New England Seafood Company

When I lived in Boston, I would venture to Ipswich as often as I could to go to The Clam Box. I'd wait in a line that wrapped around a building in the middle of nowhere. Sometimes I'd even wait in the rain. It was always worth it for the fried clams.

Craving fried clams, I looked for a place near us in Chicago, and I found New England Seafood Company on Lincoln Ave between Roscoe and Paulina. Coastal towns always do seafood better and cheaper, but this tasted like the real deal and hit the spot.

My partner ordered the small Clam Chowder. It had generous clam portions, and the base wasn't too thick or heavy, which is a criticism that we commonly give clam chowders outside of New England.



She also ordered the medium Fried Calamari box (it's not available in small or large portions, only medium). The breading was light, which we liked. It was served with lemon wedges and a mediocre cocktail sauce, but I'm not a big fan of cocktail sauce, so don't trust me on that.



And I ordered the small Fried Clams box, of course. The breading was also light, and it was served with a lemon wedge and tartar sauce. The tartar sauce wasn't very strong, and I actually liked it a lot.



We're intending to go back to try some scallops, haddock, and Lobster Bisque, or y'know, just eat more fried clams.