Spaghetti All’Aragosta, also known as Spaghetti alla Aragosta or Spaghetti with Lobster, is an Italian pasta dish that features lobster as the main ingredient. This decadent and luxurious dish is particularly popular in coastal regions of Italy where fresh seafood is abundant.
Unfortunately, I was not in Italy. I was in Strasbourg for a mission. This one particular restaurant was located near my cheap(-ish) hotel. While going to put down my work bag, I glimpsed on what people were eating and it seemed delicious. I looked at the menu and saw they served Spaghetti alla Aragosta. Until then I had not tried lobster even once, thus I was tempted to give it a go. Instead of mentioning the price on the menu, it had a sentence that read something like this: “The price is determined by the current market value of a lobster”. I knew I had to ask the waiter how much this dish cost. I knew that. But I did not ask, and I ended up with my biggest check for a dinner for one person (so far).
The preparation of Spaghetti All’Aragosta typically involves cooking the lobster, often a whole one or its meat, in a flavorful tomato-based sauce with garlic, onions, olive oil, white wine, and sometimes chili flakes or other spices for added depth of flavor. The sauce is usually simmered to allow the flavors to meld together and infuse the lobster meat.
In the meantime, the spaghetti is cooked until it’s al dente (firm to the bite), and then it is added to the sauce to soak up the delicious flavors. The dish is usually finished off with a garnish of fresh herbs like parsley or basil and sometimes a drizzle of olive oil for an extra touch of richness.
Truth be told the dish was amazing. It was my first lobster and the experience was sublime. I definitely want to eat a whole lobster with all the usual sides. For this particular dish, the lobster was cut in half. The pasta was handmade then and there. The restaurant itself seemed family owned and quite busy for a late, rainy Tuesday evening.
Spaghetti All’Aragosta is considered a special treat due to the cost and availability of lobster. It is often served on special occasions or at high-end restaurants as part of a gourmet seafood menu. This dish perfectly exemplifies the simplicity and elegance of Italian cuisine, showcasing the natural flavors of fresh seafood and quality ingredients.
On that said day I did not have a special occasion. Excluding the 70th-anniversary celebrations of the EPP Group that I had at the European Parliament. I simply wanted to try my first lobster. Indeed, it was an experience. Starting with the special lobster instruments brought by the waiter, then the lobster dish itself, and finishing with the number on the check. It was one of those situations where you double-checked the receipt to be sure you are not imagining the sum.
One hundred and eight euros. Not bad for a late-night dinner in Strasbourg.
Kind regards,
Olaaf
