A little luxury at Lent: Lobster roll returns to Del Vecchio's in Vandergrift — for a price
At Del Vecchio’s Market in Vandergrift, a seafood special is back on the menu for the Lenten season that begins Wednesday, but it’s not typical Southwestern Pennsylvania fare.
Lobster roll — a mainstay of New England popular cuisine — is returning to Del Vecchio’s, alongside the classic fried and baked cod, shrimp and crabcakes. Del Vecchio’s owner and chef Tommy Scanga added a lobster roll sandwich to his Lenten menu last year, and it was a success.
“I like to add new and different items to my menu,” Scanga said.
But this year, there’s one noticeable difference: The sandwich goes for $20, up from $15 last year.
Blame supply-chain issues and their associated rising costs. Scanga said he is paying $84 for each two-pound bag of knuckle lobster, compared to $47 last year, an increase of almost 78%.
“I’m rolling the ball on this one,” Scanga said. “I’m hoping customers will still buy them.”
Last year, Del Vecchio’s sold 563 lobster rolls during Lent. Scanga said he is unaware of other Lenten fish fries in the Alle-Kiski Valley selling sandwiches made from the pricey crustacean.
Scanga, a Vandergrift native and third-generation butcher, owns and operates Del Vecchio’s Sausage and Fries, a food truck and commissary at 328 Lowell St..
He was inspired to add a lobster roll to his Lenten lineup after enjoying what he called “an amazing lobster sandwich” at a restaurant in Pittsburgh’s Strip District.
Scanga’s lobster roll features 3 ounces of wild-caught knuckle lobster meat poached in clarified and salted butter, served with freshly grilled-on-both-sides Mancini’s bread.
“My hope is it draws the butter flavor into the lobster. The lobster is always in the butter,” Scanga said.
Scanga packages each sandwich for at-home assembly, with the lobster and butter in a separate plastic container.
Lobster fan Laura Poleski of Allegheny Township usually buys at least 10 lobster rolls every Friday during Lent.
Poleski, a retired nurse, takes orders from friends and relatives in Vandergrift and Allegheny Township, volunteering her time Fridays during Lent as lobster roll delivery gal.
“It’s turned into a family and neighborhood celebration. I want to make sure they don’t miss out,” Poleski said. “The lobster just melts in your mouth, and with the Mancini bread — the whole thing is such a treat.”
Poleski said after Lent ended last year, she tried to track down another lobster roll source.
“We tried lobster rolls from food trucks in Monroeville and Greensburg, but they served the lobster on a cold hot dog bun, and it just didn’t compare.”
Scanga takes pride in his offerings.
“If you can take something and make something people really like, that’s the best reward in the world, ” he said.
Del Vecchio’s is takeout only. Lobster rolls must be pre-ordered.
All orders are taken by phone or text on 724-448-3006, with the full menu shown on delvecchiosausage.com.
Joyce Hanz is a native of Charleston, S.C. and is a features reporter covering the Pittsburgh region. She majored in media arts and graduated from the University of South Carolina. She can be reached at jhanz@triblive.com
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