One of the quintessential items to have in Nova Scotia is a lobster roll. And like every tourist, I was going to get my hand on one (erm… perhaps more than one). My first was enjoyed fresh off the plane, at the Halifax harbour, at a place that some would consider a tourist trap. Yes, I visited Dave’s Lobster.

Their half n’ half ($29 based on the market price) was the ideal way to sample two of their creations, a roll made with cold and warm lobster fillings:

• The chilled version, dubbed the local, was tossed with mayonnaise, celery, and chives. I found it was refreshing for a hot day and given the ingredients were less flavourful, the lobster’s sweetness was more pronounce.
• Yet, there’s something about the some fancy or warm version that was tastier. Who doesn’t like garlic butter with lemon and chives thrown in for freshness? It was delicious, but a tad overcooked so the lobster was chewier than the cold version.

If you’re hungry, one roll will not be enough. Luckily, it comes with a quarter spear of pickle and bag of chips (they were out of coleslaw and potato salad by the early afternoon). Not necessarily filling, but enough to leave you satisfied.

If you can hold off on diving into the roll, I recommend walking further down the harbourfront to find a table away from the main food area. While there was tables available in The Salt Yard, it’s also a seagull pit. Finding a clean table can be difficult and you’ll have to watch out for a wayward wing brushing close to your head. Not exactly the most relaxing way to have lunch, even if the lobster roll is good.