“We could see why the steak sandwich is an award-winner.”
Cheap Eats: Steve's Clam Bar and MT Pockets
Summer isn’t complete without clams, and when we heard that Steve’s Clam Bar had relocated from its Elmwood Avenue site to MT Pockets — already known for its steak sandwich — we knew we had to check it out.
The cool, dark bar was full of people on a warm weekend afternoon, with others seated at tables on the sidewalk patio. The side room, where the actual clam bar operates, was empty, although set up for a party later. We took over a window table and ordered a bunch of food from the clam bar and the regular bar.
The first offering from the clam bar was a shrimp cocktail ($8.95), ordered by me but shared with John, Dan and Ruth, and there was plenty to go around. Seven large, utterly fresh peeled shrimp were dusted with a bit of cayenne, perhaps? The small cup of cocktail sauce was tangy and delicious. I always get a famous Legal Seafood shrimp cocktail when we go to Boston, and this one was every bit as good, if not better.
A dozen “big” steamers ($9.95) followed, also fresh and plump, with a bit of expected chewiness and a satisfying taste. We tried one Lobster Casino, made with lobster meat, bread-crumbs and seasoning in a clamshell, and while it was delicious and meaty, it was not cheap at $3.95.
John’s fish fry ($7.50) included a nice piece of haddock in a crispy, if a bit greasy, batter. The fish was hot, but the french fries were sizzling, obviously just out of the fryer. A side of crunchy cole slaw completed the plate.
I’d ordered the steak salad ($8), and expected some sliced steak atop a bed of greens. What I got was an actual strip steak, grilled to perfection, tender and juicy, accompanied by a salad of iceberg chunks, tomato slices and cheese strips. It was a delicious, carblight meal.
Dan and I compared steaks and decided that the cut on my plate was identical to the one in his sandwich ($6.75), served in a hunk of fresh, soft Italian bread, garnished with grilled onions and a layer of cheese — he skipped the offered peppers. It was served with a handful of chips.
We could see why this sandwich is an award-winner — tender meat, cooked medium as requested, with plenty of beefy flavor. At this price, it was a Cheap Eats find.
MT Pockets’ kitchen is open from 11 a.m. until roughly midnight daily, with the clam bar closing a bit earlier. The patio is handicapped- accessible, and there is a step or two to enter the door.
Steve’s Clam Bar and MT Pockets
1519 Hertel Ave.; 838-4658
3 pennies (out of four):
