On a recent trip to Tokyo, the first meal I ate after dropping my bags off at the hotel was a luxurious snack, but it wasn't Japanese. The lobster roll, at Luke's Lobster, in Omotesando, is an import from the United States - Maine, to be precise. I ordered the US size (as opposed to the "regular", which is much smaller) but it wasn't nearly as big as I'd hoped.

The lobster roll was fantastic. Some places mix the lobster meat with so much mayonnaise that it coats every bite, but Luke's uses just enough to moisten the meat. The restaurant also doesn't include crunchy celery or onion, which would have detracted from the purity of the lobster; the only seasoning I could detect was butter, and there was plenty of it.

As with other types of sandwich, the bread is just as important as the filling. The roll is similar to a hot-dog bun but is split on top instead of the side. This way the bun is more evenly browned and therefore more aesthetically pleasing when stuffed with lobster. The roll is then toasted and buttered, so there's a delicate crust that contrasts with the tender crumb.