Why You Might Want To Think Twice About The Langostino Lobster Dip At Red Lobster

Red Lobster describes its Langostino Lobster-Artichoke-and-Seafood Dip appetizer as "langostino and Norway lobster, seafood, artichokes, and spinach in a three-cheese blend. Served with tortilla chips and house-made pico de gallo." The dish is served in a small almost casserole-style dish, drenched in melted cheese, and surrounded by tortilla chips with a small ramekin of the pico de gallo, the latter of which, as The Travel points out, is "probably the healthiest part." 

Sounds delicious, however, if you're thinking that this dish as a whole might not be the best for your health, you're probably right, especially if you need to avoid high levels of sodium or are counting calories. If you eat the whole dish on your own, you'll be consuming 1,190 calories (for just an appetizer!). As Eat This, Not That described in its article, "The Worst Restaurant Menu Items in America in 2021," the 2,160 milligrams of sodium in the dish are almost the total amount recommended for daily consumption.

Besides the health drawbacks, there's also something a little, well, off and perhaps even misleading about the menu description Red Lobster provides for the appetizer. A publicist for Red Lobster told Mic that the restaurant serves two types of lobster: Maine lobster and langostino. According to Seafood Source, langostino is a smaller crustacean and the "taste and texture are similar to lobster meat." 

So, you might ask, where does the Norway lobster listed in the ingredients for the Langostino Lobster-Artichoke-and-Seafood Dip come in if the restaurant only serves Maine lobster and langostino? Food Network seems to claim that langostino and Norway lobster are the same thing: "You might also see langoustines being sold as Dublin Bay prawns or Norway lobster." The Food Network article goes on to state that langostino is a major export of Scotland, which provides over half the amount eaten all over the world. Interestingly, Red Lobster reports on its website that its Norway Lobster is sourced from waters surrounding, you guessed it, Scotland. So, when enjoying the Langostino Lobster-Artichoke-and-Seafood Dip, are you enjoying langostino and Norway lobsters, or really just langostino? Perhaps the jury is still out, but potential discrepancies like this might make you think twice before digging into your next lobster-laden meal.