FOODIE

On The Winding Road To Fried Clam Heaven
By Peter & Will / foodie@longislandernews.com

Every so often the Foodies hit the road because some eating experiences are worth the drive.
Such is the case with Bigelow’s, the self-proclaimed fried Ipswich clam capital of Long Island. An eatery of modest proportions, Bigelow’s is not much more than a fish shack in an unexpected place. It stands where it was built nearly three-quarters of a century ago when the corner of Long Beach Road and Sunrise Highway was a very different place. From the moment one pulls into the parking lot, it’s clear that a meal at Bigelow’s is going to be a step back in time.
Russ Bigelow built the place in 1939 after several years of working at New England hotels. It was in those years that he learned “the art of frying seafood,” according to the restaurant’s literature. Now a fry house was nothing new at the time, but one thing was: the Ipswich Clam.
Known alternately as long neck clams, soft shell clams, piss clams and New England steamers, the thin-shelled Ipswich clam is considered sweeter than other varieties. For Long Islanders, who take for granted things like bay scallops and fresh caught bluefish, the Ipswich clam was well received and Bigelow’s was on its way to success.
Success, it seems, means slow, steady and unchanging. While there’s been an update or two to the 1939 Bigelow’s, it clearly hasn’t been recent. The signs are old, the shingles weathered and the U-shaped counter well worn. Counter seating is all that’s offered, with few more than a dozen spinning stools, most of which were occupied during our recent weekend visit. At the center of it all – the fryer. It was working a steady pace churning out plateful after plateful of delicate breaded clams.
To be honest, we had no idea that clams from Ipswich were any better or worse than those from our own South Shore waterways, and for clams on the half shell, we’d travel a long way to get to Long Island for a half-dozen. You won’t find ’em at all at Bigelow’s, where the food is prepared fast and furious – in the frier, on the grill or not at all.
We started with the lobster bisque (cup $4.50, bowl $5.25). It was thick and flavorful with enough sherry flavor to warm even a New England night, though plankton-sized “chunks” of lobster were so small as to leave us wishing we sported baleen. Perhaps the server didn’t dunk deep enough into the pot.
For an appetizer, we went with a contemporary favorite, Buffalo Popcorn Shrimp ($6.95 appetizer). Cooked just right, these spicy shrimp did indeed pop, though it took a sprinkling of Tabasco to wake up a relatively tame sauce. Next trip back we’ll try the mini crab cakes ($8.35) served with horseradish Dijon sauce, or the Calamari ($8.35) with Marinara sauce.
For the main course, we both went the Ipswich route. Mine was the platter – actually a paper plate – with a respectable, fresh-tasting cole slaw on the side. I assume it’s made on the premises (note the crocks full of tartar sauce). Will went with the sandwich, a heaping of hot fried clams piled on a soft bun, with, what else, fries on the side. Whether it can be attributed to cooking techniques (they do one thing and they do it well) or the Ipswichness of the clams themselves, the clams were a treat. Crispy on the outside… soft, tender and blazing hot inside… they were a different experience than the chewy fried clam sandwiches I gave up eating at my neighborhood fry house years ago. If there’s a drawback, it’s that the Ipswich Clam is pricey. Priced according to the day’s market, the paper plateful ran me $22.95; the sandwich was $13.95. But once you’ve driven the distance, it’s easy to talk yourself into the splurge.
There’s plenty of exploring to be done on Bigelow’s menu with most selections available as a plate or sandwich. Strip clams (plate $13.95, sandwich $9.35), fried flounder ($13.25, $8.95), calamari ($12.75) and bay scallops ($13.50) all beckon, as do the grill selections: grilled salmon, swordfish or tuna ($15.95). However, I suspect that as long as there are Ipswich Clams, that’s what I’ll be having when I head to Bigelow’s.

Bigelow’s

79 North Long Beach Road
Rockville Centre, NY
516-678-3878
bigelows-rvc.com

Atmosphere: Fish shack casual

Cuisine: Seafood, fried or grilled

Price range: Inexpensive, cash only

Hours: Mon-Thu 11-9;
Fri & Sat 11-10;
Sun 12-9

Main Menu