Chain Gang: Southern Fried Maine Lobster at Joe's Crab Shack

Company description: "Hand-breaded Maine lobster with a fresh ear of corn, andouille cheddar grits, toasted garlic bread and Old Bay spiked cream sauce."

Chain: Joe's Crab Shack.

Calories: Not available, as this is a limited-time offer that continues through Nov. 18.

Location: 2000 Clements Bridge Road, Deptford Township, N.J.

Order time: About 20 minutes.

Price: $23.99.

Review: Among Joe's special "Coastal Comfort Food" menu additions, the Southern-Fried Maine Lobster piqued Chain Gang interest. First off, we're suckers for anything lobster. Second, we hadn't heard of fried lobster and weren't exactly sure how that would work out. Turns out, a dish that melds something from each end of the East Coast brings something to the table. It was tasty - kind of like Chick-fil-A chicken, if Chick-fil-A chicken were a crustacean.

The fried lobster pieces were slightly bland, but the sauce - a buttery, Old Bay-seasoned cream concoction - made the dish worth its while.

Unfortunately, that's where the positives ended. Though the grits were plenty cheesy, they were lacking in the andouille sausage listed on the menu. The fresh ear of corn was anything but Jersey fresh. No self-respecting Garden State farmer would want to take credit for that school-bus-yellow cob.

Summary: Our entrée was promising, but in the end it left us a little crabby. The Chain Gang also indulged in a Moonshine Tea ($8.59) from the Coastal Comfort Food menu. We sipped it while sitting on a deck enjoying an Indian summer afternoon and listening to the buzz of traffic on the 42 Freeway. The drink contains Firefly White Lightning Moonshine, Peach Schnapps, agave and fresh-brewed tea. And it was a good cocktail, but definitely hard. Our server warned that the Mason jar full of booze would bite back, and it did.