The source of inspiration for the lobster chitarra pasta at Concourse is found in it’s smallest component. When placed on the table, you may notice small brown crumbles on top of fresh, made-from-scratch pasta and lobster pieces. That crumble is milk powder, fried in clarified butter.
“You know when you dip lobster in melted butter and you get all those pieces at the bottom? Yeah, that’s what I wanted to replicate for this dish,” explains chef-owner Luke Bergman. He spent a few weeks each summer in Maine, and of course eating lots of lobster while he was there.
And though the fried milk adds a deliciously creamy texture to the dish, the real star is the broth. Chef takes the lobster shells and simmers them in water with all the aromatics: kefir lime, cilantro, lemongrass, basil, parsley, garlic. This broth is actually the main component of the sauce for the pasta. It’s combined with a little house-made tomato sauce, and added to the noodles just before plating. The broth flavors each and every bite with lobster, which keeps it light (and will probably have you reaching your fork back for more).
“I like the dish because it’s comforting. And because we really pay attention to the texture of the noodles. We use two different flours to give it the perfect texture. I also like it because we’re in a landlocked place and this makes you feel like you’re eating on a coast,” says Bergman.
But it’s not your typical lobster pasta. It’s not creamy. It’s not rich. In fact, it’s the opposite. It’s very light for a pasta dish. But that’s intentional. The lobster pieces are perfectly sized and the toppings don’t stop with the crumble. There’s also the Calabrian chili peppers (not too hot, but just enough spice), the egg yolks, and the Japanese mint. These all work in harmony to bring together a killer plate that Concourse sells 20 of each day.
The best news is that it’s offered on the happy hour menu. Every day from 2-5 pm, you can get half an order of the pasta and if you buy any wine by the glass, your second glass is only $1. You’re welcome.