Whole belly clams

What's the difference between this and a what? - partial belly clam?   What would you expect to pay for an entree size plate?  I just found out about a lobster shack in Redwood City, of all places but the prices look awfully high:
 
http://www.oplobster.com/

rainyday6


What's the difference between this and a what? - partial belly clam?   What would you expect to pay for an entree size plate?  I just found out about a lobster shack in Redwood City, of all places but the prices look awfully high:
 
http://www.oplobster.com/

A so-called fried whole-belly clam is a whole clam (minus the shell). The other is the so-called clam strip, which is the tougher bit of muscle with the good part removed. As to the prices for the steamers and the fried clams, I guess, considering that they're shipped in from New England, that they would cost quite a bit more than in New England. Along the Connecticut shore I would expect to pay anywhere from $15 to $18 for fried clams, depending on the market price.

Michael's description is spot on. You can get Clam Strips almost anywhere...Even Long John Silver's has them. But whole-belly's are pretty scarce outside of the New England Coastal area. They are unique in taste and texture. That is one of the few foods from that area that I truely miss. I am amazed at how the prices for the Whole-Bellies have shot upward over the recent years.

For me a great combination plate at a seafood stand (McIntyres in Rowley,MA comes to mind--R I P ) would be Whole Bellies (about a dozen to 15, half a dozen large Sea Scallops and a mess of Onion Rings...with Slaw on the side and a bottle of Moxie ! Skip the FF and add a Flounder Filet (Extra-Crispy, Please). 

Golly gee, Al. I don't know how you can suggest that prices for clams have shot up. Why, it seems like just yesterday that I paid as much as 75-cents for an order of fried clams along the Connecticut shore. Of course, that's what I paid for lobster rolls, too.

 
That's true, by the way.

mayor al


Michael's description is spot on. You can get Clam Strips almost anywhere...Even Long John Silver's has them. But whole-belly's are pretty scarce outside of the New England Coastal area. They are unique in taste and texture. That is one of the few foods from that area that I truely miss. I am amazed at how the prices for the Whole-Bellies have shot upward over the recent years.

For me a great combination plate at a seafood stand (McIntyres in Rowley,MA comes to mind--R I P ) would be Whole Bellies (about a dozen to 15, half a dozen large Sea Scallops and a mess of Onion Rings...with Slaw on the side and a bottle of Moxie ! Skip the FF and add a Flounder Filet (Extra-Crispy, Please). 

Mr. Mayor....I would eat lunch with you anytime! Make that two of the same, waiter!

give me a pound of deep fried whole bellys with a little bit of cole slaw,no fries, from Johnny Ads in Old Saybrook,CT
I'd get an ice cold Bud out of my cooler, sit at one of the picnic tables  outside.    oooohhh yyeeaahh.
in July of course.

sk bob


give me a pound of deep fried whole bellys with a little bit of cole slaw,no fries, from Johnny Ads in Old Saybrook,CT
I'd get an ice cold Bud out of my cooler, sit at one of the picnic tables  outside.    oooohhh yyeeaahh.
in July of course.

I went up to Connecticut this summer to stop in at some of the hot dog places mentioned in the 500 Roadfood book, but the highlight of the short trip was stopping at Johnny Ads. I love fried clams and during a trip to Maine I had fried clams at least twice a day. When everyone else was eating lobster and lobster rolls I was getting platters of fried clams. The ones at Johnny Ads were just great with really good crust and very juicy. Eating outside at the picnic tables was really relaxing as well. This year I'm going back up to Connecticut for a long weekend and try to get in some of the pizza places but Johnny Ads is going to be a no cut stop on the list I'll be drawing up. 

sounds like a great place! will have to check it out...also wonder why there are no steamers on west coast?

*sigh*  I'm either going to completely avoid this place, or resign myself to going on a day when I have a bit of disposable income to burn up.  Probably the latter and probably more than one visit on my next trip down there.  Definitely going to have the clams and the lobster rolls (only $35. for two 5" lol ouch).  They have ones with mayo and green onions and ones with plain lobster and butter to dip it in.  I want to try both.  And onion rings.  And bisque. *headed to freezer to get Trader Joes cioppino*

Maybe I should just move back east.  We used to spend the summers in Rockport, MA but I was too young to appreciate lobster.  My parents would have them almost every night while my brother and I had macaroni and cheese.   

Now they put up a daily price menu with more stuff - for california guy, steamers (soft-shell clams? I can't imagine) for $16. and other stuff I've never heard of - Countneck clams, Permaquid oysters??  Oh, man I can't wait til next month!!

californyguy


sounds like a great place! will have to check it out...also wonder why there are no steamers on west coast?

 
 
But there are, many of them. Eastern softshells are prevalent in the bays along the Oregon coast and you can take 36 in addition to other clams you you get.

rainyday6


  .....

Maybe I should just move back east.  We used to spend the summers in Rockport, MA but I was too young to appreciate lobster.  My parents would have them almost every night while my brother and I had macaroni and cheese.   

Even here, "back east" in Massachusetts fried clams are expensive this year.  Steamers, the soft shelled clams generally used for fried clams around here are 6 to 7 dollars a pound (in the shell) and lobster can be had for $5 to $6 per pound.  Clam strips are still reasonable.

Just ate at The Clam Shack the other day.  $24.50 for a large order of whole belly clams.  They were great!

I'm headed to Cape Cod on Wednesday 7/11/2012....so most likely will report in on the current prices/quality

Soft clams this year have gone way up in price compared to hard clams.
When fried I've always found hard clams, especially when they use chowders, to be slimy, and not anywhere near as tasty as steamer clams when fried......
In fact I'm a fifty year customer at Old Saybrook, CT.'s Johnny Ads ( yes, I was there the weekend they opened in 1957 at age 9)..........
They've always resisted but last weekend they were frying hard clams. I gave them back and they said their regular supplier was out of soft clams but they hoped to have them by this weekend.
As to clam strips, my understanding is that they're acutally very large ocean clams cut in strips and available everywhere because they come ashore already frozen.
Not certain, but wasn't it Howard Johnson's that actually developed clam strips and trademarked Ipswich Clams?

I've had fried whole belly clams only once this summer. I wanted to try out a new place (at least new to my area), in Worcester. This "Clambox" has 3 locations.......I think.........with the main one in East Brookfield. NOT related, so I hear, to the "original" "Clambox" on the north shore. The clams were a workmanlike average, and $16 for a small......I could have had a clam roll at the same price. They were not busy. They acted delighted to see me, and offered a genuine "Thankyou" when I left.
 
I've been to Ronnie's, the gold standard for fried, whole belly, clams in this area, a few times this season, but only for ice cream. I'll try to get there soon, for clams, and report. The "Clambox" mini chain mentioned above, has  opened a location almost across the street from Ronnies. The building has been home to many a failed restaurant........we will see how they do.
 
Ronnies uses only clams from Ipswich Shellfish Co according to their signs. One can sometimes tell when an establishment buys a lower quality/cheaper product from one of the many other suppliers in our area. If I'm paying a lot of $$$$$ for fried clams, another dollar or two for tip top quality is worth it, at least IMO.

When I was in Boston a few weeks ago, my breakfast waiter told me about a new place for Fried Clams. He said it was located near the place the Boston Ferry docks from Long wharf to Quincy..........

pnwchef


When I was in Boston a few weeks ago, my breakfast waiter told me about a new place for Fried Clams. He said it was located near the place the Boston Ferry docks from Long wharf to Quincy..........

 
Chef, I had these bad boys, along with a lobster roll at Westfair Fish & Chips.  

 
I think I will be working in this area for a while, know any really good cholesterol meds?

Connecticut style Lobster roll with great looking lightly dusted and fried whole belly clams, a match made in heaven. Joe, picture perfect and I know you enjoyed them both. Westport used to be my old stomping grounds, we drove up to Westport from Bridgeport on hwy101. nice area, great road food places close by............Have fun Joe, and remember "Only the good die young"

I know this:   I am from the midwest & I don't like clam strips.   But I was out east, for the first time, and tried whole belly clams near Ipswich, Mass.   I got to tell you that I love them.   More flavorful....almost like an oyster.  And the batter, a light cornmeal, was perfect.   Was at a place called J T Farnhams.  

