Snapshots from New Amsterdam Market – NYC

fried clam belly sandwich @ new amsterdam market liddabit beer pretzel caramel @ new amsterdam market
marlow & sons @ new amsterdam market goat flatbread from marlow & sons @ new amsterdam market

New Amsterdam Market won’t officially be back in business until June 5, but two Sundays ago, they kicked off the 2011 season with Floralia, a festival dedicated to Flora (the goddess of flowers and vegetation). Goddesses are cool and all, but I was more interested in the news of fried clam bellies at the market. Fried clam bellies (whole soft-shell clams) are one of my favorite foods of all time. Many summers ago, I used to go every weekend to a clam shack out in Stamford for fried clam bellies. Most people in Stamford waited for the local Dairy Queen to open for the season. Me? I was all about the clam shack. So May 1, as soon as we woke up, David, Romeo, and I set out on a mission to eat fried clam bellies.

The market was hopping that day, and the line for Ipswich Fried Clams was insane. In fact, the line was so long, they had to move it off to the side so as not to block the other vendors. When it was your turn, one of the market staff would call you to the table. For the most part, this system worked. Unfortunately, there were a few people who unknowingly (and some knowingly) tried to skip the line. These people, however, did not succeed. Not on my watch.

fried clam belly sandwich @ new amsterdam market

After about a twenty minute wait, I finally got my hands on a fried clam belly sandwich ($6), a Martin’s potato roll filled with three to four fried clam bellies. Pickles, lemon, and tartar sauce made with pickled ramps were served on the side. The clams — dipped in evaporated milk and breaded in flour and stone-ground white corn from Kenyon’s Grist Mill — were well-fried and well-seasoned with a beautiful, thin crust. However, the clams were a bit on the small side and somewhat lean, meaning they didn’t have the fat, creamy bellies I adore. Also, I would have appreciated more clam bellies per roll for the price. As for the ramp tartar sauce, it was good (thick and tangy), but considering the ramp flavor was very mild, I could have done without it. Especially if it had any part in inflating the price. Still, considering a cab ride to Beekman Street is a hell of a lot easier than hauling it to Connecticut or Long Island, six dollars isn’t so horrible. I’ll probably be queuing up for clam bellies again in the coming weeks.

goat flatbread from marlow & sons @ new amsterdam market

For something more substantial, Marlow & Sons were grilling goat and rabbit meat over a wood fire. I opted for goat ($7) and it came piled high on a grilled flatbread drizzled with harissa yogurt and topped with caramelized onions, a pickled ramp, and fresh cilantro. A little more punch from the harissa would have been welcome, but overall it was quite satisfying. Goat, harissa, and yogurt work wonderfully together.

liddabit beer pretzel caramel @ new amsterdam market

For dessert, I stopped by Liddabit Sweets for a bag of beer & pretzel caramels ($6.75), made with Ronnybrook heavy cream, Martin’s Pretzels, and beer from Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn Brown Ale and East India Pale Ale). I kid you not, these were the best caramels I ever ate in my whole life. Soft in texture, almost like taffy or yut (엿, Korean rice candy), the caramels practically oozed of butter and malty beer. And the pretzel bits inside added just enough contrasting texture and a nice, salty bite. I seriously can’t imagine a better tasting caramel.

people's popsicle @ new amsterdam market

For David, who found the beer aroma in the caramels too strong (is he loco?), I got a blueberry-jasmine ice pop ($3.50) from People’s Pops. $3.50 is a lot for an ice pop, but the ones from People’s really taste of fruit. Once in a while, it’s worth it.

New Amsterdam Market will be back Sunday, June 5 (11am-4pm). Until then, Liddabit Sweets can be found at Essex Street Market, Marlow & Sons in Williamsburg, and People’s Pops at various locations. As for Ipswich Fried Clams, you’ll have to wait. I’m hoping they’ll return bigger and fatter. When it comes to soft-shell clams, size matters.

New Amsterdam Market
South and Beekman Street (map)
New York, NY 10038
212-766-8688




There are 5 comments

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  1. someguy

    I see Liddabit Sweets also has Bourbon-Coffee-Bacon Caramel Corn…sounds sinfully delish!

  2. Danny

    damn, $6 dollars. fried clams are awesome though. i wonder how to fry them at home… hmm…

    that goat flatbread looks amazing though. i need to read food news more carefull when things like this come up.

  3. hungry

    Man, I’m looking for big whole fried clam bellies myself. I dislike clam strips a lot. That sandwich may have to do until that discovery within NYC.

  4. Nicholas

    It’s impossible to boil off 100% of the alcohol content… so I wonder if you’d get drunk if you ate enough of those caramels?

    Also, children don’t really know when to stop eating candy, so methinks that might be a very dangerous combination.

  5. bionicgrrrl

    @someguy – I’ve had their bacon caramel corn, and I thought it was lacking a bit on the bacon part. Also, it’s not as crunchy as it could be. The beer-pretzel caramels are amazing though. You must try them!

    @Danny – Ventilation in my apartment sucks, so as I rule I don’t deep-fry at home. Yeah, you should check out New Amsterdam when it starts up again. Prices are a little high, but in exchange you get to try all these restaurants in one fell swoop.

    @hungry – I prefer clam bellies, but I love strips too. In general, I love clams!

    @Nicholas – Hrrm, I doubt it, but it would be hard for me to test it out since my tolerance is up there. There would be a better chance in me gaining weight than getting drunk. 😉


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