19848 Thu May 16 06:53:26 -0700 2002 32 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 67185 If you look at the General Board, you'll see I've been lurking around other regional boards, collecting fried clam leads. I've long given up on clams in the Bay Area, but why not ask the local hounds? I don't even remember, after all these years, why I didn't like the following places: - The Old Clam House (you would think they'd be good there) - Swan Oyster Depot I just saw that Sam's has them on the menu. Anyone tried them. I'd rather not spend $16 to be disappointed. When the family had a clam attack, we'd get a sorry fix at HOJO's ordering their clam strips. But can't even find a HOJO's now a days. Tried the strips at Red Lobster recenctly, but they seemed to have forgotten the clam. Just a note again. I do not cook. So any suggestions for buying fresh clams and frying my own, will be interesting, but not likely to be used by me. It's ok there are no fried clams here. I'm ok with it. I've substituted fried calamari which has the chewiness of a clam strip. But if there IS a place around here, I'd be happy to know about it. Thu May 16 06:53:26 -0700 2002 0 Stanley Stephan 1 67186 Yes , but I haven't been there in about a year...... a small family run restaurant on fisherman's wharf is only place in town I know of that serves the bellies. I forget the name but it is the old fashion one with a bar on the right and old fashion booths on left. Next time I drive buy Ill get name. They hand shuck them when you order. Thu May 16 09:04:48 -0700 2002 67185 0 celeryroot 2 67189 I'll also be anxiously awaiting the unveiling of this little place that serves fried clams. Do they do anything else well? What side of the street are they on? Any other tips? Thu May 16 10:01:08 -0700 2002 67186 0 gordon wing 3 67191 they are right on the wharf near Alliota's. Ill go look today. It is very old fashion , mostly fried, cold slaw etc..... and I only go for clams. Thu May 16 10:34:11 -0700 2002 67189 0 celeryroot 4 67196 Is it Sabella LaTorre? Just a wild goose guess. Thu May 16 11:42:11 -0700 2002 67191 0 Bob Savelli 5 67198 yes i think that is it but ill check for sure Thu May 16 11:55:28 -0700 2002 67196 0 celeryroot 6 67236 I've not been to this place, but find it very hard to believe that these are the actual "soft shell" Ipswich clams that are being shucked, breaded and fried to order...to me a dream come true. More likely, they are manilla or cherrystone (hard shell) which you usually see in these parts (what you get when you order "steamers" at "the Old Clam House". Our best hope might be that Legal Seafood, the Boston chain that is growing rapidly, will recognize our need. I had some pretty darn good ones at their Washington airport location. Thu May 16 17:01:49 -0700 2002 67198 0 J-Toe 7 67249 Glad to get a few new tips on possible fried clam experiences but if they don't pan out - I am glad to know that I'll be going back to New England in September. Regardless of how they are cooked, it will be hard to recreate the oceanside atmosphere that clings to some of the better "shacks". I'm OK if I have to go back to New England for the "real thing" but I'll settle for a reasonable fascimile here in the Bay Area. Glad your experience with Legal was good but my last meal there (Cambridge) was definitely mixed - pretty good fried clams but frozen hard shrimp in a shrimp cocktail and snap peas that weren't stringed. I get the feeling it's a factory at times, where the cooks don't take the time to taste or prep with much care. Thu May 16 17:37:34 -0700 2002 67236 0 gordon wing 8 67256 I'm happy to say that all I had was the clams, and lots of them. Thu May 16 18:32:39 -0700 2002 67249 0 J-Toe 8 67536 Yankee Pier in downtown Larkspur has Wholebelly, fat belly New England Fried clams...they are the only place I know of that has them...and they are simply the best. Sun May 19 22:48:25 -0700 2002 67249 0 dehlia vigil 9 67559 Thanks for the report, it's definitely worth a stop when I am in Marin! Mon May 20 03:29:00 -0700 2002 67536 0 derek 7 67268 If they aren't ipswich they are very similar.......You can get ipswich from time to time at the fish market by mai wha's on Clement. The place is Sabella's....I called and they still have them.....the guy said he thinks they are only place in SF. Thu May 16 19:18:40 -0700 2002 67236 0 celeryroot 8 67276 Sorry but just to clarify things - is it Sabella's & La Torre (415) 673-2824 or A. Sabella's on Taylor St.? In the online yellow pages Sabella's & La Torre has no street address listed - just Fisherman's Wharf - I'm a bit confused largely because I haven't been down to the Wharf in many a year. thanks for your patience. Thu May 16 19:50:52 -0700 2002 67268 0 gordon wing 9 67291 It is the one right on the wharf.....a few doors (away from bay) from Alliota's Thu May 16 20:51:09 -0700 2002 67276 0 celeryroot 9 67337 the place he's describing is Sabella's & La Torre. Fri May 17 08:17:11 -0700 2002 67276 0 Bob Savelli 8 67305 When I worked at the Fresh Fish Co., (Ports Seafood) we had no problem with access/ordering - just no demand to bring in a minimum (10 lbs., I think it was). Contact them at 415 777-5900 and ask for Chris or Tim. Thu May 16 22:51:48 -0700 2002 67268 0 gini dunlap 1 67192 Like you I am always looking for real fried Ipswich clams. Yankee Pier in Larkspur has them, their not the best that I've had, but they certainly satisfy the craving. A little farther afield, Jimmy's in Salinas has them at a more reasonable price. I have recently heard that Lou Lou's in Monterey has them, but I haven't tried them yet. Good luck. I hope your question turns up somemore sources. Thu May 16 10:38:48 -0700 2002 67185 0 jaweino 1 67205 As a transplanted Bostonian (almost 25 years ago) I have been on a similar hunt, and have tried most of the posted solutions (including the HoJos clam strips) with no discernable success. When I go back to New England from time to time, a fried clam hit is one of my main priorities. I tried the clams at the Yankee Pier, but they somehow seemed to be overly breaded and not at all crisp -- better than other Bay Area versions, but not very satifying after growing up on "the real thing". The only place I have found a reasonable replica was some "clam house" down in Malibu (I forget the name) that another transplanted Bostonian turned me on to some years back. I'm looking foward to more details about the Fisherman's Wharf location. Thu May 16 12:41:43 -0700 2002 67185 0 Alan 1 67303 Do I smell a Chowhound excursion to Fishermans Wharf? Anybody game for meeting for Fried Clam dinner? Thu May 16 22:49:00 -0700 2002 67185 0 derek 2 67306 count me in.....weekdays are best for me, then Sundays, Saturdays last. I'll see if I can revive my Boston accent......wicked! Thu May 16 22:56:54 -0700 2002 67303 0 gordon wing 3 67339 me also Fri May 17 08:53:27 -0700 2002 67306 0 celeryroot 4 67379 I in after the Limsterfest and after I lost some of what I put on eating with the Limster. Fri May 17 14:43:35 -0700 2002 67339 0 Lambert Yim 5 67410 Good luck. As a native of New Haven who has lived in SF more than 20 years, I can tell you that it is a largely hopeless quest. The Yankee Pier in Larkspur tries, but does not truly succeed. Fri May 17 18:03:47 -0700 2002 67379 0 rick 6 67416 New Haven? Turks or Jimmies? Fri May 17 19:43:38 -0700 2002 67410 0 Stanley Stephen 2 67309 I'd like to be included in this also. Whenever we go back to Boston we go right out to either Angie's or Kelly's for a fried clam injection before we even check into our hotel. Thu May 16 23:12:03 -0700 2002 67303 0 jaweino 2 67314 If it's after Limsterfest, I'd certainly love to join in! I'll even wear a hat, camera, and white running shoes, and carry a map so that we can blend right in. (g) We can do fried clams and then cioppino, if it we hear that Scoma's is good. And then dessert, of course. Fri May 17 00:03:06 -0700 2002 67303 0 Pia 3 67349 So lets firm this up. When is the final installment of Limsterfest (he'll be getting the real thing back in Boston!) Anyone?....ah! Clam bellies! My mouth waters. Fri May 17 12:14:23 -0700 2002 67314 0 derek 4 67363 ok I think we shd call them and warn them ..... since they do them to orde ...... If you want I can organize if we can all agree on a date. Fri May 17 13:23:31 -0700 2002 67349 0 celeryroot 5 67394 Good Idea. Also the supplies of clams out here are not always reliable, so we should ensure that they'll have them. I've been dissapointed at both Jimmy's and Yankee Pier when their clams did not come in as scheduled. Fri May 17 16:36:14 -0700 2002 67363 0 jaweino 5 67473 Thank you, that would be great. I have a Limster farewell on June 6th, but I don't know if that is the final one. Does anyone else know? Sat May 18 19:26:17 -0700 2002 67363 0 derek 4 67415 I'll be away working from May 27 - June 2 (late afternoon) - hope we can make it either before or after..... Fri May 17 19:38:52 -0700 2002 67349 0 gordon wing 1 70405 Try Yankee Pier in San Jose. They do have a web site Mon Jun 12 17:51:36 -0700 2006 67185 0 J 2 70406 Many thanks. Since that was posted in 2002, there are two new fried clam places in town. One is Old Port Lobster Shack in Redwood City (my favorite). And another new good place is Woodward Fish Company on Market Street in SF across from Safeway. If you are a fried clam lover too, you might give these a try. Mon Jun 12 21:12:57 -0700 2006 70405 0 rworange