The only fried snack for the true New Englander should be fried seafood 
Fried full belly clam or seas scallops.....mmmmmmm.
Off-topic, but yeah... New Englanders who eat clam strips drive me crazy. The only "right" way to eat a fried clam is full-belly.
I'm a big fan of fried oysters, too. Pretty much give me anything in one of those "Fisherman's platters", and I'm down with it.
I knew I could get a Maine boy to back me up with my love of full belly clams. I just want to slap a New Englander who says they can only eat clam strips.
Funny story, when I went to school in Cleveland in the early 80's the food at the caf was just putrid. But then they decided they were having their annual Friday fried Clam day. Apparently it was a HUGE deal. So my room mate and I, both Bostonians, were psyched. Finally good sea food.
We got Howard Johnson's quality fried clam strips.
They place was going nutty. They love the stuff. My room mate and I are looking at them like "Ummmm, where's the rest of the clam." The people out there were clueless. They didn't know clams had bellies. They gobbled that stuff up like they had never had a meal before. Jay and I, my room mate, went back to the dorm hungry and disappointed.