Summer Shack/VisitingNewEngland small business partnership - Local Small Business Stories
Jasper White's Summer Shack Brings the Traditional New England Clam Shack Concept to the
Next Level Year-Round
Fresh local seafood from Summer Shack. Photo credit:
Summer Shack Facebook fan page.
Article and photos, unless otherwise noted, by Eric Hurwitz. Article
created on 11/27/2018.
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The traditional New England clam shack and summer go together
hand-in-hand,
but many locals and travelers also want to be as happy as a clam dining
year-round at these local
treasures. Why limit classic New England coastal
fare like Maine lobster, lobster rolls, fried
clams, oysters and New England clam bakes under one clam shack roof for
just one part of the year?
Fortunately, Jasper White's Summer Shack in Cambridge and Boston,
Mass.,
and at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Conn., not only fulfills a seafood
lover's dream 12 months a year, but also takes the dining concept to a
level that surpasses many of the most heralded, beloved clam shacks in
New England. The lobster comes from Maine, the clams from Ipswich, the
oysters and scallops from Cape Cod, the calamari from Point Judith,
R.I., and the produce from local farms. Most importantly, Summer Shack
also brings a love of cooking from its owner, celebrity chef Jasper
White and a staff of straight A students in the restaurant industry who
expertly follow his vision. Sourcing
locally means nothing if the food is not prepared with love, passion
and skill and without a staff to serve to the customers in a friendly
and welcoming manner. Summer Shack clearly goes way beyond the sea of
many similar restaurants with a culinary summer wind that also warmly
breezes into the fall, winter and spring with equally enjoyable dining
experiences.
What It Feels Like To Be At The Summer Shack
Lobster from Maine at the Summer Shack. Photo
credit: Summer Shack Facebook fan page.
At first, the flagship Cambridge location looks out of place
being juxtaposed
with a wave of apartments, an ocean of industry, and a boatload of
non-stop traffic near a body of water named Fresh Pond. The only sign
of a fish theme appears to be Alewife Station, but it turns out to have
no relation to the herring species: This is a Massachusetts Bay
Transportation Authority (MBTA) subway stop that features the Red Line
going
into Boston.
The hectic urban scene begins to change, however, when approaching the
restaurant. A huge, cartoonish fisherman captain statue hints at a fun,
family-friendly place.
Entering the Summer Shack in Cambridge.
Upon closer inspection before entering the restaurant, a partial list
of "Awards & Achievements" sign suggests, though, something far
beyond just another family seafood restaurant.
The Summer Shack has received many accolades through the years.
Inside, the welcoming and cozy yet expansive dining and bar
areas immediately take guests far away
from the fast-paced city world right outside the restaurant and into a
place
that can only be considered quintessential New England. Raw oysters on
ice -- and
with signs specifying where locally sourced -- line the front bar to
further introduce the regional seafood theme.
Locally sourced shellfish at the Summer Shack.
A lobster tank with Maine lobsters and huge orange-tinged lobster sign
serve as centerpieces at the front of the main dining room, thus
completely validating being in the presence of an authentic seafood
restaurant. It's nice to be reminded, too, about being
open year-round as evidenced by the sign to the side of the lobster
tank.
Lobster tank at the Summer Shack.
Summer Shack has been masterfully created for those who love
the old-time seafood shacks but also want comfort, space and good
ventilation (at some shacks, the smell of grease and old wood, as well
as the seasonal
drafty interiors can be unappealing).
In
addition to the lobster tank and oyster display, the main dining room
features stone-like floors, ceiling fans, large dark-colored tables
with blue and white checkered tablecloths and fake
fish hanging on the walls. It's a fun sight with music like "Rock
Lobster" by The B52s further creating a fun atmosphere for this
culinary version of a love shack for all ages to enjoy.
Large but cozy dining room at the Summer Shack.
Summer Shack also pays respect to the Aku Aku, a legendary
old school Chinese restaurant located here from 1968 to 2001. The
dining tables from the Aku Aku remain, as well as a plastic Tiki God
statue out front and a wall mural next to a commemorative plaque just
off the dining room.
Wall mural preserved from the Aku Aku days at the current Summer
Shack location,
Today, however, Summer Shack has become a legend of its own:
This
landlocked location unlocks one of the finest seafood dining
experiences in the region and reduces the need to just focus on Cape
Cod and Maine as places to find the best seafood restaurants.
Summer Shack holds a place amongst legendary seafood shacks -- quite
noteworthy, given the restaurant was born at the beginning of the 21st
century.
Summer Shack's Focus on the Food
The culinary magic begins right behind the lobster tank at
the open kitchen. Chefs and cooks work hard and skillfully as a sign
of passion for their profession and to please the customer. They also
pay gratitude to the local fishermen who often put their lives on the
line in the winter, as well as farmers and transportation
specialists helping with the overall process of bringing food to the
Summer Shack.
