Categories: Eat & Drink; Local & Entertainment

Getting Fried in Boston

By mswen
updated 2 months ago

Don't act like you're above it: frying something - anything! - in hot oil makes it taste fantastic. And while it's certainly not the healthiest choice, fried food is a tasty treat and, lucky (?) for us Boston-area folks, readily available due to our proximity to the coast. There are also plenty of non-seafood spots to get your fix, too, including in your own home.

Clam Box of Ipswich

206 High Street, Ipswich, MA 01938

If your destination is the legendary Clam Box, don’t worry – you can’t miss it. The building looks like a giant take-out box, and if that’s not enough of a clue, the the lines that snake out the door are a dead giveaway.

Still lost? Just follow the smell of fried seafood. It’ll lead you to renowned Ipswich clams (as well as other offerings) battered and deep-fried in oil that’s changed twice a day (for extra-fresh tasting fare). Just make sure you have plent-y of cash on hand: this place doesn’t take credit cards.

Many people order their food for takeout, but you can eat in if you’re able to snag a spot in the small-ish self-seating area.

Daddy's Fried Dough

Park Street T Station boston, ma 02111

Daddy’s is simply a cart located outside of the Park Street T station in Boston (which shouldn’t be a deterrent, since most fried dough is bought from some sort of cart, right?) served up by a loud and friendly man. And, really, how can you go wrong with dough fried in hot oil and sprinkled with sugar? Daddy’s serves it up with butter, cinnamon, and sugar, but you can also add toppings like fruit or cream and chocolate.

Make your own Italian doughnuts (aka "Zeppole")

Vegetable oil, for frying
Olive oil, for frying
1 pound prepared pizza dough
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Pour equal parts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 375 degrees F.

Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Using a floured 2-inch cookie cutter, cut out doughnut rounds. Using a floured 1-inch cookie cutter, cut out a hole in the center of each doughnut. Gather the dough scraps and re-roll to cut out more doughnuts.

Whisk the sugar and cinnamon in a medium bowl to blend. Set the cinnamon-sugar aside.

When the oil is hot, working in batches, fry the doughnuts until they puff but are still pale, about 45 seconds per side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the doughnuts to paper towels to drain. Cool slightly. While the doughnuts are still warm, add to the bowl with cinnamon-sugar and generously coat each 2 times with the cinnamon-sugar. Serve warm.

King's Famous Roast Beef & Sea

145 N Street, Salem, MA 01970

We initially stopped at King’s for one of their famous roast beef sandwiches (highly recommended, by the way) – but, suprisingly, ended up loving their fried seafood just as much. From the melt-in-your-mouth clam strips to the excellent fried haddock, King’s is a surprising spot to indulge in generous portions of some tasty fried goodness.

Jumbo Seafood Restaurant

7 Hudson Street, Boston, MA 02111

As the name indicates, seafood is the fare of choice here – and the fish tanks as soon as you walk in prove it – but Jumbo Seafood is hands-down the best Chinese food restaurant in Boston. Which means, of course, that you can choose from some excellent fried food.

Whether it’s their signature spicy fried calamari, General Gau’s chicken, or even the crispy spicy salted pepper pork chops, you will shovel in incredibly tasty food (and, be hungry again 2 hours later).

Most fried food is coated in some type of batter and/or bread crumb mixture. And, while eating fried food is definitely not for the health-conscious, one way to make it a smidge healthier is by using panko bread crumbs instead of regular bread crumbs.

Though they appear coarser and more uneven than traditional bread crumbs, panko bread crumbs are lighter because they’re made from the center of bread (rather than the crusts), which results in an airier texture. Not only does this help them maintain crispiness longer, but they also cook more evenly and turn a great golden brown color.

So how are panko bread crumbs healthier? For one thing, they contain considerably less salt and calories and absorb far less grease than standard bread crumbs.

Woodman's of Essex-Restaurant & Catering

121 Main St, Essex, MA 01929

When magazines and newspapers have bestowed titles like “Best Seafood in America” upon a place, you probably don’t expect the dining room to be a bunch of huge, wooden, seat-yourself picnic tables or to have to stand in long lines where you have to essentially shout your orders out to the staff.

But do you expect the best fried seafood (and onion rings!) in all of the land? And simple basics like cold beer and wine to wash it all down with? Sure you do. And that’s what you get at Woodman’s. This totally no-frills establishment serves up fresh, delicously sinful fried goodness at higher prices than you might expect – but it’s all worth it.

Kelly's Roast Beef

35 Revere Beach Pkwy, Medford, MA 02155

Kelly’s Roast Beef has been an establishment in the Boston area for over fifty years, serving up not only burgers and (of course) roast beef sandwiches, but also tasty french fries, onion rings, and fried seafood.

But they’re cutting edge in one way: they’ve stopped using trans-fat oils when frying up those treats. Now, they fry with a vegetable oil made from soybeans – so you can feel a little better about indulging.

Using the right oil is imperative when deep-frying.

First, you must choose an oil with a high smoke point. At an oil’s smoke point, it starts to decompose and smoke, thereby giving whatever it is you’re frying a not-so-great flavor. When you use an oil with a high smoke point, you’ll be able to fry with it at a higher temperature without ruining the taste of your food. Refer to the link below for a list of oils and their smoke points.

With regards to your health, avoid trans fats by not using oil labeled “hydrogenated” or ”partially hydrogenated.” Also try to minimize your intake of saturated fats by choosing an oil like canola oil (a saturated fat percentage of 6%) and avoiding higher-fat oils like lard (41%) or peanut oil (18%).

Summer Shack

50 Dalton Street Boston, MA 02199

If you prefer an atmosphere that’s a little more chic, yet still have a hankering for down-home fried food, you can get your fix at the Summer Shack.

Big-name chef Jasper White’s name is behind (and on) it, so be prepared to pay non-shacklike prices for entrees like the fish and chips, Jasper’s fried chicken, and the clam roll stuffed with Ipswich fried clams. And even the french fries are out of this world.

Buff's Pub

317 Washington Street, Newton, MA 02458

Hey, that’s right. Chicken wings are deep-fried, too, and they are FAN-tastic. Buff’s Pub whips up tasty deep-fried wings (NON-breaded – yay!) in a variety of flavors: the buffalo are mega-popular, but during our last two visits there were so many people ordering the honey hot that we think that’ll be what we try next.