I’m a bit of a seafood snob.
I usually like to prepare it myself, finding that few people can achieve the proper flavour and texture that elevates the cuisine from ordinary to orgasmic. Instead, I’ve come across too many seafood blunders, including overcooking, overseasoning or – gasp – overthinking the dish. Tsk tsk.
And so I tend to order fruits de mer strictly from Michelin-starred restaurants, where paying $42.50 for an entrée is a surefire way to ascertain the food will arrive perfectly poached, pan-seared or Provençal.
I warned you. (Don’t worry, I can hardly stand myself.)
But for all my airs and expectations, I have a little secret… when it comes to enjoying seafood that is tasty, affordable and available without jetting off to London, I really, really love Red Lobster.
My first real date was at Red Lobster; my boyfriend at the time (it’s totally a high school romance when your “boyfriend” takes you on a first date after he’s your boyfriend) surprised me with a fine lobster dinner for my 17th birthday. At the time, I thought it was the most delicious meal I’d ever had in my entire life. And over the years, I popped in and out of Red Lobster, always for the mixed bag of seafood, and usually when there was an endless shrimp promo :)
But somewhere along the way, I lost touch with the brand and it had been many years since I indulged in their varied menu of surf and turf. So when contacted by Red Lobster to check out one of their new, redesigned restaurants, I figured it was time to decide once and for all if my palette – which had changed drastically since I was 17 – could indeed find room for a Red Lobster recommendation.
(For those wondering, the redesigned restaurants are inspired by Bar Harbor, Maine. “Red Lobster’s new design creates a warm, inviting seaside atmosphere. Nearly 700 restaurants across North America will be remodeled by 2014. Our redesign builds on the many improvements made inside the restaurant over the last several years — from the debut of an award-winning Today’s Fresh Fish Menu to bringing guests more delicious items prepared on our signature Wood-Fire Grill.” Click here for more info.)
My husband and I arrived at the Mississauga, Ontario Red Lobster and were instantly aware that the restaurant had indeed received a facelift since the last time I had been there. Although this particular location had not been decked out with the stone facing, the changes to the interior and exterior of the restaurant nevertheless alluded to Bar Harbor’s finest.
Want to know how to ensure exemplary customer service? Put your manager’s name on the outside of your restaurant. Then, you know, work your a** off to be hospitable, warm and friendly (more about the incredible Mr. Saunders later).


“Do you come here often?” I asked.
“Oh yes,” she replied. “The food is always fresh and delicious, and I don’t mind the wait because the turnaround time once you get to the table is very quick,” she reasoned. “I’ve been coming to this location for about 5 years, and I’m always satisfied.”
“So what are you doing tonight?” I pressed. “Is it a special occasion?”
“Oh no. We’re just going to see a movie – that new Brad Pitt movie? – and we’re catching dinner before the show.”
I must admit this surprised me; perhaps it’s because I’ve always associated the restaurant – and lobster in general – with special occasions, it seemed strange to me that the cuisine would be deemed appropriate for pre-movie munchies.
So I took a look around, and realized that for the most part, diners were 1) dressed casually, 2) with their families and 3) all happy and relaxed. And it was instantly apparent that the restaurant had become part of the community.
Nicely done, Red Lobster.
The time is 7:55pm. There are 38 people waiting for a table.
Success! Our names were called and we were guided to our booth. Within moments of seeing the menu, I knew I wanted the Fire-Grilled Lobster, Shrimp and Scallops – “A split Maritime lobster tail and skewered jumbo shrimp and sea scallops with a savoury garlic finish, served over rice. $28.50”
Since we were also allowed to choose two sides, I opted for mashed potatoes and a Caesar salad – two things I rarely (if ever) have, and therefore as good a choice as any. (Funny fact – my husband ordered the exact same meal, substituting a Caesar for garden salad. We never do that.)
In case you’re not keeping count, let me add it up for you: lobster tail, shrimps, scallops, rice, mashed potatoes and salad… for $28.50. All of a sudden, the 38 people in line makes sense.
Did I mention that their famous, hot, delicious, cheesy-garlic biscuits were dropped by our table within moments? It was all I could do not to fill up on bread. Mmmm… sorry, Atkins-enthusiasts. When our salads arrived next, I picked at mine in an attempt to save room for the seafood bounty that was surely on its way. For the most part, the salad was very good – dressed properly, with the right amount of creamy-to-crunch ratio. I actually had to push it to the side to keep from eating it.
And finallly… the feast. Overflowing with lobster, shrimp and scallops, my mouth watered as I took in the splendid fare. A delicious, smoky essence wafting up from the seafood – it was all I could do not to attack the plate.
The smoky essence I’m referring to, of course, is courtesy of the oak wood fire grill. To achieve the perfect balance of flavors, Red Lobster uses oak logs in its newly retrofitted wood-fire assisted grills. “Fresh fish and shellfish are delicious in their purest forms, and wood-fire grilling really enhances those natural flavors without overpowering them,” said Red Lobster Senior Executive Chef LaDuke. “The result is a simplistic, lighter dish that emphasizes the natural appeal of delicious, heart-healthy seafood.” (Click here for more on the Art of Wood-Fire Grilling.)
I speared a scallop and was relieved to find out that it was cooked perfectly; sweet, juicy and enticingly flavourful. The lobster and shrimp mirrored the faint smoky flavour and were also just the right texture for this seafood snob. In fact, the entire meal was just so wonderfully complementary that I could honestly not remember the last time I “mmm’d” so much.