"The food here is love," said Vinny Lombardi, director of operations at
Summer Shack in Cambridge and Boston. "So much goes into one dish. We
have so
much respect for the fishermen, farmers, the people who transport the
food here and our staff that prepares and creates. We want to do
service to the people who come here to eat."
Dell Leandro, head chef and culinary director at Summer Shack in
Cambridge, loves
his job and the results show in the final product. Here, Leandro starts
to create Jasper's Famous Pan Roasted Lobster enhanced with bourbon,
chervil, chives and warm butter.
Dell Leandro cooks a pan roasted lobster dish at Summer Shack.
White first created the dish in 1984
at his former Jasper's restaurant at Boston's waterfront. The meal has
gained
an eternal second life at Summer Shack. It was Julia Child's favorite
dish, according to Lombardi.
For a brief moment, the pan becomes so saturated with fire that the
question lingers on whether the lobster will be burnt to a crisp or
result in something of a masterpiece.
Blazing pan with lobster at Summer Shack.
No doubt the latter. Served with homemade cornbread and corn on the
cob, the pan roasted lobster is, by far, this writer's favorite lobster
dish in New England. The flavors combined with cooked-just-right tender
lobster create a culinary heaven on earth for lobster lovers.
Pan Roasted Lobster with corn on the cob from the Summer Shack.
All the hallmarks of a New England coastal summer meal for lunch and
dinner on the menu
continue at Summer Shack with traditional favorites like oysters,
mussels, steamers, littleneck and whole belly clams, crab cakes,
calamari, New England clam chowder, lobsters and crab legs, lobster
rolls, fish and chips, sea scallops, shrimp, pan roasted haddock and
east coast swordfish.
Fried clams from the Summer Shack. Photo
credit: Summer Shack Facebook fan page.
"It's quality, not crap," said Lombardi, of
Summer Shack's
offerings. "The Boston Globe once did (for a story) a DNA test on
seafood at many
restaurants around here and found that a lot of the fish wasn't
authentic and what it was advertised as. Everything here is authentic
and accurate. Jasper spent all his money in the kitchen and fish room.
I put our food up against any restaurant in the area."
State-of-the-art fish storage room at Summer Shack in Cambridge.
In true alignment with White's ambitious culinary visions, Summer Shack
also offers meals that go beyond the simpler choices like lobster
corn fritters with lemon herb aioli, native bluefish with heirloom
tomato salad, garlic roasted kale and brown rice and grilled local
monkfish with a grilled summer vegetable salad, grilled asparagus and
herb roasted potatoes.
"We print menus every day based on food availability," said Vanessa
Bitton, general manager at Summer Shack in Cambridge. "That's how fresh
things are here."
Summer Shack doesn't relegate itself to seafood only, either.
Summer Shack offers popular comfort foods taken to the next level like
mouthwatering fried chicken with a scoop of potato salad, juicy
half-pound burgers, tender aged sirloin and rib eye steaks and
substantially served grilled cheese
sandwiches.
Fried chicken with potato salad from Summer Shack. Photo
credit: Summer Shack Facebook fan page.
"We don't push the seafood on customers," said Lombardi. "We
know some customers want something other than seafood and we have some
really good dishes for them."
Summer Shack also knows that a sector of the adults coming here look
for drinks to complement their summer-style meals. Summer Shack comes
through, big-time, with plenty of brews on taps, a Tiki Bar with
colorful, flavorful drinks, and generally
a full selection to please any adult beverage afficiando.
Plenty of beer on tap at the Summer Shack. Photo
credit: Summer Shack Facebook fan page.
Scorpion bowl at Summer Shack. Photo
credit: Summer Shack Facebook fan page.
The meals arrive so substantially that many will not have room for
dessert. If, however, the appetite can still accommodate more, Summer
Shack offers some wonderful homemade desserts including this homemade
sundae...
Ice cream sundae from the Summer Shack. Photo
credit: Summer Shack Facebook fan page.
"Doralicia," who comes from El Salvador, contributes significantly to
Summer Shack with her gift for creating desserts and various baked
goods including rolls, cornbread and pies.
"We saw her talent when she first came here," said Lombardi. "We put
her in English and baking
classes. She has become an important part of Summer Shack."
Why Jasper White Opened Summer Shack
Jasper White, owner of Summer Shack. Photo credit: Dana
Sills Photography.
Jasper White became a celebrity chef before celebrity chefs
were cool.
A Culinary Institute of America graduate in 1976, White soon worked
with
famous Boston restaurateur Lydia Shire at renowned Boston restaurants
like The Parker House and at dining rooms at The Copley Plaza and
Bostonian Hotel. In 1983, he opened Jasper's, an
upscale
fine dining spot (specializing in local fare) located at Boston's
waterfront. White also wrote some
popular books -- most notably Jasper White's Cooking from New England.
"At that point, Jasper was a huge celebrity chef," said
Lombardi. "He had a huge following. TV shows. Books. There were not as
many celebrity chefs then. He stood out and became highly respected."
