Blount Clam Shack – Warren, RI

The summer is prime time for fresh seafood in New England and there are a lot of restaurants purporting to provide it. Part of the fun each summer is finding new seafood places to try from the classy restaurant to the clam shack. After a little research, I discovered such a clam shack right on the water in Warren, RI and I made sure to pay a visit as soon as possible. The smell of freshly fried seafood welcomed me like a close friend as I approached the restaurant.

Blount Clam Shack
335 Water Street
Warren, RI 02885
401-245-3210

Service and Atmosphere
At first glance, the Blount Clam Shack isn’t much to look at. It’s basically just two connected permanent trailers in an “L” shape. You place your order at a window and get your food from the next window. It’s not exactly fast food, but the food is ready pretty quickly. The staff ranges from bored-looking teenagers working a summer job to some bright-eyed seasoned veterans of the shack. They’re pretty receptive to how you want your food and will do their best to get your order right. The real draw, other than the food, is the outdoor seating right on the water. The view is spectacular as you sit at picnic tables watching boats cruising in the water. If it’s raining you can still enjoy the view by sitting at one of the tables underneath a large outdoor tent.
Food
The menu at the Clam Shack is fairly extensive and there’s something for everyone even if you don’t like seafood. The prices for some of the items are a little on the higher end for this style of fresh, fast seafood, but they aren’t outrageous.

After ogling the menu for a few minutes, I decided on sharing the the clam cakes with chowder combo with my wife and the lobster roll with handmade potato chips for myself. The clam cakes and chowder were excellent. The clam cakes were perfectly crispy on the outside, spongy on the inside, and well spiced. They were a little salty, but that isn’t uncommon for clam cakes in general. The clam chowder was rich, creamy, and chunky in all the right ways. The clam cakes dipped in the chowder added a third, decadent flavor combination that I thoroughly enjoyed.
I ordered the small lobster roll, which was somewhat small, but at $12.99 it wasn’t a bad deal considering the huge chunky pieces of lobster in the buttered, toasted New England style bun (check out the huge lobster claw chunks in the picture!). I found the light dressing of the lobster really let the meat shine and a side of melted butter allowed me to adjust each bite according to my preference. I’m convinced that the best thing any place serving lobster rolls can do is to butter and toast the sides of the bun carrying the lightly dressed lobster. That is exactly what Blount does and I found their lobster roll pretty exceptional. The little side of coleslaw was good, albeit somewhat drenched in dressing and the homemade potato chips were hearty, crispy, and not too salty. They also went really well dipped in the clam chowder! I left quite full and satisfied.

Overall Impression
With a great view of the water, relatively easy parking, and plenty of outdoor seating, I would easily recommend Blount Clam Shack for someone looking for fresh, fast seafood. Try the lobster roll and the clam cakes with New England Clam Chowder for the full experience. Then go back and try something else!