What’s on the menu at Bar Clams, Matty Matheson’s new East Coast–inspired diner

Including donair, seafood cocktail, hot turkey sandwiches and, of course, plenty of clams

By Liza Agrba| Photography by Jelena Subotic

| December 20, 2024

What's on the menu at Bar Clams, Matty Matheson's new East Coast–inspired diner

Name: Bar Clams Contact: 802 Dundas St. W., barclams.ca, @barclamsbarclams
Neighbourhood: Trinity-Bellwoods
Previously: Fonda Balam
Owners: Our House Hospitality Company Chefs: Culinary director Coulson Armstrong and chef de cuisine Shu Zhang Accessibility: Not accessible

Matty Matheson’s newest kitchen is reflective of his East Coast roots and inspired by the Blue Goose, a diner his grandfather once owned in DeSable, PEI. Fittingly, Bar Clams has the laid-back feel of a diner but the finesse of an upscale restaurant. It’s a meeting of worlds, and as the name suggests, there are plenty of clams to be had. “I want to share my love for my grandparents and the food I grew up eating in the Maritimes,” Matheson says.

The team at Bar Clams — From left: Hayley-Jean Lochner (general manager), Jay Clement (sous-chef), Shu Zhang (chef de cuisine), Coulson Armstrong (culinary director for OHHC) and Kendall Mitchell (assistant general manager)

Bar Clams was originally envisioned as a companion to Prime Seafood Palace—Matheson’s first sit-down restaurant, which opened in 2022 on Queen West—to accommodate overflow and extend the experience. But, when the adjoining space was leased out during Covid, the idea was shelved until the team behind Fonda Balam (the Mexican hotspot Matheson co-owned) closed up shop and moved on. It took around six months to renovate the space before opening in early December.

Guests can expect a relaxed vibe in the daytime, perfect for a quick coffee or a gravy-soaked turkey sandwich. By evening, the energy picks up: the music gets louder, the standing tables at the back fill up and the bottles start popping.

A framed black-and-white photograph on the wall at Bar Clams — A photo of Matheson’s mother, pictured with her father, from the late ’60s

The Food

Well-sourced seafood served without theatrics, hearty sandwiches (including a solid donair) and Atlantic coast classics like Jiggs dinner (a Newfoundland staple of corned beef, potatoes and veggies) form the backbone of the menu. For dessert, there’s a towering sundae that looks like it jumped out of a cartoon, apple pie with the obligatory slice of cheddar and a personal-pan Hello Dolly—a play on the classic graham cracker, coconut and chocolate square that arrives in a cast-iron skillet and is finished with a pour of cold cream.

A bowl of lobster bisque with a packet of crackers — Here we have a classic lobster bisque, the base of which pairs a classic mirepoix with roasted lobster shell and a glug of brandy. What you can’t see beyond all that orange goodness are chunks of tender poached lobster meat. It’s topped with a pat of butter and served with saltines. $22

A bowl of clam chowder with a packet of crackers — This is Bar Clams’ excellent seafood chowder, based on Matheson’s father’s recipe. Milk, cream, white wine and a sofrito of white onion and leek make up the base; tender mussels, clams and potato do the rest. It’s also finished with a pat of butter and served with saltines. $15

A hot turkey sandwich covered in gravy and green peas — This hot turkey sandwich—white and dark meat on house milk bread smothered in chicken gravy and peas—is surprisingly light for all its heft ($25). In the background are Bar Clams’ excellent beef tallow fries, which take up to three days to prepare between all the soaking and double-frying ($10)

East coast–style donair with a side of garlic sauce — The meat in this donair kebab is a mix of beef, lamb and pork fat, which spends just enough time on the griddle to crisp up its edges. It’s topped with white onion and tomato and comes on a house-made pita as smooshy as a steamed bun—a departure from the traditional grilled pita. On the side, a classic donair sauce of condensed milk, vinegar and garlic powder. $20

Seafood cocktail served with Saltines and a lemon wedge — A medley of mussels, scallops, octopus, shrimp, clams and a raw Sunseeker oysters make up the mixed seafood cocktail, set in clam liquor and lemon-spiked cocktail sauce. Saltines and a lemon wedge are served on the side. $35

Shucked clams on ice with a lemon wedge — Nova Scotia littleneck clams are served on the half-shell, topped with a touch of saline. They’re served with a lemon wedge and sides of Crystal hot sauce and bay leaf–infused house mignonette. $22

A bowl of clams served with a slice of toast — Manila clams from BC are steamed for exactly two and a half minutes in white wine, leek and onion—simple and, frankly, perfect. They’re served with toasted and generously buttered house-made milk bread (also found at Prime Seafood Palace). $36

A person pours condensed milk over a dessert in a cast-iron pan at Bar Clams — Layers of graham cracker, butterscotch, chocolate and toasted coconut make up this indulgent play on the Hello Dolly bar. It’s served piping hot with a little pitcher of cold cream to pour overtop. $15

Dessert in a cast-iron pan — Here’s a closer look

An ice cream sundae — Four scoops of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry ice cream, layered with peanut praline and hot fudge, come in the tallest glass Bar Clams could find. Finished with whipped cream, sprinkles and a cherry on top. $15

The Drinks

There’s an extensive wine list with a range of high and low options, including celebration-worthy bottles of champagne as well as affordably priced glasses. (Try the 2022 Monastero Suore Cistercensi, a floral white with a touch of skin contact and a great deal of depth.) There’s also a tight beer selection—including Asahi on tap—a range of spirits and a few cocktails, like a gorgeous tequila sunrise coloured red with house-made grenadine.

A person holds a bottle of wine — This is Bar Clams’ house riesling, a 2020 vintage from Rosewood Estates in Niagara with notes of green apple, lime zest and citrus. Rosewood is known for its minimal-intervention winemaking process—most of its wines are aged in stainless steel or neutral oak barrels to preserve the natural character of the fruit. $17 per glass, $85 per bottle

A tequila sunrise cocktail — Here we have the tequila sunrise, made with Altos Reposado tequila, pastis, house grenadine spiked with clove and cinnamon, and fresh OJ. $19

The Space

The room combines wood panelling, stainless steel communal tables, checkered tiles and a mirrored ceiling for a balance between warmth and minimalism. Along the west-facing wall, small standing-height tables are the perfect perches from which to nurse a drink during the bustling evening hours. And because the restaurant is rooted in family history, it’s peppered with trinkets from Matheson’s childhood home along with portraits of his mother and grandparents.