish and today we're serving up one of our favorite summer splurges: lobster rolls.
As Oyster House in Center City gets ready to celebrate 50 years, we learn the secrets to their number one seller.
I slid into the kitchen during a busy lunch to help make one of the tens of dozens of New England style lobster rolls flying off the line.
At the popular Sansom Street spot, it's always lobster roll season.
"We keep it really simple," says Joseph Campoli, the Executive Chef. "You want the lobster meat to really shine."
All it takes is a few GOOD ingredients.
"We have fresh lobster meat that comes straight from Maine," he explains. "We do TCK: tail, claw and knuckle."
Dress the fresh lobster with this mixture: mayo, chopped celery, salt, lemon juice and black pepper. Then, mix it tenderly.
"You don't want to break it up too much," Campoli says.
The final step is a split top bun (basically a hot dog bun), that's buttered and toasted. Emphasis on buttered. PRO TIP: butter the griddle or pan and then sear the bun in it that way.
When the lobster meets that bun, think less shove and more showcase.
"The key for this is you want to keep the lobster roll intact," Campoli says. "You put the lobster meat right in the middle. You don't want to destroy the bun or the lobster."
One final touch: sprinkle some chives on top.
I take mine out to the newly renovated dining room for a chat with owner Sam Mink.
Mink is the third generation in what's become a Philadelphia oyster empire.
"My dad opened up in May of 1976, three months after I was born," says Mink.
And they've been at the same location ever since at 1516 Sansom Street.
"Next year, we'll be celebrating 50 years. Me and the restaurant. We're the same age," he says.
Mink's grandfather owned another seafood spot a block away.
"All of these oyster plates on the wall, all of this art, is my grandfather's art from the 50s and 60s," Mink explains.
His grandfather, also named Sam Mink, once boasted the largest collection of antique oyster plates in the world.
"He had hundreds and hundreds of oyster plates," Mink says. "I carry on his legacy here at Oyster House."
By the end of the month, a second Oyster House is joining the legacy at Philadelphia International Airport.
"We've never thought about opening up another Oyster House in the city," Mink says. "But the opportunity for the airport, where you get tons of tourists and locals going through, seems like a no-brainer."
In their oyster theater in the round, you'll find a familiar face: Gary McCready. Over the past decade, he's become a bit of a celebrity.
The Media, Delaware county native shucks about 1,000 oysters a day.
"Each oyster has a story, right?" McCready says. "We try to give that story about the farmer to the guests right as we're shucking the oysters."
And he knows where his oyster friends are from. He's met the farmers and visited the farms.
"The key about shucking is that it's really not about power, it's just more about finesse," he says.
Gary is an oyster artist. He's also part marine biologist. I asked him what "oyster university" looked like for him.
"Oyster University for me was actually a couple of stabs along the way, really just persevering and sticking with it," he says. "Here we are, ten years later. I'm still doing it, still doing the craft, and I'm sort of leading the way in oyster culture in Philadelphia."
Gary says he'll be shucking here for the long haul.
"I love being here, and I will never stop being here," he says.
