The Clam

The Clam Restaurant Review:

This West Village seafood restaurant’s interior has exposed brick walls, white tablecloths, and, evoking the namesake mollusk, a concave ceiling. The Clam doesn’t just serve clams but if you don’t dig the bivalve you might want to take a dip elsewhere. Not that every dish is overly clammy. Clam dip, for example, served with thick potato chips, could be more flavorful; instead, it tastes more of cream than clam. Steamed littlenecks are good but the natural broth wading at the bottom of the bowl steals the show. Spaghetti and clams is almost ruined by the mountain of “salad” (in this case, arugula) thrown on top. Scallop crudo, finished with hazelnuts and chives, delights the palate, as does clam fried rice, intermingling with confit pork belly and snow peas. Fortunately, there are no clams on the dessert menu, but we do recommend the chocolate and banana cream pie. The wine list, separated by country, is affordable and includes a few options on tap.