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DINING REVIEW The Laughing Clam in Grants Pass offers seafood-heavy menu Wide array of microbrews on tap Comment By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 3, 2015 at 9:00 AM By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 3, 2015 at 9:00 AM » Social News As its name implies, The Laughing Clam restaurant in Grants Pass offers traditional brew-pub fare but with an emphasis on seafood. Established in 1996, the restaurant is located on G Street, a side street lined with trendy restaurants and boutiques that is the Grants Pass version of Ashland's Main Street. Hundreds of micro-beer taps decorate the brick walls, which are illuminated with the warm, pleasant glow of lamps. Built in the late 1800s, the building was once a cigar factory and has cigar molds hanging on the walls. It changed to a saloon in the early 1900s and still has its historical wooden bar. Seating is at the bar or at tables in the long, narrow space. Musicians frequently perform near the back. On a recent weekend night when I was there with my family, a guitarist, bass player and drummer played jazzy versions of songs like "Georgia on My Mind," made famous by Ray Charles. A changing selection of craft-brewed beer is available, along with wine and cocktails. I had the smooth and flavorful Downtown Brown ($4.25), an English brown ale-style beer brewed by Lost Coast Brewery in Eureka, Calif. My husband had a soda ($2.25) and my kids enjoyed Thomas Kemper root beer, a spicy concoction made with honey and vanilla extract that was included in the price of their $5.99 kid menu meals. It's best to come hungry to The Laughing Clam, which is an ideal spot to stop after a hike or Rogue River rafting trip. I ordered Crab Cakes Northwest. At $21.99, that menu item is pricey, but it comes with a choice of clam chowder or salad, ale or sourdough bread, vegetables and roasted red mashed potatoes or brown rice pilaf. If you don't plan to split the meal with someone else and don't want leftovers, an a la carte option costs $14.99. I chose salad with blue cheese dressing and was treated to a mound of greens, shredded cabbage and carrots. A little metal pitcher contained blue cheese dressing topped with blue cheese crumbles. My ale bread was sweet, like a cross between a cupcake and cornbread, while my husband's sourdough baguette had a signature sourdough flavor. The Crab Cakes Northwest arrived with three crab cakes as big as thick hamburger patties with the tangy flavor of Dijon mustard, cauliflower and broccoli, hollandaise sauce on the side and a large dollop of red-skinned mashed potatoes with chives and bacon mixed in. After the filling salad and bread, I was able to eat one of the crab cakes and parts of the sides, with enough left over for a hearty lunch the next day. My husband's Shrimp Fettucine ($16.99) featured tender shrimp in a creamy sauce with perfectly cooked noodles. It included a choice of bread and salad or chowder. My son's kid menu cheeseburger was as big as an adult burger, and my daughter had plentiful chicken strips and applesauce. Other kid menu choices are cheese pita pizza, spaghetti, mac and cheese, grilled cheese on wheat and fish and chips. The full menu includes appetizers, salads, burgers and sandwiches, steak, pasta and assorted seafood options like Grilled Ahi ($16.99), Curried Coconut or Ale Battered Prawns ($19.99), Pan-Seared Scallops ($25.99) and Jambalaya — a spicy Cajun classic with shrimp, chicken, sausage, mushrooms, peppers, red onion, rice and red sauce for $16.99. The Laughing Clam is at 121 S.W. G St. Hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For information, call 541-479-1110 or see www.thelaughingclam1996.com . Staff reporter Vickie Aldous can be reached at 541-776-4486 or [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/VickieAldous . By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Vickie Aldous Mail Tribune Posted Apr. 3, 2015 at 9:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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