Crustacean Garlic Noodles And Roasted Crab

Published Jun 08, 2008 Updated Aug 26, 2024

Crustacean Garlic Noodles

If you live in the Bay Area or the Greater Los Angeles Area, you’ve probably heard of, and most likely dined at, the renowned Thanh Long Restaurant and its more famous sister property, Crustacean. Their signature garlic noodles and roasted crab have not only captivated food critics, foodies, and aficionados alike but also helped launch a multi-million-dollar restaurant empire (now counting three locations and growing!) for the An family, who originated from Vietnam. The secret to their success lies in the “Secret Kitchen”—a completely enclosed space within the main kitchen, off-limits to all employees, where family members prepare the legendary Garlic Noodles and roasted crab using secret recipes passed down through three generations. I dined at Thanh Long in San Francisco many years ago and thoroughly enjoyed the garlic noodles and roasted crab. However, it wasn’t until recently that I revisited these dishes. This time, I visited Crustacean Beverly Hills, where I ordered roasted crab, grilled tiger prawns with garlic noodles, and Maine lobster with garlic noodles. The taste of the garlic noodles was exactly as I remembered. However, in my honest opinion, the roasted crab was too dry for my liking—I suspect it was boiled and then roasted, which caused it to lose some of its juiciness. The lobster garlic noodles were good but didn’t stand out as exceptional. The highlight of the meal was definitely the grilled tiger prawns with garlic noodles. The sweetness of the grilled prawns paired perfectly with the garlic noodles. Everything we ordered that night was also a bit too salty. Despite this, I was still enchanted by the food and, most importantly, intrigued by their “Secret Kitchen” and the family’s secret recipes. I resolved to uncover the secret recipes using nothing but my taste buds and keen observation. I scrutinized the remains of the roasted crab dish—cracked black pepper, check; coarsely chopped garlic, check; butter, check; exotic spices, possibly, but I couldn’t find any concrete evidence. I also packed a box of garlic noodles to go for further examination at home. After analyzing the flavors, I spent hours in the kitchen perfecting my copycat recipes for Crustacean’s garlic noodles and roasted crab. I added the seasonings gradually, aiming to replicate the original taste as closely as possible. While I’m sure my recipes and techniques differ somewhat from the secret ones, there really aren’t many “secret” methods for preparing garlic noodles and roasted crab. I believe my versions of the garlic noodles and roasted crab are as good as, if not better than, the originals at Crustacean—at a fraction of the cost! (One order of garlic noodles costs $11.50, and the roasted crab is $41.95.) As for the myth of the “Secret Kitchen,” I’d say it’s more about clever marketing than practicality.

Crustacean Garlic Noodles and Roasted Crab Ingredients

Dungeness Crab Garlic Chicken Bouillon Powder Parmesan Cheese Yellow Noodles Ground Black Pepper Sugar Unsalted Butter

Garlic Sauce Ingredients

Butter Oyster Sauce Fish Sauce Sugar Garlic

What To Serve With This Recipe

For a restaurant-style Asian dinner at home, I recommend the following recipes. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.