Eating Along the Q Line: Randazzo’s Clam...

Eating Along the Q Line: Randazzo’s Clam...

Debbie Egan-Chin/New York Daily News

Elena Randazzo, whose great grandmother Helen Randazzo founded Randazzo’s Clam Bar

New York is known for its fresh seafood, and with good reason.

Just ask the generations of New Yorkers whove been eating at Randazzos Clam Bar in Sheepshead Bay.

The family-run joint, founded by Helen Randazzo, dates back to 1916. Inspired by her dads fishing business, Randazzo came up with her own special seafood sauce and opened up along the bustling Emmons Ave. boardwalk.

Since then, diners from the five boroughs and beyond have flocked to the waterfront restaurant, now run with help from Helens great-grandchildren, for clams, shrimp and more.

Dont be fooled by the neon red lobster hanging from Randazzos storefront the restaurants real gem is calamari.

The heaping dish of fried squid has none of the telltale characteristics of bad calamari soggy, chewy, overbattered and is instead, a delightful starter.

The fried clams are equally good and both come with Randazzos signature red sauce, a spicy tomato concoction made from Helens top-secret recipe.

The same sauce covers another customer favorite, the restaurants zuppa di clams (you can also opt for mussels or a white sauce).

As for lobster, get the bisque. The soup, along with the spicy crab and corn chowder, were both featured in last Octobers A Taste of Sheepshead B ay food festival.

Randazzos is also a great place for slurping down raw shellfish. In fact, many diners say the only time they have littlenecks and oysters are during their meals here, thanks to Randazzos guarantee of high quality.

After all, hanging behind the cashier is a sign that reads Cheap seafood is not fresh and fresh seafood is not cheap.

No wonder customers continue to return long after theyve moved from the neighborhood.

Its hard to find such great seafood in Brooklyn unless you hop onto one of the Bays boats for a fishing excursion.

But thats another food adventure of its own.

Randazzos Clam Bar, 2017 Emmons Ave., Brooklyn. (718) 615-0010.