Fried Clams Fried clams are one of Phantom’s favorite guilty pleasures, with their juicy sweet brine sealed in deep fried batter. Phantom splurges on golden whole bellies at the 8 greatest clam shacks.

The Clam Box (The Greatest: Clam Shack Style)
246 High Street
Ipswich, MA 01938
(978) 356-9707
www.ipswichma.com/clambox

The Clam Box is one of the great restaurant wonders of the world, constructed to look like an actual take-out box. If Phantom could order such an enormous size, he would! Their native fried clams are legendary, all crisp and crunchy without any heavy grease. The kitchen changes the frying oil every few hours so the briny bivalves are always caramel colored and lightly sweet. Orders can be solo, but the Caped Critic gets his on a plate loaded with onion rings and fries. The fisherman’s platter adds haddock, jumbo shrimp, and scallops to the deep fried mix.

Kream 'N Kone (The Greatest: Clam Strips)
961 Rte. 28
West Dennis, MA 02639
(508) 394-0808
www.kreamnkone.com

Kream N’ Kone is a Cape Cod favorite with legendary fried seafood like Phantom’s favorite clam strips. Without the messy whole bellies (which some people might not like), all that’s left is the neck. They’re wonderfully tender, cooked up to a gorgeous 14 karat color with just enough chew. Kream N’ Kone offers seven kinds of seafood rolls, outstanding onion rings, and 24 flavors of soft serve. Their modern, air conditioned location sits right on Swan River.

J. T. Farnham's (The Greatest: Ipswich Clams)
88 Eastern Ave. (Rt. 133)
Essex, MA 01929
(978) 768-6643

J. T. Farnham’s makes a righteous case for using sweet, superior Ipswich clams. The rich soft shells practically jump out of the muddy flats and into the tiny clam shack. With lots of down-home charm, it’s a scenic setting of picnic tables positioned over the Essex Salt Marsh. Inside, the full-bellied critters take a dip in egg wash and corn flour and emerge from the friolator with a delicate, crunchy coating. The hot, golden garb dissolves instantaneously on the tongue, releasing straightforward flavor.

Hingham Lobster Pound (The Greatest: Breaded Fried Clams)
4 Broad Cove Rd. (Route 3A)
Hingham, MA 02043
(781) 749-1984

Once a bait shop, Hingham Lobster Pound is now a takeout clam shack that has Nantasket Beach goers swerving off 3A for their breaded fried clams. Many seafood specialists find flour to be a cheaper, lighter alternative, but the Pound spares no expense to create a 2nd skin of blistering crunch over each briny full-bellied clam. The onion rings crackle with the same fried coating, and the banana fritters melt in your mouth. Nostalgic Pictures of Hingham and Nantasket cover the ordering galley, and customers can quiz themselves with Trivial Pursuit cards while waiting. Call ahead two hours for steamed lobster.

Woodman's of Essex (The Greatest: Original Fried Clam)
121 Main St.(Route 133)
Essex, MA 01929
(978) 768-6057
www.woodmans.com

Woodman’s of Essex is the Mecca of the fried clam world, and it’s also the alleged inventor of the fried mollusk. In 1916 Lawrence “Chubby” Woodman took the meat out of the steamers, tossed it in the fryer, and never looked back. Whether it’s myth or bivalve history, no other clam shack comes close to Woodman’s tender, plump clam in a light fried batter. Woodman’s also sells the best onion rings Phantom has ever eaten, plus steamed lobster that customers hand pick and order outside. Eat in a rustic wooden booth or on the back lawn overlooking the lush marsh.

Harraseeket Lunch & Lobster (The Greatest: Clam Cakes)
Town Landing
South Main Street
Freeport, ME 04078
(207) 865-3535

At Harraseeket Lunch, the dive bombing seagulls are a testament to how delicious the clam cakes are. The soft, golden patties are contain briny bits of bivalve that give it a nice chewy texture. Other house specialties include the hot boiled lobster, breaded fried seafood baskets, and golden onion middles with a light crumb coating. Located on the town wharf, the seafood shanty even does a darn good dessert course including roly-poly whoopie pies. The BYOB policy contributes to the shockingly inexpensive meal.

Lobster Pot (The Greatest: Fisherman’s Platter)
3155 Cranberry Highway
East Wareham, MA 02532
(508) 759-3876
www.lobsterpotrestaurant.biz

The Lobster Pot is a Cape Cod favorite where the fried seafood is off the hook. The fisherman’s platter is brimming with lightly battered seafood, and the only issue is whether the scallops are better than the clams. No matter, they’re all crispy and crunchy with golden fried batter. They also have an excellent clam roll and clam strips. Believe it or not, they take special orders for fresh lobsters at up to 20 whopping pounds! There’s actually a guy from New York who flies here every year just to eat one of these monster shellfish and then fly directly home. A fresh seafood market is on the premises for those who want to cook at home.

Red Wing (The Greatest: Batter Fried Clams)
Route 1 South
Walpole, MA 02081
(508) 668-0453

Red Wing is a landlocked Worcester dining car where the fried clams are so famous, even seaside dwellers make the reverse commute here. The kitchen’s secret is using plump Ipswich bivalves and the bare minimum batter, so the true clam taste comes through. The outcome is hot and juicy with salty bursts of the sea exploding in the mouth. For a smaller catch, phantom loves the broiled scallops, the classic lobster roll, or the creamy clam chowder. Red wing also does one heck of a bar pie pizza.