(Fried Clams)

When we moved to Seattle we lived in Belltown for a month. We were living in corporate housing until we could figure out where we were going to permanently live. We knew that we were so not hip enough to live downtown and that we would be headed to the suburbs. Knowing that, we decided to take advantage of living downtown for a month. Belltown is a stones throw from Pike’s Place and from where we were staying it was just a little walk down to the Pier. We went to a lot of restaurants on the Pier during that time. One of those was Ivar’s. Ivar’s is technically a chain. A local chain. They only have three main restaurants but you can find 20 something Ivar’s Seafood Bars through out the area.
If you go be sure to pronounce it the correct way. I was ridiculed by everyone for quite sometime because I kept calling it Iv(AR)s and it is pronounced like Iv(ER)s. I have since corrected this and no longer look like a dorky outsider. :)
Some foodies look down at Ivar’s though, really, I am not sure why. I can only assume because it is a chain. I have eaten at all three, and have yet to be disappointed in my meal.
When my parents come to town it is always where we take my dad to fish and chips. We have gone to quite a few places and Ivar’s is his favorite.
When we were down at the aquarium this March we stopped in Ivar’s Acres of Clams for lunch. Since we were at Acres of Clams, I had to order some fried clams. Excellent. Often they can be chewy, kind of rubber band like, but these we tender and crisp. They didn’t offer just the clams for lunch(it’s comes in a combo platter) but our waiter was accommodating and got some for us off the bar menu. Our other appetizer was the Dungeness Crab Fondue Dip. Creamy goat cheese, Parmesan cheese and of course, Dungeness crab, served with toast points. The highlight of the meal though was by far my salad. I ordered the Humboldt Fog and Mixed Greens Salad. It is the Humboldt Fog goats cheese that really makes this salad stand out. The minute the cheese hit my mouth I knew it would forever be on my top ten favorite cheeses of all time. Seriously good stuff. Besides the cheese the salad is studded with spiced walnuts and is tossed in a walnut vinaigrette.
If you are in Seattle be sure to stop by a local favorite that has been around since 1938.

(Ivar’s Dungeness Crab Fondue Dip)

(Humboldt Fog and Mixed Greens Salad)

Ivar’s Acres of Clams
On the Seattle Waterfront
Pier 54 • (206) 624-6852