Seafood towers, whole fish, and more: Meet Little Clam, a new restaurant in Newport, R.I.
'There's not a lot of great coastal New England dishes that are both modern and really highlighting locally-sourced fish,' said Rojas. Some restaurants bring in the day's catch, but Rojas saw an opportunity to do more. Now, he has that chance.
In early June, Rojas and fellow chef Antonio Wormley will unveil their latest project: Little Clam. It's
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Wormley, who will serve as executive chef, and Rojas, who is consulting chef for the hotel, say they will showcase New England's rich local fare: Rhode Island oysters from Walrus and Carpenter and a burger made with beef from Blackbird Farm.
'Every dish is a conversation with the people behind the ingredients — oyster farmers, foragers, and family-run farms who make Rhode Island so dynamic,' said Wormley.
Executive chef Antonio Wormley (left) with consulting chef Jake Rojas inside of Little Clam.
Little Clam
Expect seafood towers, fluke crudo with smoked olive oil and salsa verde, and oysters served with fermented hot sauce and yuzu mignonette. Snacks will range from salt-and-pepper squid with shishito peppers to beef tartare with parsley aioli, horseradish gremolata, and bone marrow. Little Clam marks Wormley's return to Rhode Island.
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A Philadelphia native and 2012 Johnson & Wales University graduate, Wormley previously led kitchens at Vanity and Milk Money in Providence before leaving New England in 2018. He came back in 2023 to help multi-time
Dovetail & Co., the Wayfinder's owner and development company, brought in Rojas – a native of El Paso, Texas, who previously ran
While Rojas has taken more of a backseat management role in recent years, he opened Tallulah on Thames to rave reviews for his modern American take on cuisine, earning a 2012 People's Best New Chef nomination from Food & Wine magazine.
The restaurant was a breeding ground for top talent:
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The prawns at Little Clam, a seafood-driven restaurant at the Wayfinder Hotel in Newport, R.I.
Little Clam
The tartare bone marrow at Little Clam.
Little Clam
Rojas's approach has always focused on Newport's sense of place with dishes like an Aquidneck Farm egg served with pork belly and truffle jus. Menus, with names like 'Spring Menu #30' and 'Spring Menu #31,' changed often.
Rojas is bringing much of the same ethos to Little Clam.
'You've got Dune Brothers with a fun new wholesale business,' said Rojas. 'We've got Brightside [Seafood] in Bonnet Shores. We've got the Rhody Butcher. We've got a lot of new entrepreneurs to work with now.'
At Little Clam, larger plates will include a half-smoked chicken with piri-piri, ramp crema, fennel, and a side of confit baby potatoes. The roasted whole fish, which will change often, will be served with wild herbs, nuoc cham, chili crisp, sticky rice, and local lettuce.
Inside Little Clam in Newport, R.I.
Little Clam
The clam strip sliders at Little Clam.
Little Clam
They don't yet have a signature dish, but Wormley said he expects to introduce one in the future. They'll sell handhelds, like oyster po'boys and hot honey chicken sandwiches. They're also learning what they may be able to forage and serve from around Aquidneck Island.
And for dessert, 'I think the sticky toffee pudding is going to be kind of the staple,' said Wormley. 'It's so simple, but so hard to execute.' A pot de creme dessert will change seasonally; and they'll be making their own ice cream in-house. Scoops will be available to purchase as well.
'A lot of times, us chefs just throw away corn cobs. Instead, we're going to steep the corn and milk, and take that abstract that has so much flavor to make our own ice cream,' said Wormley. 'The end result tastes like frosted flakes.'
It will be served with the sticky toffee pudding.
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'With everything we're doing, we're just making sure we use all ingredients and nothing goes to waste,' added Wormley.
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