Fish restaurants have always been popular however with the recent news emphasising healthy lifestyle choices, both in regard to exercise and what you eat, more and more people are being attracted to the wonderful world of fresh fish. Owning a fish restaurant can magnetise a crowd of diners that want to eat healthily and demand something a little different to rabbit food. Not only will a varied, mouth watering menu boost your customer base but also by adding an interactive experience you can introduce a touch of individuality to your business. Why not display your fresh fish of the day on a bed of crushed ice and allow the customers to choose the exact fish that they want to eat. If you want to take it a step further, the chosen fish can then be prepared and cooked in an open kitchen where the customer can see the progress of their meal from their table. If an interactive experience sounds good and something which your customer base may be interested in you could introduce some live lobster for your customers to choose from. This may be an attraction for some however if this display of live shellfish waiting for the boiling pan of water seems a tad too much for your guests to cope with then can simply offer your lobster on the menu and not visually. However you decide to display your menu, you should always be in a position to educate your customers on the correct and safe way to enjoy their meals. Eating fish is relatively easy, just be careful of any small bones; however tucking into a shell fish becomes an entirely new scene. Whatever the layout and procedure in your fish restaurant make sure that your staff are in the position to educate your customers regarding the correct way to choose lobster, when applicable, and the best way to eat the dish once it is served.
Choosing the lobster
If your customers want to choose their own lobster but are unsure of what qualities to look for, make sure that you are in a position to assist and educate. Enquire if they would like a hard shelled lobster or one which has recently shed. Hard shelled lobsters are mature, and their shells can be tough to break however once inside the meat is firm and full of flavour. Lobsters which have recently shed, affectionately known as ‘shedders’ will have softer shells as the new layer will not have had the time to harden. Their meat tends to be sweeter although less plentiful. Shedders will tend to be smaller than hard shelled choices.
You should also ask the guest if they would prefer a male or a female lobster. A female lobster tends to have more meat on the tail due to the tail being larger to enable transportation of eggs.
Once these facts have been decided you must choose between the lobsters that match your requests. Always choose the lobster that looks the liveliest, moving freely within the tank. You should also take note of the amount of twitching that occurs in the antennae region; the more twitching the healthier the lobster. Look for a bright colour and shiny eyes to guarantee that you get the best of the bunch. Avoid any lobsters that seem lethargic, have visible shell damage or have cloudy eyes as it may suggest some form of contamination or ill health. Take note of the position of the tail, especially if the lobster is static. If the tail is curled under it is probable that the lobster is already dead.
Prepare your customers to eat
It is vital that your guests are appropriately attired to eat their lobster dish as the process can get a little messy. Drips of butter down clothing and small morsels of meat easily flung from the fork are regular occurrences. Although bibs are not usually provided you can tuck a napkin into your collar to protect your clothes or alternatively pre-plan and wear something which is not easily stained. Eating lobster requires the use of your hands especially if you want to receive the full amount of meat. If your customer seems a little squeamish about handling the lobster, this dish might not be the right choice for them.
You must equip your customers with the vital tools to allow them access to the lobster’s meat. If your guests are not sure what to do be sure to provide them with a brief explanation of what all the items are used for, maybe even include a quick demonstration.
Tools to provide;
- A lobster claw cracker; similar in appearance to a nutcracker and essential to breaking through the tough shell. Take a look at the Cracky Lobster.
- A lobster fork/pick; resembling a tiny metal fork, allows access to the smallest of crevices to gain access to all of the meat. Check out the Olympia D613 Lobster Pick.
- A shell dish; somewhere to put the shell fragments once the lobster is cracked.
- Hand wipes or a finger bowl; the heavy use of hands during the eating of lobster means that your fingers will get sticky. Provide either refreshing hand wipes or a simple bowl of warm water with a slice of fresh lemon and a drying flannel to restore hygiene when your customers have finished.
Determine how your customers would like to enjoy their lobster. Having a full lobster placed in front of you, especially if you are a novice can be slightly overwhelming and will leave people unsure as to where to begin. Offer advice to anyone looking baffled. Some people will dismantle the lobster fully and gain access to all of the meat before starting to eat; allowing them to enjoy the meal as a whole. Others will prefer to eat the lobster part by part; dismantling the tail and eating the meat, then breaking the body and eating that meat, followed by the claws; this allows a break between servings. Both methods are equally acceptable.
Eating the lobster
Step 1; twist off the claws to remove them from the body. By twisting at the base of the ‘arm’ nearest the body you should be able to detach the limbs leaving the guest with two ‘arms’ with claws at the end. You can crack the claws at the joint with the cracker to access the meat. Use the lobster fork/pick to dig out the meat from the arms and from the inside of the smaller claw. The larger claw will have more meat, sometimes enough that you may be able to cut the meat into smaller sections with a knife. All pieces of shell should be stored on the plate provided.
Step 2; pull off the legs in roughly the same way as with the claws. Pick away the shell to find a little sliver of meat which can be loosened with the pick and sucked out.
Step 3; pull the shell of the tail open and remove the meat in one big piece. Don’t forget the flippers on the end of the tail; twist them off and remove the small pieces of meat with the pick.
Step 4; turn the body of the shell upside down and make small incisions. Pull the main shell open and remove the mass of white meat. This can be cut into smaller sections with a knife before being eaten.
Step 5; if you are an avid lover of every part of the lobster then don’t forget to eat the tomalley; the lobsters liver. It is grey in colour, and although not to every ones taste, is considered a delicacy by others.
Step 6; if you have chosen your lobster and know it is a female then don’t forget the coral. These are the eggs located within the female’s body and are red in colouration. These are not the tastiest part of the lobster however in order to gain the full lobster experience, the roe is worth a try, even if only the once.
To ensure that your customers gain the fullest lobster experience possible they may need a little tuition and guidance. Make sure that your serving staff are able to offer assistance in the correct manner when required, this manner being warm and friendly whilst still remaining professional but not patronising.
