White Clam-and-Bacon Pie at Pepe’s

Have you been watching the final season of HBO’s Entourage? Well, if you have, you’ll know that there is a plotline that has Vince and the boys bringing the baked clams of a Queens red sauce emporium, Don Peppe’s Vesuvio, to LA. I don’t know about you, but I was tickled by this idea. I think that humble baked, stuffed clams are due their moment in the hipster sun after all those trending meatballs, fried chicken, and fruit pies. Jazzed by the idea, I did the closest thing I could (while still researching an upcoming pizza story). I dropped into Frank Pepe PizzeriaNapoletana in Yonkers and ordered a clam-and-bacon pie. This round is exactly like a deconstructed baked clam, with the crust performing the role of breadcrumbs. There are fat, sizzling strips of bacon interwoven with briny, chewy clams (and each bite tastes slightly of woodsmoke). I have to say I was swept away, and I don’t even have Vincent Chase’s cool rides.