The Summer For Savory Clams

June 20, 2025

Who doesn’t look forward to summer? And it’s not just us. Some fish are happier in warmer waters. So are savory clams!

The Savory Clam, sometimes referred to as the Purple Clam or the Purple Varnish Clam due to its vivid purple-hued shell is typically a late-summer replacement for the Manila Clam, which spawns during this time. While their residency in our recipes is relatively short lived, it’s a fun (and beautiful) clam to learn about.

Photo by Hama Hama Farms

HOW THE SAVORY CLAM IS GROWN AND HARVESTED

Harvesters at Hama Hama

We source savory clams from our friends at Hama Hama in the Pacific Northwest. The savory clam is harvested from the waters of Hood Canal in Washington. As substrate dwellers, these clams bury themselves deep in the sand and are both filter feeders and deposit feeders, meaning they are able to filter water for food as well as feed on specks of organic matter that may have drifted down to them.

The savory clam harvesting method is no joke. The harvesters at Hama Hama hand dig each one, and then suspend them in metal cages where they can purge any sand and unwanted material they’re holding onto. However, sometimes there’s something holding on to them.

The Pea Crab is native to the savory clam and can sometimes be quite the surprise when present in a clam when it opens. The aptly named crab is roughly the size of a pea and may be found with the meat inside the shell.

HOW THE SAVORY CLAM CAME TO NORTH AMERICA

Although they were found in British Colombia, Canada in the early 1990s, they’re not a native species to the area. It is believed they were brought from Asia as hitchhikers on cargo ships during the late 1980s. Once they settled, they thrived in the Pacific Northwest waters and spread all the way down to Washington where they’re grown now.

Photo by Hama Hama Farms

SAVORY CLAMS VS MANILA CLAMS

There’s more difference in these two bivalves than just their temperature preferences.

Savory clams have a sweet, hearty and full body flavor with a celery-like finish, with a texture that is softer than the manila clam – more like mussels.

Aside from the flavor, Savory Clams also have a thinner shell when compared to the Manila Clam, resulting in a higher meat yield per pound.

The Savory Clam also cooks differently. While the key to telling when a clam is cooked is usually that the shell opens, Savories tend to flash open their shell when exposed to heat – even though they may not be fully cooked yet. Typically, Savories take longer to cook but are also much harder to overcook.

The noted difference in flavor can also provide a key difference in dishes. As the director of food and beverage at Hama Hama puts it, they’re “heartier” and can hold their own in stronger sauces and preparations like curry and spicy tomato sauce.

SAVORY CLAMS AT WATER GRILL

For a short time at Water Grill near the end of summer, we like to use the Savory Clams for dishes like the Farmed Savory Clams with Chorizo. Steamed in a saffron broth and served with a crispy French baguette, this dish hits the spot for any clam lover. The Savory’s heartiness makes it an ideal companion to the chorizo.

You can also find savory clams in one of our Guest favorites, the Cioppino. With Dungeness Crab, Jumbo Shrimp and fresh fish in a shellfish broth, this fisherman’s soup originated on the docks of San Francisco but is now loved wherever you’ll find a Water Grill.

As the seasons change so do our menus, so get in to try these seasonal dishes out while you can! You’ll find locations – and reservations – here.

All photos courtesy of Hama Hama Farms

The Ghost of the Coast Appears at Water Grill

April 29, 2024

Show of hands: who wants a cool nickname? No matter how hard you try, it won’t hold a candle to white seabass.

Known as “the ghost of the coast”, the nickname for white seabass (Atractoscion nobilis) is a reference to the fish’s ability to stalk and haunt its prey while hiding in kelp beds. They’re voracious predators and exclusive to the West Coast. Starting this month, the California ghosts of the coast are making a seasonal appearance at Water Grill.

Local Legend

White seabass is a true local treasure, found from Central California through Baja California. However, it’s not actually a true bass. It’s a member – one of the largest, in fact – of the Croaker (Sciaenadae) family. And, while “croaker” may not be as cool of a nickname as “ghost of the coast”, it’s more descriptive, as this family of fish makes drumming noises by vibrating their air bladders.

Seasonal Catch

The commercial fishing season in California typically runs from June through March (and year-round in Mexico). White seabass is caught by gill-net and hook and line in many areas off the California coasts, including sandy and rocky bottoms, near- and offshore and, of course, in kelp beds.

They’rea Keeper

White seabass can range from 10-lbs. to 60-lbs.; however, most white seabass will be in the 20-lb. to 30-lb. range. You know it’s a keeper when it’s 28” long. Literally. That’s the length a white seabass must be to keep. It signals that the fish has had an opportunity to reproduce at least once before being pulled from the rotation. Spawning season typically occurs from March to early June.

Fisheries management is supported by NOAA Fisheries, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the White Seabass Fisheries Management Plan (USA) and CONAPESCA and INAPESCA in Mexico.

This is in addition to support from the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute. They operate a white seabass hatchery in San Diego, which contributes fish to the wild stock from grow-out pens up and down the Southern California coast.

White Seabass at King's Seafood Distribution

Flavor

White seabass is known for its sweet flavor, firm texture and medium flakes. It’s a great fish for grilling, and its seasonal arrival is timed perfectly for enjoying in the summer months.

White Seabass Ratatouille at Water Grill

At Water Grill, we bring this all together in a preparation of rustic ratatouille, featuring Japanese eggplant, bell peppers, a garlic emulsion and basil oil. See our menus here.

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