Sneaking off to Fairhaven

I have been down with the sinus bug for 10 days and boy was it good to feel like going to a restaurant this past weekend. Food actually tastes like something again.  Okay, I know this is supposed to be all about Fall River, but I must tell you this place we are visiting tonight is a fav of Fall Riverites and was introduced to me about 2 years ago by a diehard Fall River native.  I had a guest over the weekend from the midwest who wanted a sample of real “wicked good” Yankee seafood.  Nothing fancy- just tasty.  Well, the spot which sprang to mind at once was Gene’s Seafood Shack in Fairhaven located at 146 Huttleston Avenue,(Rt. 6) .  Gene is the last name of the husband and wife owners. Gene’s is open 7 days a week, Sunday-Thursday from 11:00am to 9:00 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11:00am to 10:00 PM, and closed for vacation in the month of January. There is ample parking, and pretty easy to get in and out onto Route 6.

My chum was excited as I raved about the to-die-for clamcakes and clam platter.  The fish and chips dripping hot grease and malt vinegar never fail to please either!  By the time we pulled up in the driveway, I was ready to eat the paper bag!  Gene’s is homey, decorated with nautical stuff one would expect in a seafood gnoshery.  There are picnic tables both inside and outside and the place is squeaky clean.  We ordered from the counter and got our sodas from the cooler. I opted for a stuffed quahog, chowdah and the divine clamcakes- one dozen.  I warbled on to my midwest friend about the difference between steamers and quahogs and the different types of chowdah. I chatted with one of the cooks who had a moment to kill, about what type of chowder they made.  I learned clear broth Rhody style USED to be the chowder du jour for 40 years until some state contest placed Gene’s at the bottom for their chowder and now they make white New England style- not my fav.  He assured me it would not be the thick wall paper paste white chowder you can stand a spoon up in.  So, we waited with much anticipation. My pal was amused about the word “quahog” and more amused when I insisted he slather it with 2 pats of real butter.  The quahogs were divine- moist, buttery, spicy, flavorful.  They were a hit.  Then we tackled the chowdah and I must say I was a bit let down.

It was a bit thick for my liking but worst of all, there were not many clams and very little flavor.  The trick to good chowder is to fry the boiled diced spuds and onion in bacon fat- or at the least, salted pork cubes, and use clam juice, not so much water to thin it all out.  When I make white chowder I add light cream at the very end, just to color it.  I prefer the Rhode Island clear broth which also has a bit of thin-diced celery.  My dining buddy was charmed with the little packets of common crackers.  But then came the Culinary Waterloo.  The clamcakes, so fragrant and greasy and golden- alas, had NO clams. And I mean no clams. My friend thought they were meant to be a small muffin.  We dissected several just to see if the nuggets of chewy clam had escaped the top few clamcakes.  We had cakes- not clamcakes.  The batter was lovely, but the clams were missing in action.  We ate two each anyway and glanced around the room to see if anyone else had discovered the Awful Clamless Truth.  Monster plates of fried clams and cole slaw , fish and chips, and lobsta rolls were being washed down all around us, and then we spotted a nice young couple sitting near us with the same expression of dismay on their faces.  No clams.  It was a mystery.. We dissected a few more cakes. . .  

and peered forlornly in the bag  but no dice- clamless. Ah, well, –  it must be the economy for I had never been let down at Gene’s before.  Our bill came to $21. 30 with the two sodas.  You clean up after yourself, so no tip is needed.  If you go, skip the clamcakes and head for the fried clam platter!  I plan to give them another chance.