I HAD TO KNOW: how did they do such an amazing job with cooking the seafood to perfection?
Turns out the Certified Grill Master, Chris Walsh, had recently won a Canada-wide grilling competition, earning him accolades and respect galore. In fact, each restaurant across North America has four to five Certified Grill Masters – the only crew members who are allowed to cook on the open fire. So I guess you could say they take their technique seriously, which is music to my ears.
We followed up with two *small* desserts –

Richard is likely one of the hardest working, most likable human beingsI’ve ever met. During our entire meal, I witnessed him buzzing around – circulating the dining room, talking to diners, conferring with staff, setting up tables, etc etc. In fact, he epitomizes what it means to love what you do, and he constantly creates an “experience” for those around him. During both of our brief conversations, he was called away to accept kind words of gratitude from other diners who had a similarly thrilling dining experience. If you live in the Greater Toronto Area, I welcome you to make the trip to the Mississauga Red Lobster and dine among friends.
And, if it’s been some time since you visited your local Red Lobster, rekindle your relationship soon. I’m really hoping that you’ll be won over, too.
looks like they have changed :) Its a place that holds fond memories lovely post Lena
You blog brought back so many memories for me! And for the life of me I can't remember why i stopped going to Red Lobster. Looks like I'll have to pay a visit soon lol.
I'm drooling, everything looks so good and I love lobster! Glad you checked it out and had a chance to enjoy.
This is a very thorough review. Can't believe it was that busy! We had two Red Lobster locations in Hamilton that, to our dismay, closed many years ago. Whenever we go out for lunch with my parents for a birthday, we always venture out to the nearest location which is Burlington. But it's never THAT busy. I'll have you know that I never ate salad until I first tried a Caesar salad at the location in downtown Toronto. I must have been 21 years old!
Hy Lena,sounds great…absolute delicious..first time here..love your space..awesome posts with excellent cliks..Am your proud follower now..;)do stop by mine sometime..Tasty Appetite
I'm a HUGE fan of Red Lobster – no joke! Whenever the WHOLE family (parents and siblings and kids) get together – we like going there…we get the food quickly – its pretty much guaranteed to be yummy and filling, and its reasonably priced. The last time we were there was Father's day.For my wedding anni, hubby took me to Ruth's Chris steakhouse – and I ordered the seafood…and I wished that we had gone to Red Lobster instead LOL! They charged 3 times more but was not half as yummy as Red Lobster :-)
I love Red Lobster. Give me their cheesy biscuits anyday! I actually don't eat much in the way of seafood, though, just fried popcorn shrimp, but literally every time I've been there, they have been done perfectly and I am never disappointed in the food, only in my lack of ability to eat more of it!
I've got to say — I used to love Red Lobster — but when I went to the Scarborough location last month (on Sheppard near Warden) I was HUGELY disappointed. The fare was wretched, and the portions beyond measly. The food was crazy greasy (dripping oil and butter), the shrimp was rubbery and the scallops were tough and overdone. My aunt and I both expressed our chagrined disappointment, and vowed never to go back. It's too bad — it was one of our "go to" restos when I was a teen, and I do really like their cheesy garlic buns. But on the whole, I can't see what would induce me to return.
Thanks for the post, Lena! I love Red Lobster too but find that it all depends on the location. Sounds like the one in Mississauga deserves a visit! The one near me is really good too, on the Queensway across from Sherway Gardens in Etobicoke. I will never go back to the one in North York near Dufferin and Lawrence. I've been there 3 times to give them a fair chance, and each time it was like they spilled the salt in every course! YIKES!My mouth is salivating right now…I love seafood!!!!
I agree with the commenters and you on two points. First, that Red Lobster is hit or miss depending on location. Secondly, the Mississauga Red Lobster is the best Red Lobster ever. Anyone living in Toronto and surrounding areas should be eating at this restaurant. I've eaten at Etobioke, north toronto and Burlington restaurants and they are awful in comparison. Also (and even though I just said that Mississauga was in fact the best location in GTA) did the fact that you were writing a review influence the fact that your food came out perfect?
I don't eat seafood but your post made me drool! I know many seafood lovers who love Red Lobster.
I have MISSED Red Lobster since moving to Quebec. It used to be my favorite place to go eat. In fact used to go there every year on my birthday. Poor Luc has listened to me bemoan the fact that there isn't one here more then once. Your post made me drool.
I was at Red Lobster a few weeks ago and the portion sizes were huge lol. Don't know how anyone can eat all that food in one sitting but I did enjoy the leftovers the next day lol.
Glad to see they still serve the cheesy-garlic biscuits. Love those!Next time you'll have to try a lobster in C'town…
Thanks everyone for your feedback!I can't speak for all the Red Lobsters, all the time, but my experience was very pleasant and I will definitely be returning to the Mississauga location.Re: my experience and the fact I was writing a review – I don't believe any preferential treatment was given; I did, after all, wait over 40 minutes for a table :)If you do visit the Mississauga location, be sure to say hi to Richard! He's awesome.
Sux to be in BC…The closest location is across the border and I don't like doing that (crossing the border). Although I'm allergic to crab, I can still eat lobster! (sigh) I could use some right now…
I just love Red Lobster because they do lobster and shrimp like nobodies business and don’t even get me started about Lobster Madness during March because I just can’t imagine any better food than that.