Razor clam sighting in SF Chinatown

The mention of razor clams in the thread looking for Chilean food reminded me that from time there's an inquiry here on where to buy live ones. I saw some today while shopping in Chinatown. At New Sang Sang, 1143 Stockton St., the razor clams were bundled with rubber bands and displayed on ice right next to the street. They're $4.50/lb.

Are we talking about our big Pacific razor clams? Or the little skinny Atlantic ones? These are two different species, and it's confusing that they share the same name.

For the local (well, Pacific Northwest) clams, you have to dunk them in boiling water to kill them, then remove them from the shells and clean out the innards. They are then ready to be breaded and pan-fried (or frozen for later). three of them makes a good serving. You can also grind them up and make patties or chowder.

Digging razor clams is a favorite family sport in Washington and Oregon; with mom, pop, and any kid big enough to wield a "clam gun" (spade) contributing their limit of clams.

I was just up there on the Long Beach peninsula a few days ago and it brought back memories of those very cold, wet early mornings when the folks with us kids all went out on a low tide onto the sandbars to get our share.

Link: http://www.razorclams.com

Image: http://www.razorclams.com/razclam.jpg

Thanks for the informative post.

The ones in Chinatown must be the other kind. They look like the ones in the picture below that I found on the web.

A friend rhapsodizes about eating razor clams in Barcelona. These look like what I remember from the picture he once showed me.

Link: http://chowhound.safeshopper.com/21/cat21.htm?481

Image: http://www.wellfleetshellfishdepartme...

I had these on a fabulous fruits de mer plate shared with a good friend at City Hall in New York a couple years ago, and boy were they memorable. Served cooked and chilled, they were much sweeter than regular clams with quite a different flavor if I recall correctly. Probably my favorite thing of that very bountious assortment of shellfish, especially dipped in a little bit of aioli.

Yum! We definitely need to redouble our efforts to find these on menus here. I'm loving the posts so far.

these are the ones i had at caesar also

i actually saw these razor clams for sale back in march in chinatown, they were bundled up with a rubber band and sitting on ice

Wonder if there's a season for these?

i love razor clams, i just picked up a bag from ranch 99 in milpitas. i can't recall the price

How do you prepare them?

I've also seen them at Lien Hing on Clement before, which sells seafood as well as produce (unlike the two branches in Chinatown).

Any restaurants have these on the menu?

I had them a few days ago at a restaurant in Vancouver WA called "Hudson's" (for Hudson's Bay). Whenever I see them on a menu in the Northwest I order them and I am always disappointed. Seems they come from Canada, frozen. There's very little commercial razor clamming allowed in WA and the restaurants have to turn to Canada for them.

Anyway, I should have taken the waitress's advice and gotten the fresh steamed Willapa Bay clams instead of the tired razor clams.

I have never seen razor clams on a California menu, and I would have noticed. Razor clams are soul food for a girl raised in the Northwest.

Image: http://www.razorclams.com/razclam.jpg

Razor clams show up from time to time on the menu @ Quince, where I am sure they are fresh. I believe however, they are a smaller variety than what you show here.

The only time I have ever had razor clams was on my first visit to Koi Palace for dim sum. The server insisted that we order them, one of the best pieces of advice I have ever received in a restaurant. They were steamed with a very light soy/onion sauce. The memory still elicits a brief wave of pleasure.

the one and only time i've had razor clams was at Cesar in berkeley

it was about 5 months ago so i don't remember exactly, but i believe they were roasted with garlic and olive oil and some other spices, but they were excellent, maybe the recipe is in their cookbook

i also enjoyed the basque beef tongue appetizer they had that night