Open air restaurants, some fancier than others, offer local delicacies, including extraordinarily fresh pink-tongued clams.

Sid Markowitz's face turned the color of fresh clams.

If using fresh clams, combine them in a large pot with 3/4 cup water.

And now his all-time favorite seafood dish - a variation on chicken potpie made with fresh clams - was unavailable.

And the clam pizza comes absolutely paved with fresh clams.

The linguine with fresh clams and whole garlic cloves had everything going for it except, again, an excess of salt.

"It takes time to serve fresh clams," Mr. Herskowitz said.

Among the other creations is a splendid spaghetti with big, fresh clams on the half shell, garlic, olive oil and herbs.

Friday nights is popular for their fresh clams and garlic pizza.

The theory is that cold water makes for fresher clams once they're dug from the sand.