Iconic American Sandwich Gets the Pret a Manger Treatment

High street sandwich giant looks to Maine, USA for inspiration

Pret A Manger has launched its smartest sandwich yet with the introduction of a ‘lobster roll’ at £5.99. It’s served on a baguette, which lobster roll devotees would consider to be sacrilege — the Maine roll is classically served on a New England-style hot dog bun — but fits more neatly with Pret’s baguette-or-flatbread-or-wrap sandwich mojo. It also contains red pepper and cucumber, which lobster roll devotees would consider to be sacrilege.

The crustacean’s abundance in Maine — up to 75 million pounds hauled in each year — and the changing pricing according to the amount of meat on the roll, warm weather, and how horny the lobsters are because of that warm weather, makes the lobster roll an ubiquitous cultural phenomenon as much as a luxury lunchtime sandwich. It’s unlikely to have that resonance as Londoners schlep down from the office block in search of sustenance; but at least McDonald’s aren’t bringing theirs across the pond.

And in other news...

• Michelin-starred Mayfair restaurant Gymkhana is closed indefinitely after a fire yesterday. No-one was hurt.
• Once trailblazing restaurant group Polpo has closed the first of three restaurants as it seeks to stabilise its finances.
• One of the U.K.’s best fruit and vegetable suppliers is opening its first cafe, in Notting Hill.
• ICYMI: here are London’s hottest restaurants, right now.
• World-famous footballer Eric Cantona is going into space. In the name of beer advertising. The stunt, organised by middling lager Kronenbourg 1664, is summed up here by Cantona: “It is a well-known fact in Alsace that Kronenbourg is le taste supreme in the world, but we want to prove that it is le taste supreme in the entire universe! So where will I be going to prove that Kronenbourg is le taste supreme in the universe? Space, of course.” Space. Of course. Questions about how drinking one beer with no comparison to other beers proves it is “le taste supreme” will not be taken at this time.
• Aldi is launching a Bigger Daddy — 28 ounce — steak to rival its Big Daddy — 16 ounce — steak, because meat is masculinity, everyone.
• Good tweet: