The Clam had been on my list for so many years at this point, that I had simply forgotten about it. However, when I was hunting for a place for a work team lunch, I saw that they happened to have a reservation. I quickly navigated to their website and immediately fell in love with their light, healthy, and varied menu. I booked the reservation and eagerly awaited my meal.
The restaurant had a cute and casual vibe inside, as well as a substantial outdoor dining area. We were seated indoors with the semi-open kitchen on one side and a large window on our other side. Our first server seemed nice enough and came by to get our beverage orders, though I stuck with water. A second waiter came by a little after that to write down our food selections. We had requested French fries and the clam dip to start. For my individual main dish, I opted for the Market Plate, selecting Faroe Island Salmon as my protein. I accompanied that with the Za'atar-Roasted Carrots and Shiitake Mushroom Caps as my 2 side dishes.
After placing our order, my colleagues and I spent some time catching up, and, after a little bit, our entrees arrived. We carefully pointed out that our appetizers had never appeared. The first server came back to let us know that the staff had made a mistake and to see if we still wanted the starters anyway. We passed on the dip, which was probably a blessing in disguise based on the likely high calorie count, but decided to splurge on the fries, which were thin, crispy, and the perfect golden brown. They had been sprinkled with Old Bay, so they were salty, sweet, and savory. My main dish was also impeccably seasoned. I thought that the salmon was fine, but that both of the vegetables sides were excellent.
By this time, we were all happy with our food and on the verge of being full. However, the portions were rather small, and we all wanted something sweet to cover up the fish taste in our mouths. So, we decided to order both the Chocolate Bread Pudding and the seasonal Peach & Blackberry Crisp for dessert. The bread pudding was a bit denser and drier than I usually like, but it was also rich and chocolatey, which saved it in my eyes. It was plated with a crème anglaise, a scoop of chocolate-chocolate chip gelato, and toasted, shaved almonds. Again, I thought the accouterments were the star of the dish. The crisp arrived warm with a sweet, crumbly oat streusel topping and a large mound of mascarpone gelato; it was hearty and delicious.
Minus the kitchen snafu, it was largely a good meal that was a prime example of straightforward cooking done properly. read more