# Clam Chowder **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 27, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311 "2013-08-27T16:11:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/1 "2013-08-27T16:11:46Z")
What kind of clam chowder do you prefer-New England, Manhattan, Rhode Island, or other? My favorite is Manhattan, heavy on the pepper. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/2 "2013-08-27T16:12:18Z")
New England ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/3 "2013-08-27T16:15:42Z")
New England, from the west coast. Comes in quite an interesting variety, got to try every place from Coho Washington to Eureka CA. Once you get east of Nevada, it goes downhill fast. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/4 "2013-08-27T16:15:53Z")
New England and so thick that it’s almost pudding-like (ok, not quite that thick, but close) ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/5 "2013-08-27T16:20:09Z")
> [@For You](#): > > New England, from the west coast. Comes in quite an interesting variety, got to try every place from Coho Washington to Eureka CA. Once you get east of Nevada, it goes downhill fast. Have you ever tried Ivar’s? ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/6 "2013-08-27T16:22:42Z")
New England with a strong buttery undertone, but I love good Manhattan, too. The very best I’ve ever had - even after moving here to the Northeast - was in the cafe at Harrah’s in Reno. Nevada. In the western semi-desert, where clams and old oilskinned fisherman-cooks are quite rare. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/7 "2013-08-27T16:25:08Z")
New England. The wife’s favorite too. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/8 "2013-08-27T16:29:44Z")
Clam chowder and flannel are the only things New England does better than New York. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/9 "2013-08-27T16:31:18Z")
New England. I don’t think I’ve ever seen or heard of Rhode Island clam chowder. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/10 "2013-08-27T16:32:10Z")
I love clam chowder…the problem is, people put stuff into it that shouldn’t be allowed…like celery-AAGHH! I have had decent clam chowder in Seattle-but they don’t have the softshell clams that we have in New England. The “Manila” clam (Puget Sound) doesn’t have the depth of flavor to make a good clam chowder. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/11 "2013-08-27T16:37:38Z")
New England style for me. I highly recommend the version served at Spud Point Crab Company in Bodega Bay. Yum! ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/12 "2013-08-27T16:43:05Z")
New England in a close race. Throw some red pepper flakes in the Manhattan and they trade places. ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/13 "2013-08-27T16:53:03Z")
If it’s not New England creamy type clam chowder, then it’s not clam chowder. It’s soup. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/14 "2013-08-27T16:55:31Z")
Manhattan has more interesting flavor than New England, which tends to be bland. It’s rarely bad, but it’s never great. Manhattan does run the risk of being bad (especially in cans), but when it’s made well, it’s the king of chowders. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/15 "2013-08-27T17:44:14Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > If it’s not New England creamy type clam chowder, then it’s not clam chowder. It’s soup. This. Manhattan clam chowder is a pasta sauce looking for its pasta. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/16 "2013-08-27T17:50:41Z")
I voted Rhode Island to give it some love, and because it’s a toss-up for me between Rhode Island and New England. Rhode Island is cleaner, more clammy. But New England has cream and, when done right, that little bit rounds out the flavor quite well (when I make it, I like it very light on the cream–just enough to give it a little bit of that creamy mouthfeel). I mean, who doesn’t love cream? But when done wrong, it’s pasty and gloppy and yuck. I could never get into Manhattan clam chowder myself. ---
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/17 "2013-08-27T18:07:40Z")
> [@Eutychus](#): > > If it’s not New England creamy type clam chowder, then it’s not clam chowder. It’s soup. I knew I wouldn’t be in here fast enough to be the first to say this, so: This. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/18 "2013-08-27T18:17:11Z")
There is only Manhattan style. Everything else is just…bad. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/19 "2013-08-27T18:21:06Z")
The Manhattan style reminds me of Chicken Booyah, which is good (chicken soup with a tomato base), but I like the white, New England version of Chowder better just for the distinction. However, I doubt that I’ve ever had _authentic_ NE Chowder. I’d probably like it even more. ETA: I put lots of pepper in the NE chowder anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2013, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311/20 "2013-08-27T18:29:50Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > There is only Manhattan style. Everything else is just…bad. New England-Lumpy warm salty milk that smells like fish. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/clam-chowder/667311.md?page=2)