Les Gens Inconnus: Rock Lobster

“The best food is in Hong Kong. I try to go back every two years just to eat. The food is very special unlike anything in this world. I miss it.” 

It's 4am. I am riding in a cab through East Berlin and I suddenly find myself transported to China and its rich food culture as my overeager cab driver proudly relays stories of his homeland.

“Well, I will put it on my list.” I replied.

“Where you come from?”

Here it was: the dreaded question for every American living abroad. I murmured, “The U.S.”

“Ah! They have good lobster there. I really want to go there and eat lobster.”

Having been abroad for almost a year, I had received a variety of responses regarding my nationality – some good, some bad, and some occasionally very ugly. In all my encounters, this was by far the most bizarre. Unsure of how to react yet curious about my own country’s reputation when it came to lobster, I decided to continue our conversation.

“Well, it is pretty expensive.” I replied assuming that he meant the lobster in Maine or the pricey Cape Cod lobster rolls for $18 a pop.

“No no” my cab driver replied contradicting me. “I heard there is a place where you can eat all the lobster you want for very cheap.”

“My God,” I thought. He’s talking about Red Lobster – that American seafood chain that I had only seen in landlocked cities. The sight always made me gag. There was nothing more unnatural than fast food – but seafood fast food was a kind of fast food barbarism.

And Red Lobster was not the only culprit. There were other chains such as, Captain D’s and Long John Silvers. As to who ate it, I was unsure.

But people did eat it – a lot. I distinctly remember noticing a line wrapped around the Captain D’s Caroline Street building in downtown, Fredericksburg.

“What is the deal?” I thought as I drove by knowing quite well that my best friend, Anna’s great aunt, “Auntie” (I never knew her actual name) loved Captain D’s – and was known to often frequent the local Fredericksburg chain for her fried fish fix. That was one person. But who else ate this slock? The seafood probably came from China itself – shipped out compliments of Hong Kong. 

The cab driver’s response amused me as well as exposed me as a snob. I had assumed he meant Cape Cod’s lobster rolls or other high dining fruits de mere.  I had failed to consider his income status or real knowledge of American gastronomy. How could he?

This sweet man, who loved to eat, wanted his lobster but at a low cost. However, he was willing to spend the money to fly to the U.S. with the sole purpose of eating lobster – all you can eat for that matter. Oddly, I understood his desire to dine one day at Red Lobster. It made complete sense to me. Although I had no desire to ever eat at Red Lobster, I was no different than him in my own pursuit and study of food. I had chosen to study in Italy and then write and study more in Berlin mainly because of the food. Like him, I traveled with my gut.

As we weaved through Mitte into my neighborhood of three weeks, Kreuzberg, we continued to talk about the merits of American lobster and Hong Kong’s rich and diverse cuisine. Soon, we were friends and then he suddenly asked me if I missed home.

He is a funny one I thought, “Well, yes of course. But I am happy here. And my parents are coming to Italy in June.”

“Ah, your parents miss you. They want to see their daughter so they come to Italy.”

 “Yes or they just want to eat.” I replied.

We both laughed.

Soon, we pulled up to my apartment and he opened the door for me. I had not been able to make him out in the dim light. He was short  – a little portly with a smiling round face and big glasses. He reached out his pudgy hand and we shook.

“Enjoy your stay in Berlin. You will eat well.”

“Thank you. I hope you make it to the U.S. for your lobster.”

Suddenly his eyes grew big as his lips slowly began to curl like Dr. Seuss’ the Grinch, “ Oh I will!” With that, he hopped back in his cab and sped off and suddenly my lobster loving cab driver from Hong Kong was gone.

 

 

 

Comments

[Anna]

Ah, Auntie - how she loved those seafood platters encased in styrofoam. I love your blog, Molly. The connection between food, living and life is well honored with your observations. I am left feeling hungry (for lobster) and satiated (with fond memories). Compelling! Keep up the good work.

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