Flo’s Clam Shack was recommended by one of the servers at the previous night’s dinner. It has been serving clams since 1936 in Newport, RI. They are known for their fried clams. It’s a 2 story place and filled with brick-a-brack. The building has been hit by at least 5 hurricanes and continues to rebuild. They are open seasonally and closed at the threat of a hurricane. The place is a little hard to find but they do have a parking lot in back. They tout their fresh seafood but mostly all I tasted was filler and fried coating. We tried a number of clam preparations but none of them would ever call me to come back and eat here again.
Place
Food
Flo’s Fried Clam Roll was filled with fried clam bellies. This is the tender soft part that make up the primary meat and the attached strip is the chewy neck or siphon portion. They are briny, almost like an oyster and are piled into a hot dog bun. The coating was nicely light but did not adhere well to the clam. This was the only dish we got that had a drop of clam flavor but it was not enough to redeem them.
Flo’s Fiery Stuffed Quahog is called a ‘stuffy’. It was inside a large clam shell and mostly filler that tasted like box stuffing. It was the worst of the group with nothing to redeem the calories it offered.
Flo’s World Famous Clamcakes come 6 to an order. They are much like a beignet dough with clam pieces inside and stuck to the crunchy exterior. I enjoyed the dough and crunch of the exterior but there was no clam flavor and no powdered sugar to turn them into proper beignets.
I actually went there! The stuffed quahog was pretty good. When I first got up there I wanted a lobster roll, and the locals sent me to a place called Anthony’s in Middletown. It was excellent. First time in my life I had a raw clam on the half shell.
Wow! I think we got there on the day they needed to change the fryer oil or cut back on their coating. Our server the night before had highly recommended the place. It did have character. Maybe we should have tried Anthony’s but this was convenient when touring the opulent houses in Newport. Thanks for your comment!
I’m not into touring mansions but my older sister was adamant I tour The Breakers, so I did. And was so glad I did. It was amazing! The amount of money that family had was unbelievable.
You’re right! I am so glad we toured the houses – they are beyond description. Have to get back down to the Biltmore now, been a lot of years since I was there. Know any good places to eat around Asheville?
Naw, sorry. Never been there.