Rockin' rolls: NYC's top lobster rolls

Aquavit

Stay with us on this one: Finely chopped lobster is tossed with mint, roasted shiitake and the slightest bit of mayo and wrapped in thinly sliced pickled apples to form a long, skinny roll. It’s then topped with trout roe, bits of bacon, black pepper and cilantro and plated with an egg dressing of mayonnaise thickened with olive oil and lobster roe for an artful presentation. “It’s a spin on an American dish with a lot of Swedish ingredients that still fits in our dining room,” says executive chef Johan Svensson. Though the dish was originally conceived when fish shacks started sprouting around New York five years ago, it’s become a popular mainstay on the menu. (Price: $18)

Rockin' roll rating: 4 stars
Though this "roll" gets points for sheer creativity, the smooth, creamy finish earns it a place among a sea of competitors.

Aquavit (65 E. 55th St., 212-307-7311)