“When you have a great product, you don’t cover it up,” beams the exuberant Mike Colella, general manager of Quincy’s Original Lobster Rolls. “That’s why I love it here. We create the authentic lobster roll. We don’t mess with that. We don’t add a bunch of extra ingredients or try to make it fancy. We want the flavor of the lobster to shine through. It’s the real deal.” He goes on to explain how customers rave that the lobster rolls here remind them of New England or the beach during warmer months.
Mike began his relationship with food while working in his family’s business, joining his father—who Mike notes is straight off the boat from Italy—and his mother in several pizzeria and sandwich shops in southern and central New Jersey. Mike pounded and peeled bulbs of garlic at the age of 10 on his way to understanding the power of a great meal. “It gets into your blood. You have to like this business in order to be successful.”
Mike, who holds a culinary degree from Le Cordon Bleu, was hired in August of last year to manage the location in the Swedesford Plaza Shopping Center. While finagling with a new point-of-sale system, he explains the ordering process and how the Maine lobster market can be so volatile with pricing. “It’s like playing the stock market. And it can vary several bucks a pound,” he says with a slight strain in his voice. “That can add up when you’re talking cases a day of high-quality claw and knuckle meat.” Mike also enthusiastically tackles his daily tasks, which include working on the line, food prep, relaying analytics for target marketing and evaluating menu changes.
The menu at Quincy’s is simplistically authentic. A handful of new dishes were added when Mike came on board to “incorporate a few complementary flavors to enhance the existing winning dishes.” Crab rolls using Maine rock crab meat with the zing of a horseradish sauce were just introduced, in addition to a creamy lobster mac ‘n cheese. “The crab roll is more in-your-face with tang, where our lobster is more delicate.”
Mike considers his top challenges for the coming year to be making sure certain standards are met with quality assurance, providing the best customer satisfaction and keeping a positive level of teamwork among the staff. He also mentioned exploring additional advertising avenues (although word of mouth works really well for bringing customers in).
This business has its rewards too. When pressed, Mike states that customer satisfaction without a doubt is his number one reward. He adds that he also enjoys how the environment keeps him feeling young. Finally, he enjoys working with owners that always want to improve and grow the business. They’re not just satisfied with the status quo.
Mike enjoys plotting possible ways to enhance the dining experience at Quincy’s in this spot all season long. Ideas for 2016 include strategizing catering possibilities to local businesses. He would love to implement a “kids eat free” night and possibly bring in some live local music or even create a lobster karaoke night. “This is an expansive and fun space, and it would be great to fill it throughout the entire day. I get excited when customers get excited!”
And we can see why. It’s rare to find such authenticity, devotion and drive in the business of creating a worthwhile dining experience. As Mike says, “One of my biggest thrills is when a customer asks me if I’m the restaurant owner—I know I’ve done my job.”
Co-owner Jeremy McCann mirrors, “We think Mike has been a great addition to the Quincy’s team. He has the experience we need to help build the business, and more importantly, he really cares about providing delicious food and keeping customers happy.”
The Inside Dish: Quincy’s expanded with a highly successful Cape May, N.J., location last year. According to a top source, possible expansion may be in the cards in the near future. Stay tuned.
The full menu can be found on the Quincy’s website. Hours of operation in Berwyn are Tuesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Sunday, 12–7 p.m.; closed Mondays.
Quincy’s Original Lobster Rolls is located in the Swedesford Plaza at 414 W. Swedesford Rd. in Berwyn; phone: (484) 328-3905.
- Mike Colella and restaurant photos: Ed Williams
- Food photos: Nina Lea Photography
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