Crustacean Garlic Noodles and Roasted Crab
Published Jun 08, 2008
Updated Aug 26, 2024
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Crustacean Garlic Noodles and Roasted Crab—my copycat recipes come remarkably close to the authentic flavors from Thanh Long and Crustacean's "secret kitchen." Try them at home for a truly delectable meal.
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
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use any fresh wheat noodles from Asian grocery stores. If fresh noodles are not available, spaghetti can be used as a substitute for equally delightful results.
The garlic noodles can be prepared in advance and reheated. However, roasted crab is best enjoyed fresh.
There will likely be no leftovers! However, if you do have any, store the noodles and crab in airtight containers in the refrigerator. You can reheat them in a pan or microwave.
This recipe is only 793 calories per serving.
What To Serve With This Recipe
For a restaurant-style Asian dinner at home, I recommend the following recipes.
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Other Recipes You Might Like
Crustacean Garlic Noodles and Roasted Crab
Ingredients
- 20 oz. (570g) yellow noodles
- water , for boiling noodles
- 1 tablespoon Kraft Grated Parmesan Cheese, in green bottle
Garlic Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Maggi seasoning sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Crustacean Roasted Crab:
- 1 Dungeness Crab, about 2 lbs./800 g
- 1 stick unsalted butter , 8 tablespoons
- 3-4 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
- 2 teaspoons whole black pepper, cracked using a mortar and pestle
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
Crustacean Garlic Noodles Recipe
- Rinse the yellow noodles under running water to remove any oil. Drain well and set aside.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until just tender, being careful not to overcook them, as they can become soggy. Remove the noodles from the pot and drain well.
- Prepare the Garlic Sauce by heating a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the butter and let it melt, then add the garlic and sauté until fragrant but not browned. Add all the seasonings and stir to combine. Transfer the garlic sauce to a small bowl.
- To serve, toss the noodles with the garlic sauce. Add the Parmesan cheese and mix until well combined. Serve immediately.
Crustacean Roasted Crab Recipe
- Clean and chop the crab into 6-8 pieces. Heat the butter in a wok over medium-low heat and sauté the garlic until aromatic but not browned. Add the black pepper and chicken bouillon powder, then incorporate the crab and stir well. Add the sugar and cook the crab until the shell starts to change color.
- Dish out the crab and bake it in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes. Serve hot with garlic noodles
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Well done. I’ve eaten at the SF and LA locations and Crustaceans a number of times. I think you’re versión is good. Re: Maggie it is better to use than soy mainly because it has MSG. Golden Mountain sauce is another good alternative. I like to add a little fish sauce as well to boost the flavor of the oyster sauce. Cheers and thanks again for sharing.
Awesome thanks for trying!
Well done. I’ve eaten at the SF and LA locations and Crustaceans a number of times. I think you’re versión is good. Re: Maggie it is better to use than soy mainly because it has MSG. Golden Mountain sauce is another good alternative. I like to add a little fish sauce as well to boost the flavor of the oyster sauce. Cheers and thanks again for sharing.
If I don’t want to use Maggi seasoning, then what can I replace that with? That is just too high on sodium and who knows what else, right?
You can skip it.
Can I use Chinese Lo Mein noodles or will spaghetti be better?
Lo mein noodles are too soft.
I am excited about trying some of these recipes
Awesome Tina.
Where can I find the yellow noodles?
Asian food stores.
What style noodles are yellow noodles? Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese? I have an Asian market near me but don’t know what noodle to get?
Chinese / Taiwanese yellow noodles.
How do you kill the crab before cutting it up? Is there a humane way to do this?
Thank you! <3 I've done this recipe a few times over the year & wanted to finally thank you! Apologies it's overdue.
Hi Jen, thanks for trying my recipe. I am glad you tried.
I ate there last night and they confirmed that the sauce does not have butter as you can ask dietary for purposes / wild, I also know it has Parmesan cheese for sure!
They probably use regular oil because butter is too expensive for profit purposes.
lol this makes me concerned..is it margarine or some industrial ingredient or Canola?! I think the great part about cooking at home is you know exactly what’s in it. My doctor in SF told me restaurants will put WHATEVER in their dishes to make it taste good. Health is not their concern. I think there needs to be more transparency from the Secret Kitchen. Thank goodness we can cook similar at home. Thankful to the An family for their inspiration.
What are yellow noodles? Are they bought fresh? Thanks!
Yes.
Thank you! I made the garlic noodles and it was a big hit for my family on New Year’s Eve! I will try the Roasted Garlic Crab this weekend! On the 1st step to make the roasted crab, you mentioned “Add in the sugar and cook the crab until half done”. Do I add sugar or no?