Joe......I am sooooooooooooo Envious!  I had fried clams at the Flying Bridge in Falmouth, Cape Cod MA on my recent trip.they were......OK.  Kind of small but nicely fried.  The view and the drinks helped to make up for it.  Went to Shuckers in Woods Hole on Weds night where they have Lobster Salad Rolls for $15.95.  Plenty of meat, served on a side slit Portuguese Roll.  The gals with me adored them.  I"m more a top-slit butter only guy for Lobster Rolls so I had scallops instead, lightly baked with just a hint of a bread topping.  Very good!  The side of mash was ok and the green beans less spectacular

hello,
the clam is slightly bigger but it is the belly that gets huge, i've seen some only slighlty smaller than a jawbreaker. J.T. Farnham's in essex will occasionally have them. however i have found that when one place has them they usually all do thanks

Boy, Billy, it's been a really long time since you were home. First -- You drove down from Bridgeport to Westport, not up. Second -- You took U.S. 1, not 101 to get there. You really need to get home again. I can only wonder which way you'd go to get to Beardsly Park.

Michael Hoffman


Boy, Billy, it's been a really long time since you were home. First -- You drove down from Bridgeport to Westport, not up. Second -- You took U.S. 1, not 101 to get there. You really need to get home again. I can only wonder which way you'd go to get to Beardsly Park.

No.1 ......OK No1 your right, but I was younger when I drove that and I may have had a few beers. Thats why we took the train to NYC, we never got lost.
No.2.......OK your right HWY 101 is out West, I am out West, in the Pacific Northwest, following HWY 101 a few weeks ago. I guess I should have said, we traveled down to Westport on the OLd Boston Post Rd.
No.3 ......How come you weren't there to enjoy some Fried Clams and a brew with me ???????????????????
No 4.....Beardsley Park.........Go up Noble Ave or East Main St, or take Boston Ave to Glenwood Park, follow the stream to the Dam, then turn right and a quick left. I spent many years in Beardsley Park, we Ice Skated in the Winter, Fished and swam in the Summer. In my teen yrs it was a makeout place after dark, there were many gals that took advantage of me there. In my 20's it was one of the places we played softball. What else would you like to know about Beardsley park ????????????..............So there, Mr big shot

I like this, I think first class foods inc doing good food processors of beef, meat, pork etc.
 

Well, was that Clark's Dairy or Beechmont Dairy near one of the entrances to Beardsley Park?
 
But I couldn't resist about the Post Road and the direction to Westport. Did you know that there were always lots of ladybugs at Sherwood Island?

Hi Michael, Beechmont dairy it was, we didn't go there, that place was for rich folk. We was poor on the Eastside Of Bpt, we would stop for a burger and for a penny more you go another. Then they closed that place down because they were serving horse meat. This could be the reason I feel at home in a pasture.
  I went to many a picnics at Sherwood Island, it was a nice place. I tried to pick it out from the train, but, the trees were to high near the tracks when we passed Westport, going (UP) to Boston.............Your coming up with some good old names of places around Bpt, not bad for a guy who hasn't had a good fried clam in a lot of years................

The only time I was ever in the Beechmont Dairy at that location was after we played a Friday night game against Harding. We killed them, as usual, and the team buses stopped there for some reason (I think they got lost) and we all went in for sundaes and sodas. The only other Beechmont Dairy I've been to was off Park -- I think it was near a King Cole. I remember we sent 8 year old daughter No. 1 to the rest room to find 5 year old daughter No. 2. Turned out the 5 year old had wandered into the mens room instead of where she was supposed to have gone.

just  back from new england- boston - nh area;tried ordering whole bellies at three places and got something kind of inbetween a whole belly and a strip.A pal told me that true whole bellies with that big flavor sac of juice aree becoming rare even around boston- is my friend right or  does he just not know where they are -he said even kelly's now has the strip/whole combo style

Not true...you can find good whole belly clams all over Boston. I was there about two weeks ago and had some great ones here.
http://islandcreekoysterbar.com/#food-drink