Aura, The Seaport Hotel, Boston, MA USA

Ordered at Aura Restaurant in the lobby of the Seaport Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts.

I got the email halfway through breakfast: “Would you like to join Jim and Marianna for lunch at Aura?” I knew we had a 1pm meeting, but my plan was to eat my big breakfast laid out before me and have lunch after we met, so this curveball threw me for a loop.

Then I quickly realized: I bet Aura has much better food than what I cooked for breakfast. I peaked at the menu online and placed my breakfast in the fridge. Back to work – I had a lunch meeting to focus on now.

I had been to The Seaport Hotel hundreds of times. One of my first jobs after university was working at the office tower next door, so I had walked past Aura many many times to see the bustling business-crowd lunch that fills the restaurant every day. In the past, I usually made my way to the fantastic sandwich café/shop adjacent to the lobby, but this time I would be sittin’ in.

My main focus during lunch with Jim and Marianna was to talk about the evolving waterfront district in Boston (which has transformed incredibly in the past three years) and how it’s now a perfect destination for Chinese tourists. If you’re reading this and don’t know, that’s the business I’m in: helping destinations attract Chinese tourists through online marketing solutions.

But I digress – there was another focal point to this meal, and it had little to do with Chinese tourists. As Jim and Marianna shared recommendations from the menu, the Lobster Club stood out to me. I knew it was on there from looking online, but I wasn’t sure if I would order it when the time came. It had been a month since my last, so I was craving a club sandwich, and while I normally wouldn’t order one in moments like these, my mind wouldn’t let me say no. And so it was ordered.

We chatted for a while, I admitted I had a club sandwich addiction, and we all told fun stories; just great conversation leading up to my club sandwich, something I’m not always used to dining alone in hotel rooms!

And then it came – with fantastic presentation. I was thrilled to see the chef had put care and thought into the look and feel of both the sandwich and side. While not quartered, the Aura Lobster Club Sandwich came perfectly layered, halved, toothpick’d and plated elegantly next to the French fries huddled together in a cute mini deep-frying basket. I was in heaven before I even took a bite. And then I dove in.

Layered with great care, I was relieved as I took my first bite and loved the flavors that filled my mouth. Crispy buttery brioche, followed by perfectly mayo’d lobster, with the crunch of even crispier bacon and the softness of the ripe tomato; the medley of flavors played well with each other and I enjoyed bite after bite. Everything about this club sandwich had been perfectly reviewed before arriving at my table, and the preparation had paid off. I didn’t even notice the lemon tarragon aioli along – it had slipped past my tongue. And with the delicious French fries, I couldn’t have been happier. My only gripe: I wish there was more lobster! But then again, I did enjoy the perfect ratio this sandwich presented and was glad it wasn’t overflowing with lobster as many lobster clubs tend to be; this club had fantastic grace and elegance.

Finally, I was dining in a restaurant I had wanted to try too many times, on a meal that made me feel comfortable at and at home. Combined with fantastic conversation from Jim and Marianna and the ease of access the hotel has from the rest of the city, the Aura Lobster Club hit every spot on my checklist and didn’t leave me with the slightest disappointment; in fact, I couldn’t finish the whole sandwich, so I took it home and had it for a pre-dinner snack… just delicious. I look forward to Jim and Marianna inviting me back for another!

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