Lobsta & More Lobsta @ Pauli's North End, 65 Salem Street, Boston, MA

North End Boston, 1901

There are three things I find absolutely beautiful about Boston - the food, the history, and the scenery.

After a hearty lunch at Pauli's North End, my friend and I discussed how Boston is a "just-big-enough-city" that features landscape that people appreciate most about metropolitan areas - waterfronts and green space.

Pauli's is located in the historic North End of Boston.  The neighborhood exemplifies Old meets New World in its design/layout, restaurants, culture, and community.  Salem Street amongst other popular "main" streets in the neighborhood are juxtaposed with the large, wide Greenway.  Short story tenements with small shops or restaurants below them suddenly appear even smaller once the city's sky line becomes visible again from street level.  There a sense of opening up, of deeper breathing once leaving the closeknit, narrow streets of the North End heading towards Fanueil Hall Marketplace or Haymarket.  The contrast is quite an experience.

The North End certainly has an air about itself.  There is definitely a community feel.  Many of the business owners are welcoming and inviting and Mr. Pauli's 'super deli", where you are sure to receive "wicked fresh and crazy good" eats, is no exception!

I must say, after spending 8 years in southeast Alabama for school, it is refreshing to enter an eatery, or any business for that matter, and immediately experience or note warmth between patrons and staff.  Pauli clearly takes pride in assuring that each customer he serves receives his personal best.  And yes, Pauli helps run the register most days!

The restaurant served a multitude of dishes.  The number and variety of dishes offered by the kitchen is nothing short of amazing for a place that is small, even for the North End.  There are three rows of double basic tables and room for two to three people at the window bar where people are watching you and your food as much as you're watching them.

It's really no surprise that we order the lobster roll.  After all, it IS award-winning and all the buzz in the foodie community!  We were not, however, brave enough to sample the $49.99, 1.5 lb USS Lobstitution lobster roll, created back in July 2013 as the largest lobster roll in New England (no doubt)!  We went with the 7 ouncer as to save room for other bites.  The lobster is locally-sourced, arriving daily from Globe Fish Co. at Marine Industrial Park.

Now, when I say other bites, your options are abundant, hot or cold sandwiches and wraps, pasta dishes, salads, wings, and breakfast foods like steak tips and eggs, omelets, pancakes.  The list goes on...

7 oz. Lobster Roll + "Dirty" Kettle Chips

  What I loved most about the lobster roll was its pure, unadulterated, sweet, tender lobster!   The precious claw and knuckle meat was simply tossed in light mayo, no filler and no shreds of sad crustacean.  Pauli's serves a purist lobster lover's dream resting on and even toppling out of a sweet roll.

I guess this was the day of the lobster as I also had to sample the lobster mac n' cheese.  My only disappointment was the substitution of penne for macaroni, but other than that minor detail, once the dish was mixed well, the pasta and lobster coated in the cheesy sauce, all was right in the world.  Again, this dish featured a hefty helping of succulent lobster claw and knuckle meat and topped with buttered breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.

For my non-seafood taste, I order the Pollo Pazzo, a large hot sandwich featuring hearty, crisp chicken cutlets, crisp bacon, a beautiful herbaceous pesto mayo, purple onion, fresh feta cheese, lettuce, and tomato.

I have every intention of returning to sample a few breakfast and more lunch/dinner items.  Breakfast is served until 5 pm, but Pauli informed me that this may change soon to give the kitchen a bit of a breather and maintain their reputation of all day fast service.

We left with big smiles.

DrFoodie

Erika

 I want to thank Pauli's North End for filling our bellies and extending such fantastic hospitality.

 You can check out Pauli's blog with great photos and recipes,  here.

Disclosure:  Pauli's North End covered the costs of this meal.  All opinions are my own.