On my birthday weekend, my wife took me to dinner in Boston’s North End. The goal wasn’t to get clam chowder, but I also wasn’t going to pass it up, especially after reading the description. This is a chowder like no other.
$19
Clams
Shell on littleneck clams and fried clams, not traditional, but excellent.
Cream and Consistency
Although this chowder is creamy, the consistency is a little unusual.
Potatoes
Rather than cubed potatoes, this chowder is poured over bacon mashed potatoes.
Garnish
The chowder is dressed with cherry pepper aioli and chives.
Everything Else
Except for the cherry pepper aioli, there’s nothing in this chowder you don’t find in others, but it’s put together like no other.
Not Chowder
Prezza offers excellent Italian food in an elegant setting. Try the steak tartare or the egg raviolo.
The Verdict
We’ve never seen a chowder like this and we doubt we ever will again. Mashed potatoes, fried clams, and cherry pepper aioli aren’t traditional, but they are delicious. We particularly like salty, crispy fried clams. The broth is creamy and rich in flavor. Maybe this shouldn’t count as a New England clam chowder, and it’s pretty expensive, but it’s good enough that we’d go back for it, and that’s why it gets four stars.
Prezza
24 Fleet Street
Boston, MA
Concord Culinary Lyceum 
Well, this one is certainly different! I do like the mashed potato element. Gets me thinking…
Maybe it isn’t really NE Clam Chowder, but it’s a good meal!
Absolutely!