There's something primal about a clam shack. Probably, when the first caveman staggered back with an armload of more fish and mollusks than he could pig out on, he opened the first such eatery. Evelyn's Drive-In isn't much fancier than that would have been. But it's in Tiverton, overlooking the Sakonnet River, so customers aren't staring at anything other than the sailboats moored and bobbing or drifting by.

Like so many places up and down the seaboard, where long lines are forming at noisy order windows this very minute, function long ago superseded form. (Some 15 years ago, the present owner took over from the namesake, who'd run the place for about a dozen years, according to our waitress.) The building is so small that eating is mostly done at a scattering of umbrella tables and a line of picnic tables sheltered by a long tin roof. To remind us of all the seafaring and heavy lifting that was required to bring us our fish & chips platters, a thick hawser droops between pilings amidst crushed clamshells, serving as a fence. The outdoor orientation -- we're talking a single Porta-potty -- means that Evelyn's closes mid-October.

The nautical motif continues indoors, where we chose the AC over the minimal breeze outside. Window valances are tastefully decorated with fish and seaweed, and the stems of the seven counter stools are even wrapped in rope. Our table, covered in practical oilcloth, was topped with zinnias and what I was proud to recognize as looking like sea lavender, but which Johnnie identified as Joe Pye weed. (Don't you just hate it when they do that?) That touch -- my companion later noticed that they have a flower garden down by the water -- softened the tone of a sign at the kitchen-serving window that cautioned, "If you're in a hurry you're in the wrong place."

This appeal to patience had little effect on my dining partner's appetite when our starter arrived: clam cakes and a bowl of chowder ($5.50). After eating my share, when I left half a clam fritter for Johnnie, thinking that only three had been served, she 'fessed up to having inhaled the fourth as soon as it arrived, when I was taking notes. I couldn't blame her. Between the fresh oil and the flavorful, slightly sweet batter (made with clam juice?), they were as tasty as any I've had. Of course, there is the tradition that local fry chefs have to swear to, mandating minimal chunks of actual clam in clam cakes. But Evelyn's tries to make up for this, judging from our visit, by putting plenty of the active ingredient in their chowders.

This place isn't only about seafood. Besides chalkboard specials, the regular menu lists a dozen other diner-like items, in addition to sandwiches: meatloaf, and liver and onions ($8.25 each), and chicken grilled, fried, and pied. You know the regulars won't let them take it off the menu when you encounter the surreal sight of chow mein at a clam shack. At a nearby table, two women were having a salad topped with grilled chicken and what looked to be an open-faced roast beef sandwich.

I knew that the second woman was enjoying her mashed potatoes when I sneaked some from my dining companion's plate, along with a delicious baby carrot, which are often rubbery. Johnnie chose a special, grilled scallops ($14.95), which were nicely herbed and well seared, yet not overdone. It's so easy to be disappointed ordering scallops, either because they're not as fresh as these were or when their delicate taste has been covered up or cooked away.

My fried clam plate? Wonderful. It was $14.95 for small and $20.95 for absurd, market priced like most of the seafood. Heaped on a little oval plate, the portion looked smaller than it proved to be and filled me quite well. The fries were crisp, the coleslaw nice and juicy. The fat, sweet clams were as lightly battered as the nearby cod I'd admired. Clam strips are only $9.95 and $11.95, but ordering them when the real thing is available here is like shouting after the waitress, "And hold the flavor!"

The wine served -- by the glass only -- is Mondavi and Sakonnet's Eye-of-the-Storm, and there are eight bottled beers. For the other end of the meal, apple and blueberry pies were on the board, at a low $1.95. They're baked at Evelyn's, but not made here, so we tried the grape nut pudding (same price), which was creamy and quite recommendable.

Yes, Evelyn's does OK. When the worst thing you can say about a meal is that Hunt's ketchup was served instead of Heinz, you've done just fine.

Bill Rodriguez can be reached at billrod@reporters.net.

Issue Date: August 23 - 29, 2002