Community Corner

Clam Chowder Earns Close Harbour 'Best in Connecticut' Award

Connecticut Magazine's annual '2012 Best Food & Drink Awards' names the Southington restaurant as the best place to get a Manhattan clam chowder.

Looking to get the best Manhattan clam chowder in the state? Well skip the trip to Connecticut's shoreline and be prepared for a very short ride - or walk - because the best of the best is right here in town.

, located of the Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike in Plantsville, was chosen by Connecticut Magazine this week as one of the top seafood eateries in the state, namely because of their award winning Manhattan clam chowder. It was the only Southington restaurant to be selected as part of their annual awards in 2012.

The restaurant won the title of "2012 Best Manhattan Clam Chowder," one of 118 awards given out in various categories by the statewide magazine. The restaurant made an official announcement on it's Facebook page Wednesday morning.

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The award is certain to be a special one for owner and Southington resident Bill Close, who grew up in East Haven and is a clamming expert in his own right. Connecticut Magazine attributed this as a likely reason for the great tasting chowder:

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It’s gratifying to find an inland fish market and restaurant that serves chowder this fresh and zesty, composed of hearty tomato broth spiced with pancetta and red pepper, and loaded with quahogs. It’s a dish we never fail to order, ’cause it just goes to show that owner Bill Close — central Connecticut resident though he may currently be — still has the salt water in his veins that he absorbed as a child clamming in East Haven. And great as it is, chowder is just a teaser for the bounty of fresh seafood Close Harbour offers.

Close Harbour Seafood offers more than just chowder, however. The Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike store has a full seafood menu as well as offering live seafood and fish to take home and prepare yourself. A list of foods offered can be found at www.closeharbourseafood.com.

For a complete list of this year's Connecticut Magazine "2012 Best Food & Drink" winners, click on the link provided.

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