White, however, closed Jasper's in 1995 to spend more time
with his family. At the same, time, he had a vision to eventually start
a restaurant that could bridge the gap between a fine dining restaurant
with a spot that the kids would like. He thought of his
own young children, at that time, and what they would like in a
restaurant, according to Lombardi.
"Jasper has always maintained the highest standards and was not going
to ruin his reputation by opening just another restaurant," said
Lombardi. "He wanted to bring kids there, but also to never let go of
Jasper's
fine dining concept. He made Summer Shack kid-friendly and casual
without compromising the food. He was definitely one step ahead."
Bitton also saw White's brilliant vision unfold and evolve.
"It's kind of like Woodman's (a famous seafood shack in Ipswich,
Mass.) meets Jasper's with the environment closer to Jasper's," said
Bitton. "There's a time and place for a clam shack -- when you are
vacationing or on a day trip and after going to the beach. We provide
that type of experience in the Boston area."
That vision paid off as Summer Shack virtually became a go-to Boston
area dining spot
overnight with the Cambridge opening in May 2001. White's celebrity
chef status certainly helped that cause,
but ultimately sticking to high standards has brought customers from
near and far to this 21st century restaurant landmark. Summer Shack's
success in Cambridge led to openings at Mohegan Sun in 2001 and in
Boston's Back Bay in May 2003.
As one example of Summer Shack's success, approximately 1,000 lobster
rolls are
served in a week during peak season at the Cambridge location.
Lobster roll from Summer Shack. Photo
credit: Summer Shack Facebook fan page.
Staying open year-round also helps the cause and creates unique clam
shack experiences. Let's face it, what other clam shack would have its
celebrity chef owner building gingerbread houses with families during
the holiday season?
Jasper White and families build a gingerbread house. Photo
credit: Summer Shack Facebook fan page.
A Positive Environment For Customers and Summer Shack Staff
A good sign, literally and figuratively, at Summer Shack.
Summer Shack brings a nice mix of locals and travelers who have nothing
but praise for the restaurant.
"The Summer Shack was awesome," said Alexandra Rusconi who lives in San
Diego, Calif. "I was on a business trip and decided to pop in after a
long work day. My co-workers and I were very pleased and I remember
Chris the bartender for his personality. Great place to eat and feel at
home!"
A fun seafood drawing at Summer Shack.
"Great seafood, always fresh," said Carol Sandahl, a Walpole, Mass.,
resident.
On the employee side: In a field where a high turnover rate seems as
plentiful as fish in the sea, Summer Shack refreshingly holds a high
retention rate with many employees either being there from the
beginning or for several years.
Bitton, a Lexington, Mass., native had ambitions of becoming a
secondary education teacher and graduated from Lesley College, a
teacher's college in Cambridge, to start her career. An interesting
thing
happened along the way, however: Vanessa worked at Summer Shack through
her schooling and liked it so much that she decided to make a career of
it.
"You have to do what you love and I enjoyed working here so much that I
thought. 'Why leave now?'" said Bitton. "Everyone is so nice here.
Jasper is a pleasure to work for. You get to know many of the
customers. I love it here."
Vanessa Bitton, general manager at Summer Shack in Cambridge.
Photo
credit: Summer Shack Facebook fan page.
Lombardi, a Revere and Saugus, Mass., native, worked his way up from a
bartender to director of operations at Summer Shack in Cambridge and
Boston. He expresses
tremendous gratitude for the opportunity.
"Jasper is such a humble guy and great to work for," said Lombardi, who
has worked at Summer Shack for 16 years. "It's gratifying working here.
Everyone likes working here. People put their hearts and souls into
working here. I am glad to be part of that."
Ultimately restaurants, in general, have to please the customer the
very first time as there's no second chance to make a good first
impression. Summer Shack does just that with a tremendous owner, chef
and staff (Sal Chillemi, one of the all-time great, genuine waiters anywhere, has been at Summer Shack
since the beginning), an ideal menu to please people of all ages,
comfortable surroundings and furniture, and a memorable name and logo.
"It's like a Broadway production," said Bitton, of Summer Shack. "You
have one chance to put on a great show."
Summer Shack is located at
149 Alewife Brook Parkway, Cambridge, MA. Tel. 617-520-9500. Web site: http://www.summershackrestaurant.com/cambridge.
Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/summershackcambridge
50 Dalton St., Boston MA. Tel. 617-867-9955. Web site: http://www.
summershackrestaurant.com/boston. Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/summershackboston1/ref=py_c
Mohegan Sun, 1 Mohegan Sun Blvd., Uncasville CT. Tel. 860-862-9500. Web
site: http://www.summershackrestaurant.com/mohegan-sun.
Facebook fan page: https://www.facebook.com/SummerShackMoheganSun
Summer Shack Twitter page: https://www.twitter.com/JWSummerShack
Summer Shack Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/jwsummershack
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