New Hampshire isn’t really nationally known for its beaches. Yes, they have a small shore of their own and most people who visit there either already live in the state or in one nearby. That being said, the east side of New Hampshire still makes for a nice late spring through early fall getaway destination.
Our children live near Keene, New Hampshire in the southwestern portion of the state and close to the Vermont border. Keene is a little, cozy college town best known for its annual Halloween festival, which tens of thousands of people flock to each fall.
Last summer, Betsy and I decided to vacation in Hampton, New Hampshire and meet up with the kids there. They decided to weekend in Manchester, about a 20 minute drive from where we were staying. This would be their own getaway.
Checking out Inns and Bed and Breakfasts in the Hampton area, we can across Lamie’s Inn (490 Lafayette Rd (Rte 1) Hampton, NH 03842), with its regionally well-known Old Salt restaurant. It was described quite nicely as a very homey sort of place with an excellent restaurant, attached. We later found out that it once served as the base of operation for the Eisenhower’s Thanksgiving celebration.
Thanksgiving of 1963 brought President and Mrs. Dwight Eisenhower, along with their son John and his family, to Lamie’s for two nights while grandson, David, was a student at Philips Exeter Academy. A personal note from the President expresses the sentiments of Lamie’s visitors for decades, “I cannot tell you how pleased the entire family was with the hospitality and courtesy that they constantly encountered during their stay at Lamie’s. All of us are more than grateful…”
Frankly, we are not quite sure if the place has ever been renovated since then. It is a decent place to stay, but nothing much out of the ordinary. But, what they do have at Lamie’s is a very good restaurant on the premises – The Old Salt. Gourmet restaurant? Not really. It is just a warm and cozy place that happens to serves good food at fair prices. What they do offer is an award winning clam chowder that they serve to diners on-site and offer to the public in cans at the restaurant and online.
Old Salt’s Clam Chowder (New England Style) has good flavor, is very creamy, and is a nice mix of potatoes and clams. If you buy the can, expect to have some cream on hand to add to the well seasoned stock. The stuff is very good out of the can, but is a notch lower than what they serve hot at the table of the restaurant. Still, it is better than most canned soups we have eaten.
Recipe? Of course, we’ll share that. But, for this one there is a video with the Old Salt’s Chef mixing up a batch of the stuff.
Another customer says this about Old Salt’s Clam Chowder:
“This restaurant had the best clam chowder I've ever had. We stopped in during their "Tavern Walk" this weekend (October 13). They had samples of the chowder during the Tavern Walk so my husband & I loved it so much we decided to stay and eat lunch.”
So, if you like good clam chowder and don’t want to spend the night at a – just OK – Inn. When you are in the are, stop by the Old Salt Restaurant for a bowl or stay home and order some online. It be clams, mateys!
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