In Search of Chowdah and Lobsta Rolls



My brother went to school and now works and lives in Boston.  Having had the opportunity to visit him, I've been lucky enough to try some of the great seafood that exists on that coast.  In particular, the creamy yet still brothy New England clam chowder and the decadent lobster roll are among my most memorable food finds from that trip.

The Lobster Roll at Neptune Oyster in Boston, MA.  Still one of the best I've had.
Finding equivalent fare on the West Coast is a challenge.  Though we're blessed with some of the most diverse restaurant scenes in California, top-notch clam chowder and lobster rolls are a late arrival to our shores.  Though you can find touristy chowder restaurants in Half Moon Bay and Monterey and even an occasional restaurant serving a lobster roll, it's just not quite the same.

That's why it was so nice to recently find Billy's Boston Chowder House in Los Gatos, CA.  A relative newcomer to the restaurant scene, Chef Owner Bill Reynolds strives his best to recreate the Boston classics as faithfully as he remembers them from his home town.  

Chef Owner Bill Reynolds welcoming us and explaining his special menu.

After hearing him describe the labor-intensive process he used for his chowders, I knew it would be a perfect spot for a Foodspotting Eatup.  Chef Reynolds was happy to oblige and selected a special Foodspotting luncheon menu and I simply sent the invites out.  

Monterey Calamari and sneak peek at our special menu.

Thanks to the great menu selection (and, of course, the lure of lobster), we had our highest turnout for a Silicon Valley Foodspotting Eatup.  As we shared the great food and conversed among the diverse crowd, we also learned about the Foodspotting app firsthand with our special surprise guest, Foodspotting's CEO Alexa Andrzejeski.

Our special Foodspotting Luncheon menu

Overall, the Foodspotting Eatup was exactly what I've always felt Foodspotting was about and why I love the website so much: finding and sharing great food.

Special guest Foodspotting CEO Alexa, always spotting and even signing an autograph or two!

In this case, my search for great East Coast fare led me to some of the best clam chowder I've had in the area and a lobster roll with enough lobster meat to do the Boston version justice.  As an added bonus, I was also introduced to Ipswich whole belly clams and now have a new item to love and share.


Thank you to all the Foodspotters who attended (all events are open to the public and we love new people), to special guests Alexa and Seth from Foodspotting for making the long drive to Los Gatos, and to Chef Bill Reynolds and Billy's Boston Chowder House for welcoming us and making the event a real success!  

29 E Main Street
Los Gatos, CA 95030
(408) 827-4005

Foodspotting.com 





Comments

Kenny said…
Sounds like it was a great event! Looking forward to checking out the the place when I get back from Boston!
February 21, 2012 at 6:59 AM
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