The Love Nest

Every summer, my husband, my mother, and I begin our annual search for that year's very best fried clams.  We take our quest seriously, for we don't just love fried clams, we adore them.  And we're picky about where we get them and how they're made.  We don't like them dipped in batter.  It's crumbs all the way with us.  And never clam strips.  It's the whole clam, belly and all, or nothing.  

We have a few favorite fried clam haunts.  Some of them are locals-only places; a few are more well known to tourists, but still amazing.  The Love Nest at the Five Islands Lobster Co. is one of the latter.  In fact, here you'll find some of the freshest, tastiest clams in New England.  And the ambience can't be beat.

I grew up just a few miles down the road from the Love Nest, and I can attest that it's a great place for lobster, but for me, nothing tastes more like summer than a fried clam basket.  

And yes, that's a Moxie.  You know me and my love for Moxie.  I don't usually eat fried food or drink soda, but I make an exception every now and then for this meal.  So we walk an extra mile or two the next day.  With views like the one below, even on a socked-in day, it's all worth it.

And then there's the ride home, comparing notes on the sweet and briny clams, the crunch of their crumb coating, the tangy zest of the homemade tartar sauce.  As the sun sets, the clouds lift, and suddenly the evening seems filled with expectation and the promise of an endless summer.