For clams, N.H. satellite spot is authentic Woodman's

Fried clam aficionados in New Hampshire no longer have to make a pilgrimage to Essex, Mass., to the birthplace of the salty treat. Woodman's of Essex, the legendary restaurant on the banks of the Essex River, has opened its first satellite spot at the former Greenfields Restaurant in Litchfield.

A brief history for the uninitiated: Woodman's has been a landmark on Cape Ann since Chubby and Bessie Woodman opened their roadside clam shack in 1914. Chubby has been credited with inventing the fried clam after he pried the fresh bivalves from their shells, rolled them in corn meal, and deep-fried them at the town's 1916 Fourth of July parade.

The unpretentious eatery has been credited with producing the best seafood in America, according to Forbes FYI Magazine; acclaimed as among the "world's best fantastic fast food" spots by the Travel Channel; and labeled "an American cult classic" by Zagat Restaurant Guide.

The fifth generation of Woodmans owns the restaurant, and chose to expand the operation into the former Greenfields on the grounds of Mel's Funway Park, where sports fans converge for a driving range, miniature golf course, batting cages, and go-kart track.

The self-serve restaurant has roomy booth seating, and the walls are decorated with large black-and-white photos of Woodman's in the early days, when a fried clam plate cost $1.

We started our meal with a cup of clam chowder ($4) and a large order of clam cakes ($5). The chowder was very hot and had a thin broth and no pasty flour filler, just the way we like it. The broth was filled with clams, not too heavy on potatoes, and topped with a thin layer of melted butter.

The clam cakes were more like fritters, golf ball-sized portions of fried dough with chopped clams inside. The taste of the clams was overwhelmed by the dough.

Everything else was superb. The lobster roll ($16) was a hefty portion of lobster meat with just a dollop of mayonnaise.

We also devoured a large order of Chubby's original fried clams ($20). A fried clam plate with french fries and onion rings is available for $19. We were not disappointed: These sweet juicy clams with a crispy coating were even better than the ones we got on our last visit to Essex. There were a lot of clams in that container, and we finished every one.

We also ordered a kid-sized baby shrimp plate ($5), which was a generous pile of sweet fried shrimp with a nice heap of fries. Other seafood choices at Woodman's include sea scallops ($9 to $19), fried lobster tails ($25), and fried haddock ($5 to $13).

Craving something green, we ordered a small salad ($4.75), a real surprise with its fresh (not bagged) salad heaped with black olives, Spanish onions, green pepper, and grape tomatoes.

For those who don't like seafood, there are steak tips ($13) and grilled chicken ($9) served with a choice of two - fries, onion rings, or coleslaw.

If you choose to eat al fresco, there are plenty of picnic benches outside.

Woodman's doesn't offer desserts, but there is a Gifford's ice cream stand next door.

Tom Long