Fry away with me

With the possible exception of clam shacks on Massachusetts’s North Shore, nowhere fries shellfish better than Cliff’s Seafood & Grill of Bamberg, South Carolina. It’s not really a fair comparison because in this part of the world we have no clams worth frying. But we do have shrimp, scallops, and oysters, each emerging from Cliff’s fry kettle a stunning duet of salty, shattering-crisp crust and whatever it embraces.

Oysters encased in convoluted batter flood the tongue like high tide. Sea scallops erupt from their crust at first bite. Inside their savory jacket, sweet shrimp yield with a subtle snap. A basket of all three encourages endless comparing and contrasting.