As surely as the seagulls fly along Rhode Island’s 40 miles of rugged Atlantic coastline, numerous clam shacks abound in the Narragansett and East Bay areas where clam cakes are sold by the half or whole dozen. A deep fried, misshapen ball of dough consisting of chopped clams inside seasoned batter made from flour, milk, clam juice, eggs, and baking powder—the clam cake is one of the Ocean State’s culinary traditions.

You need not tread sand in flip-flops to place your order for a half or whole dozen at the takeout window as many proprietors don’t board up off-season.

For brevity sake, let’s peer through the screens of one such e-STEAM-ed clam shack.

Evelyn’s Drive-In (2355 Main Rd., Tiverton). Located on Nanaquaket Pond, this establishment has been serving local favorites since 1969. Closed during the colder months, Evelyn’s opens the first week in April.

A recipient of numerous awards which include:

National Restaurant Association Restaurant Neighbor Award 2008 for RI

Profiled on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives”

RI MONTHLY, November 2008: "Cheap Eats! – Chowder and Clam Cakes – Evelyn’s Drive-In"

NORTHEAST BOATING –April, 2008, "At Evelyn’s Drive-In Restaurant in Tiverton, Rhode Island, the food is so tasty and the view so refreshing that you’ll want to sit back, relax and soak in all in."

*However, Evelyn’s greatest CLAM to fame - “Evelyn’s Drive-In is proud to announce the BIOBUG, a diesel VW Bug powered by clam cakes and their partnership with Newport Biodiesel.”

Newport Biodiesel picks up the used fry oil, processes it, and then fills the BIOBUG with biodiesel.

In 2010, Evelyn’s recycled 27,000 lbs. of fry oil!

http://www.evelynsdrivein.com/

Follow the seagulls to one or more of Little Rhody’s numerous ac-CLAM-ed shacks dotting the shore. Walk the planks to their takeout windows and give a holler for deep-fried, salt-and-batter-y clam cakes scooped by the half or whole dozen. Savor each crispy bite of blue-collar fare served by the finest deep-sea dives and drive-ins along Narragansett and the East Bay.