There is such a thing as a bad clam. It was last summer and Gourmet Gal was returning from the Cape, where we foolishly did not indulge in clams. But as the Bourne Bridge receded in the rearview, my craving for the delicacy could not be sated. We pulled into Plymouth and dined at one of the worst clam shacks on earth. I’ll stop here. Clams are to summer what stews are to winter: season-specific musts. Haven’t had these golden beauties yet? You only have to go as far as Tewksbury. While the culinary delights of Tewks. may be many, clams do not scroll forth. However if you cant’ deal w/ the traffic snarl on every highway in every direction this time of year, drop anchor at the River Road Cafe. Just off Route 133, the tiny place is a hidden gem that the Phantom will never tell you about. Prices are neighborly too. If you can stomach a pedal to the metal melt-down Browns between Hampton, N.H. and Salisbury Beach is an easy favorite. Recently I had clams down the road at the Galley Hatch in Hampton and I enjoyed this lightly fried version. The batter had a crunch element that gourmet guy did not care for in retrospect, (he had no problem when they were going down). I’m heading to the cape this week where I hope to come in contact w/ the real deal. Where’s your favorite clam shack?