Last Bite - Clams Casino at Epic Oyster
There are a few different paths to take when creating a “must-have” menu item. One way is to assemble a unique collection of ingredients that dazzle the taste buds in new ways. Another is to rework a well-known and loved classic, tweaking the recipe, perhaps, to include a new taste. Or, as in the case of Epic Oyster’s Clams Casino, completely transform the process of creating the dish. The result is an appetizer with much the same ingredients as those found on menus around the Cape and beyond, but similar in name only.
In 2017, Marc Warner and his wife Sarah purchased the 1922 Tierney dining car that was once the North Falmouth Diner. The car, in this location since 1932, had been vacant for three years, and a major renovation was needed to return this treasure to its former glory. “It was a lot of work,” Marc explains. “There were trees growing in the parking lot!” Undaunted, his dream of owning his own oyster bar would be realized and enhanced by his 15 years in the wine industry, resulting in an impressively curated wine list. Bob Dylan, who stopped by the diner while on tour in 1974, would love what they’ve done with the place. A picture of the enigmatic legend sitting at the diner’s counter hangs on the wall just above the lava lamp in the corner.
Clams from nearby Waquoit Bay – and a wide range of oysters – are on display at the raw bar which sits prominently in the middle of the bar. Marc is often seen shucking alongside Cleavon “Mr. Happy Hour” Frazer as the orders roll in on an ever-growing trail of receipts spitting out of the printer, many calling for the Clams Casino, among other items. “It’s really become our signature dish,” Marc states. When asked in an interview what was his favorite thing to eat was, a chef/owner from another Falmouth restaurant responded, “The Clams Casino at Epic Oyster.”
The difference in these Clams Casino starts at the beginning. The usual way is to steam them before topping with the other ingredients, then finishing in the oven. “The problem with steaming them first is you lose the juice, and they shrink,” Marc points out. Epic Oyster shucks each clam to order and preserves their liquor. “Pre-shucking clams, even five minutes earlier, changes the clam.” They’re nestled onto a bed of rock salt in an aluminum foil pan so as not to lose any of the precious liquid on the trip to the kitchen. The crumb, pepper and onion mix is sautéed in the fat left over from the rendering of the bacon. The mix and chopped bacon are delicately placed atop the clams, and into the oven they go, with a wedge of lemon. The thin aluminum pan allows the clams to cook from all directions. The results are plump and juicy clams unlike any Casino you’ll find. The differences continue when the pan arrives at your table: an order consists of eight littlenecks, not the typical six you find elsewhere.
As the weather cools, the menu changes at Epic Oyster. Some items only appear in the winter and are eagerly awaited by the off-season regulars. The Portuguese Cod is a prime example. This coming winter, Marc will once again keep the lights on and the doors open for those of us needing to satisfy our craving for the Clams Casino, which are always on the menu. “We closed in the winter during COVID, but we’ll stay open this coming winter,” he explains. “We’ve got a fantastic staff, and they need to work through the winter.” Well, we’ll certainly do our best to help keep those shucking skills and knives honed.
Epic Oyster
70 County Road, North Falmouth
508-563-EPIC (3742)
eatepicoyster.com
