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5 Secrets to 20 Minute Dinners!
Tips, tricks, and recipes for dinner in a hurry!
Crustacean Garlic Noodles
If you live in the Bay Area or the Greater Los Angeles Area, I am sure you have heard of–and most likely dined in–the famed Thanh Long Restaurant and its better known sister property Crustacean.
Their signature garlic noodles and roasted crab not only won over food critics, foodies, and aficionados alike, they also help launched a multi-million restaurant empire (counting 3 and growing!) for the An’s family who hailed from Vietnam.
The legacy lies in the “Secret Kitchen”–a completely enclosed kitchen within the main kitchen, off limits to all employees, where the family members churn out the legendary garlic noodles and roasted crab, using secret recipes that were passed down for three generations.
I had dined at Thanh Long in San Francisco many years ago and really enjoyed the garlic noodles and roasted crab, but it’s not until this week that I reacquainted myself with them.
This time, the location was Crustacean Beverly Hills; the dishes ordered were roasted crab, grilled tiger prawns with garlic noodles, and Maine lobster with garlic noodles.
The taste of the garlic noodles was exactly what I remember. In my honest opinion, their roasted crab was too dry for my taste (I think the crab was boiled and then roasted in the oven hence it lost all its juicyness).
The lobster garlic noodles was good, but not spectacular. The best dish was definitely grilled tiger prawns with garlic noodles. The sweetness of the grilled prawns complemented the garlic noodles perfectly.
Everything ordered that night was also a tad too salty. Anyway, I was still smitten by their foods, and most importantly, intrigued by their “Secret Kitchen” and secret family recipes.
I resolved to figure out the secret recipes, using none other than my taste buds and keen eyes. I examined the remains of the roasted crab dish–cracked black peppers, check; coarsely chopped garlic, check; butter, check; exotic spices, maybe but I couldn’t find any evidence.
I also packed a box of garlic noodles to go, for further examination at home.
I think I’ve got most things figured out.
So, I spent hours in the kitchen yesterday, perfecting my version of Crustacean’s garlic noodles and roasted crab. I added the seasonings little by little, trying to get as close to the original taste as possible.
I have no doubt that my recipes and techniques are somewhat different from the secret recipes, but there are really not that many “secret” ways to prepare garlic noodles and roasted crab.
I think my garlic noodles and roasted crab are as good as they get compared to the originals at Crustacean, at a fraction of the cost/price! (One order of garlic noodles cost US$11.50 and the roasted crab is US$41.95.)
As to the myth of “Secret Kitchen,” I will say that it’s more for smart marketing than its practicality.
How Many Calories per Serving?
This recipe is only 567 calories per serving.
What Dishes to Serve with This Recipe?
For a wholesome meal and easy weeknight dinner, I recommend the following recipes.
Crustacean-inspired Garlic Noodles and Roasted Crab
Ingredients
- 20 oz. yellow noodles
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- water (for boiling the noodles)
Garlic Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon Maggie seasoning sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon butter
Crustacean-inspired Roasted Crab Recipe:
- 1 Dungeness Crab (about 2 lbs. (800 g))
- 1 stick unsalted butter (8 tablespoons)
- 3-4 cloves garlic (chopped coarsely)
- 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder
- 2 teaspoons black pepper (cracked using a mortar and pestle)
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Rinse the yellow noodles with running water to discard the oil from the noodles. Drain and set aside.
- Heat up a pot of water until boiling. Add the noodles into the boiling water and cook the noodles. Do not overcook as the noodles will turn soggy. Transfer the noodles out and drain dry.
- Prepare the garlic sauce using a saute pan on medium to low heat. Add the butter into the pan and when it melts, add the garlic and saute until aromatic but not browned. Add all the seasonings into the pan, stir to combine well. Transfer the garlic sauce into a small bowl.
- To serve, just toss all the noodles with the garlic sauce. Add the cheese, toss to combine well. Serve immediately.
Crustacean-inspired Roasted Crab Recipe
- Clean and chop the crab into small pieces. Heat up the butter in a wok (between medium to low heat) and saute the garlic until aromatic, but not brown. Add in the black peppers, chicken bouillon powder, and then add in the crab and stir well. Add in the sugar and cook the crab until half done.
- Dish out and bake it in the oven at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes. Serve hot with garlic noodles.
Notes
Nutrition
Delicious recipe! Thank you for sharing! I do have a question though. The sugar in the recipe, is that for for the garlic noodles or the Garlic Roasted Crab?
It’s for the Garlic Sauce as stated in the recipe, so for the garlic noodles.
Is the roast crab recipe missing? I can’t find it anywhere on this page.
Please click on Get Recipe to find the crab recipe.
No, there is no crab recipe even when I click on Get Recipe.
Yes, the crab recipe is on the bottom after you click Get Recipe.
It’s there, please scroll down.
Made the crab and garlic noodles for dinner. I have to say the garlic noodles were AMAZING, much better than the one I had at Crustacean in SF last year and at a fraction of the cost. I used Shanghai noodles and it was the perfect “chewy” texture (the noodles I ate at Crustacean was rather “mushy”. Great recipe!!
Hi Tina, thanks for trying my Crustacean garlic noodles recipe. Yes I agree that my recipe is better! :)
What kind of Maggi seasoning? There’s a variety at the grocery store.
Just the regular Maggi seasoning. That’s the label.
Hi All,
I’m feeding seven people. How many crabs and noodles do I need? Also, using cooked crab. How long should I roast it?
Thanks!
Double the portion.
So the recipe above serves four?
Thanks again!
Oh, and how long to roast with cooked crabs? Can they roast in the wok pan?
Last time I ate at Crustacean was in the early 2000s. I’ve been craving their garlic noodles, so I was delighted to find this recipe. It was delicious. I’d like to try the recipe with less butter. Thanks for sharing!
You can cut down the butter.
If I double the portion of noodles it will feed 8 people?
I think so!
I have never cooked fresh crab before. How do I know when it’s “half done?”
I worked at crustacean and have to tell you it’s not butter or margarine. They use lard. There are millions of cans in the pantry. Look at the grease left on your plate as you eat the crab, it’s lard. Yes the crab and noodles are amazing!
I made the roasted crab last night using this recipe. I have to say – I like it even better than Crustacean’s! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Sam, thanks for trying my recipe, yes, the crab is super delicious.
I’m trying this recipe tonight
Awesome, let me know how it goes.
Try Mizithra cheese instead of Parmasan. My wife and I dined at Than Long restaurant in SF the other day and had the opportunity to taste their garlic noodles. I can almost guaranty that Mizithra cheese is one of the ingredients they have in their garlic noodle recipe.
Hi Danny, thanks for letting me know. I will try.
The noodles sound so good— but I’m skeptical about the cheese. I’ve never had the original (since I don’t live in LA and I don’t eat meat anyway), but I think it would be good anyway without the cheese. Or is there something else I can substitute for it? I might try using nutritional yeast powder instead, it has a similar flavor without that “funkiness” that I don’t really like about the cheese.
You can skip the cheese but it’s the key ingredient in the recipe.