New England clam chowder is a milk- or cream-based chowder traditionally made with potatoes, onions, bacon or salt pork, flour and clams. Some recipes include these ingredients in addition to celery, corn, carrots and bay leaves. Although many chowder enthusiasts argue over how thick or thin a chowder should be, I’ve found no definitive answer to the proper thickness of NECC. And for the record: Rhode Island Clam Chowder has a clear broth, and Manhattan Clam Chowder has a tomato broth.
Many local restaurants serve NECC within their rotation of daily soups, but I found just six restaurants that offer the chowder as a permanent menu item: Gilbert’s Chowder House, Morrison’s Maine Chowder House, J’s Oyster Bar, Old Port Sea Grill, DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant and Portland Lobster Company. It seems that every venue prepares its chowder differently, using the traditional ingredients. Because the preferences of diners vary, I’ll provide just the facts and let you choose which is the best.
Gilbert’s Chowder House, located at 92 Commercial St., serves daily from 11 am-9 pm. A small bowl costs $4.50, medium $5.50, large $6.50 and bread bowl $7.25. Gilbert’s chowder is the thickest of all the chowders I tasted. Rich and creamy, it consists of a base of milk, butter and flour, and potatoes, onion, bacon and clams. Served in a bread bowl or alone, it’s the heartiest of Portland chowders.
Morrison’s Maine Chowder House is located at 15 Temple St. and serves daily from 11 am-8 pm. In addition to NECC (cup $3.95, bowl $5.95, bread bowl $7.95), Morrison’s offers crab & corn chowder, Maine lobster stew, corn chowder and seafood chowder. The NECC is thin, buttery and bland. It’s made with potatoes, clams, onions, clam juice, milk, cream, wheat flour and Maine sea salt. No other seasonings are added that I could taste. Because the chowder is so thin, it’s a light meal. I consider it the Coors Light of chowders.
J’s Oyster Bar, located at 5 Portland Pier (off Commercial), serves Mon.-Sat. from 11 am-11 pm and Sun. from noon-10 pm. The chowder costs $5.99 and is very thin. In regards to flavor, thyme and butter stand out over clams or potatoes. It’s made with potatoes, clams, celery, onion, bacon, thyme, half & half and white wine. If you prefer a thinner chowder with a buttery flavor, you might prefer J’s over the others.
Old Port Sea Grill is located at 93 Commercial St. and hours vary for dinner, but lunch is served daily from 11:30 am-3 pm. A cup of NECC costs $4.95 and a bowl costs $5.95. The chowder is not too thin and not too thick with a smooth and creamy, full clammy flavor. It’s made with clams, potatoes, bacon, onion, cream, clam broth, fish stock, flour, salt pork and Worcestershire sauce. The broth is fluffy, kind of like a souffle. The consistency feels like it was whipped instead of stirred.
DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant is that giant boat located at 25 Long Wharf and serves from 11 am-10 pm daily. A bowl of chowder costs $4.75 a cup and $6.25 a bowl. The flavor is full, creamy and salty (not too salty, though) with a semi-thick consistency similar to Old Port Sea Grill’s chowder. Ingredients include canned clams, frozen clams, clam juice, heavy cream, salt pork, potatoes, celery, onion, butter, flour and half & half. This chowder is the meatiest I tasted. You’ll get a clam in every bite.
Portland Lobster Company is located at 180 Commercial St. According to the website, it’s open Sun.-Thurs. from 11 am-10 pm and Fri.-Sat. from 11 am-10:30 pm, but when I arrived a note on the door said they are closed for the season and will reopen in spring. When they do open, a bowl of NECC will cost you $5.99.
Let’s ignore the fact that I ate clam chowder every day for a week and focus on the details here. Portland has some damn good chowders that you won’t find outside New England. Shovel in some chowdah, guy, before it’s summer — and too hot to think about hearty, creamy bowls of goodness.
-— Amy Martin