"As Boston area transplants, my wife and I recognize authentic New England seafood when we see (and taste) it. In our opinion, the Old Port Lobster Shack delivers. My wife thoroughly enjoyed her fresh Maine lobster roll, prepared with real Hellman’s mayo just like they do back East. At first we thought it was a little pricey at $34, but a neighbor who just returned from Maine said that the going rate there is $30. Considering transportation costs for live lobster, this seems like a good deal. (FYI: The price fluctuates based on the market so you may pay more or less than we did Her mug of lobster bisque was flavorful but a bit too thick for her taste, although some people might prefer it that way. My fish and chips were terrific. There were three large pieces of perfectly cooked haddock, crunchy on the outside and moist and flaky inside, served with equally crispy and delicious fries. My meal was reasonably priced at $15.75. The Portola Valley location is small and very casual. Place your order at the counter, take your drink with you, and choose a table or picnic bench outside. There’s no indoor seating. They’ll deliver your food when it’s ready. The restaurant is conveniently located less than a mile from I-280 in the charming little Ladera shopping center. (Take the Alpine Road exit Westbound It’s hard to find a good casual fish restaurant on this side of the hill, especially one with a fresh authentic lobster roll, so we’ll definitely return when we’re in the area. As a footnote, we were surprised to see BBQ Brisket on the menu so we took home an order to give it a try. Big mistake! The meat was dry and flavorless and the sticky sweet sauce didn’t help. Barbecue is hard to get right. Instead of trying to please everyone, the “Lobster Shack” should stick to what it does best."
