Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
The Chowder Coast
By Ron Jackimowicz, Cuisine editor
Tuesday, February 05, 2008 | No comments posted.
A few weeks ago, Cuisine asked readers to pick their favorite clam chowder and the responses poured in like rain during an Oregon winter.
They just kept coming and coming.
The total number of votes more than doubled any previous Cuisine poll. And for that, I’d like to thank all those who took the time to participate.
Most people responded by e-mail, a few others blogged, and we even received a few by regular mail. After all the votes were tabulated, we found exactly what we had anticipated: There are a lot of places with really good clam chowders on the South Coast.
Voters nominated 25 different restaurants — OK, 24 restaurants and one hospital — in eight different cities from Bandon to Florence as having their favorite chowders.
One person even wrote in seeking restaurants in the area that serve Manhattan-style chowder. (I don’t know of any. If you know of a restaurant that serves a good Manhattan chowder, let me know and I’ll pass it along to our e-mailer)
The top five finishers in the poll were as diverse as the rest of the results. The overall winner of our poll was the Outdoor In on South Fourth Street in Coos Bay (see sidebar). Two others are from North Bend, still another is from Charleston and the fifth is from Winchester Bay.
The High Tide Cafe in Charleston and Sozo in North Bend tied for second place. Sizzler in North Bend was fourth and Anchor Grill in Winchester Bay was fifth.
The difference between second place and fifth place was just two votes.
Captain’s Choice in North Bend was next on the list followed by Brickstone’s at the Red Lion Hotel and Lakeshore Lodge in Lakeside.
The northernmost and southernmost places receiving votes were both golf courses. Tavalos, the club house restaurant at Sandpines Golf Links in Florence received a vote, and Bandon Dunes had a few.
Here are a few of the e-mail votes we received:
My favorite place for chowder is High Tide Restaurant in Charleston. They have the best chowder on the coast and we just love going there. Everyone that we invite along always remark how much they like the clam chowder also. — Richanne Jennings
The best clam chowder in the bay area here is found every day at Sizzler at Broadway and Newmark. They do not thicken into a starchy glue and use lots of clams. — Gordon and Helen Howard
I recently had some clam chowder at The Red Lion in Coos Bay. It was the best I've ever had! — Donna Smith, Port Orford
Hands down, it is at The Lakeshore Lodge at Lakeside. Thick, with tender Winchester Bay Clams. It is its own food group. — Julie R. Anderson
Outdoor-In’s clam chowder. It’s the right thickness, lots of clams and the taste is out of this world. I think Outdoor-In should put it on the menu as No. 1 Best Clam Chowder. — Carolyn DeMetz, Coos Bay
I vote for Outdoor-In’s clam chowder. It’s the best on the coast by far. — Josh Leigh
They just kept coming and coming.
The total number of votes more than doubled any previous Cuisine poll. And for that, I’d like to thank all those who took the time to participate.
Most people responded by e-mail, a few others blogged, and we even received a few by regular mail. After all the votes were tabulated, we found exactly what we had anticipated: There are a lot of places with really good clam chowders on the South Coast.
Voters nominated 25 different restaurants — OK, 24 restaurants and one hospital — in eight different cities from Bandon to Florence as having their favorite chowders.
One person even wrote in seeking restaurants in the area that serve Manhattan-style chowder. (I don’t know of any. If you know of a restaurant that serves a good Manhattan chowder, let me know and I’ll pass it along to our e-mailer)
The top five finishers in the poll were as diverse as the rest of the results. The overall winner of our poll was the Outdoor In on South Fourth Street in Coos Bay (see sidebar). Two others are from North Bend, still another is from Charleston and the fifth is from Winchester Bay.
The High Tide Cafe in Charleston and Sozo in North Bend tied for second place. Sizzler in North Bend was fourth and Anchor Grill in Winchester Bay was fifth.
The difference between second place and fifth place was just two votes.
Captain’s Choice in North Bend was next on the list followed by Brickstone’s at the Red Lion Hotel and Lakeshore Lodge in Lakeside.
The northernmost and southernmost places receiving votes were both golf courses. Tavalos, the club house restaurant at Sandpines Golf Links in Florence received a vote, and Bandon Dunes had a few.
Here are a few of the e-mail votes we received:
My favorite place for chowder is High Tide Restaurant in Charleston. They have the best chowder on the coast and we just love going there. Everyone that we invite along always remark how much they like the clam chowder also. — Richanne Jennings
The best clam chowder in the bay area here is found every day at Sizzler at Broadway and Newmark. They do not thicken into a starchy glue and use lots of clams. — Gordon and Helen Howard
I recently had some clam chowder at The Red Lion in Coos Bay. It was the best I've ever had! — Donna Smith, Port Orford
Hands down, it is at The Lakeshore Lodge at Lakeside. Thick, with tender Winchester Bay Clams. It is its own food group. — Julie R. Anderson
Outdoor-In’s clam chowder. It’s the right thickness, lots of clams and the taste is out of this world. I think Outdoor-In should put it on the menu as No. 1 Best Clam Chowder. — Carolyn DeMetz, Coos Bay
I vote for Outdoor-In’s clam chowder. It’s the best on the coast by far. — Josh Leigh
The comments below are from users of theworldlink.com and do not necessarily represent the views of The World or Lee Enterprises. Participation Guidelines
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Note: There is a maximum of 200 words per comment. If you wish to post more, please visit our forum.
Not already registered?
The World welcomes your comments about stories, and we encourage a robust dialogue on this site. All comments must meet reasonable standards of decency and civility.
Please follow these basic rules:
- No defamatory comments about individuals or businesses.
- No deliberately false information.
- No obscenity or racially offensive language.
- No harassment, verbal abuse, threats or personal attacks.
- No information that invades another person's privacy.
- No business solicitations or charitable solicitations.
Comments that violate these standards will not be posted. Users with repeated violations may be banned from future posting.Comments will be approved throughout the day during business hours. After hours and weekend comments may not appear until the following business day. It may take a couple of hours before comments are approved.
The World generally does not edit comments, but we reserve the right to edit any comment that does not meet our standards.
Close Guidelines