In My Not So Humble Opinion

Step on up, kids, for the thrill of a lifetime. Watch the lobsters quiver with fear, climbing over each other to get away from the claw, descending slowly, and taking them to their final resting place…your stomach.

It’s not video, it’s real live lobsters. The sign says, “You catch ‘em, we cook ‘em”. The game is “The Lobster Zone.” For $2 a try, you get to work the mechanical claw in place and drop it on a very nervous group of lobsters. You catch one, and they cook it for free.

If you think that’s a good deal, let’s do the math.

Red Lobster: Rock Lobster Tail
Prepared oven-broiled and served fluffed on the shell. 28.99 (plus tax & tip). That same 30 bucks will get you 15 tries in the Lobster Zone.

I saw this guy playing and ventured over to see what the excitement was. He told me he had played “at least” 25 bucks. Then he played for another hour. He could have had two lobster dinners. Oh, but I know, he’d be missing the thrill of the hunt.

A quick search on the web took me to http://thelobsterzone.com/, the creators of this vending machine. According to their website: “…sells about 10 tanks a week for $8,995 apiece. Restaurant owners say it’s a good investment — many are making $1,000 a week on the machines.”

Of course, you can’t have a game with live animals without PETA getting their furr in a snit. They say it’s “demeaning to the lobsters.” Sure. Much less demeaning than just sitting in a tank at the grocery store, where kids knock on the glass, stick their hands, and whatever else they’ve got, into the tanks, and eventually take their final ride in a box or plastic bag.

We just ate at Mi Cocina Mexican Restaurant. It’s an unassuming little place at the corner of Bellevue and Windemere in Littleton, CO. When we arrived, the dining room was packed. We were seated quickly, and brought a basket of crisp and hot homemade chips, and salsa with just enough bite to get your attention.

Husband’s fajita special came out on a sizzling platter, and he ate every scrap, except for the freshly made guac, which he generously shoveled my way. I had the chile relleno plate. The rellenos were crisp, the sauce was generous, and the beans and rice, which were good on their own, were great for sopping up the remainders of the sauce with the last of the chips. It was so good, I wanted to lick the plate. (But I didn’t, just in case you’re wondering.)

The prices are very reasonable: $7.95 for the special, $7.50 for my meal. We have added them to our list of favorites. Maybe we’ll see you there sometime soon.