Connie and Ted’s

For me going to Connie and Ted’s is a trip to Boston without the hassle of a plane trip. I grew up in Boston and this restaurant does everything right. Sam the chef is so much more than a clam shack chef – he is a 4 star chef!

BYO Champagne to start

Murray – a terrific waiter

Oysters – pristine

Nothing is left to chance at Connie and Ted’s – the handwritten list of oysters we were given

BYO Chablis

Lobster Pot Pie – this was a tour de force – spectacular – Notice the anchor and the pastry – done by Katrina the pastry chef

Sam the incredible chef and Katrina a master at pastry

The Lobster pot pie before being devoured – lobster (not a tad overcooked), chanterelles, butternut squash, potato, exquisite saucing

The Lobster pie being devoured

BYO Wine

Mussels with white wine, butter, garlic, shallots, parsley, lemon and on the side fries – I am in seafood heaven

Wonderful bread to mop up the perfect sauce from the mussels

BYO Wine

Connie and Ted’s Burger – the other half is my dinner the next night

Perfect Onion Rings with the burger

Fried Clams with the belles – a small order

What a meal – what a restaurant – a must go!

Connie and Ted’s

Connie and Ted’s is by far the best new restaurant in Los Angeles. The seafood like Providence, its fine dining counterpart, is the best in the city – absolutely spectacular. Michael Cimarusti and Donato Poto have given us a restaurant that is a casual restaurant with fine dining ingredients. In fact every ingredient is the best of the best. Sam Baxter, executive chef is absolutely terrific. His resume is as impressive as his deft handling of seafood. Sam was chef de cuisine at Providence and Michael Cimarusti wisely chose him to be executive chef at Connie and Ted’s. Also I must say that service is terrific under Matthew De Marte – General Manager.

The wonderful Sam

We decided to just let Sam compose our meal keeping in mind that our last course would be a steamed lobster – just had to try it!

Connie and Ted’s drink placemat

BYO Champagne

Sam chose our oyster selection – Kiwi Cup, Fisher Island and Sweet Petite. It is served with Horseradish and Mignonette Sauce and if you ask Cocktail sauce. My husband uses cocktail sauce but I just slurp each oyster “naked.” Who needs sauce when you get this quality of oysters?

Prawn tartare topped with prawn roe and on the side fried prawn heads – the best way to eat this was to put the tartare on the fried heads – this was not only delicious but so inventive – A+

BYO White Wine

Shrimp and Scallop Toast with a Lobster Tomalley sauce – WOWIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You dip the “toast” in the sauce and honestly you are in seafood heaven. Another A+

Baked Clams with herb oil and bread crumbs – again sourcing is the key plus a deft hand with seafood – Sam and his team do both!

At this point Sam asked if I wanted a little order of fried clams with the bellies – how could I say no?

Fried Clams with the bellies

BYO White Wine

Parker House Rolls – superb

Tomato Salad – fresh, light handled with precision

Now it is lobster time. Sam knew in advance that I don’t eat the claws or the tail. I want the belly and I planned on eating every drop.

My husband’s claws and tail served with drawn butter

My belly with an obscene amount of lobster roe

I sucked every tentacle and there was not one drop left in the belly – that is how you eat a lobster!

This was a spectacular meal and I can’t wait to go back. This should be a must restaurant on everyone’s list.

Connie and Ted’s

Bottom line: WOWIE – TERRIFIC, East Coast finally comes to Los Angeles. Chef Michael Cimarusti, the acclaimed executive chef and co-owner of Providence restaurant has been talking about opening a clam shack in Los Angeles honoring his grandparents, Connie and Ted. Finally that day has arrived and Connie and Ted’s delivers on all fronts. This is a chef-driven “up-scale clam shack.” The food is delicious and perfectly executed.

Chef Michael manning the the open kitchen

The open kitchen and the huge lobster tank filled with Maine lobsters – you order your lobster by the pound and it is either grilled or steamed. If your order a 2 1/2 pound lobster Chef Michael rings a bell to honor the 2 1/2 pound order.

BYO Krug Champagne

Chef Michael and GM Matthew De Marte enjoying a toast with Krug

Our wonderful server Molly

Oysters – you can order the chef’s selection of a dozen orders, the chef’s selection of half a dozen oysters or just your choice of oysters – we ordered the dozen chef’s selection – Note the blue card which tells you which oysters were selected – a great touch. The oysters were delicious – great selection and shucked perfectly.

Lobster from the raw bar served with cocktail sauce and a dijon mustard sauce – I am a true Bostonian and sucked every bit of meat from the legs.

“Stuffies” – Baked Oysters stuffed with linguica (sausage). bell pepper, parmesan, herbs, breadcrumbs, garlic butter – these were insanely good and addictive – a must

BYO White Wine

New England Clam Chowder – without a doubt the best chowder on the West Coast and the rival of any chowder in New England

A sampler of their other chowders – on the left Rhode Island Clear Chowder and on the right Manhattan Chowder

Parker House Rolls  – As a kid and young adult I ate at The Parker House fairly frequently. Now known as the Omni Parker House “The Parker house is the oldest continuously operating hotel in the United States. It is a Boston landmark that was “founded in 1855 by Harvey Parker.” If you went to the Parker House you had to have their famous Parker House Rolls. This version is as close to the original as you can get – a mouthful of buttery deliciousness.

Homemade Dill Pickles – only at a chef-driven restaurant would you get homemade pickles

Clam Fritters – Connie and Ted’s fry food to perfection – not a touch of grease

Fried Pacific Oyster Sandwich with coleslaw, spicy mayo, fries – John was devouring this before he snapped the photo

Fried Clams with the bellies – I have a passion for fried clams with the bellies. I am also a nut case when I order them. I order a half order at a time so the second batch is as hot as the first batch. Up to now I had to travel to Boston to get decent fried clams with the bellies. Thanks to Chef Michael, I don’t have to endure a long tedious airplane ride. I just have to hop over to Connie and Ted’s. These were the real deal.

This is a MUST restaurant. We already have our reservation for next week. I can’t wait to go back!