Do You Like Crabs? San Francisco Restaurant Review

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This weekend was a long weekend. It was Memorial Day weekend. We wanted to have something notable, because it was 3-day-weekend. As any other weekends, we went to 24 hour fitness for exercise in the morning. We took a 2 classes of exercise in our fitness club, Boot Camp and Dance for 2 hours, sweat some. We came home from exercise, took shower, relaxed, then call the restaurant for reservation.

This restaurant is “Tanh Long”, in Sunset, San Francisco. We have known this restaurant famous for Crabs. Since we both love crabs, we decided to go to this restaurant.

“Tanh Long” is the sister restaurant of a restaurant in downtown San Francisco, “Crustacean”. “Crustacean” is high-class, business setting, and relatively expensive restaurant. My office colleagues took us to “Crustacean”. The master chef of Crustacean told us about the sister restaurant “Tanh Long”, which is more family oriented type restaurant with almost same menu as Crustacean.

Their recommendation is same as ours, which is “Garlic Roasted Whole Crab”. They have a different style of crab cooking from what San Franciscans are familiar with. Crabs were simply boiled in seawater in Fisherman’s Wharf restaurants. This restaurant roasts whole crab with lots of garlic and oils.

It is so different and tastes superb. That is why people keep coming despite it was highest priced item on the menu. The location of this restaurant is on the corner between Judah and 47th street, downtown San Francisco. Outside does not appear to be an excellent restaurant, but inside is elegant and clean. This was original restaurant of these 2 successful sister restaurants in San Francisco, opened by a Vietnamese Gentleman. My memory of dining in Vietnam does not tell me anything similar served in Vietnam. It may be Vietnamese food made in San Francisco. Benihana style BBQ is not exactly made in Japan, made in New York, instead.

“Roast Crab”, “Tiger Prawn”, and “Garlic Noodle” were our selection on that day. Eating this crab, or any crab, you cannot do anything other than keep eating until you finish the crab, since your hands and fingers will be full of oil, garlic, meats, and shells. You cannot even pick up silvers or wine glasses. We spend there for two and half hours. It was long dinner, with not so much conversation. We do not need much conversation for enjoying delicious foods. Japanese sales people suggest that you would select a crab restaurant if you need to dine with a difficult customer. Your difficult customer will be quiet during dinner, because he was busy eating the crab. How true it is!

“Thanh Long” restaurant is located on the corner of Judah and 47th Street. “Crustacean” location is Polk and California. You can search them in Internet by their names and location; “Thanh Long, San Francisco” and “Crestacean, San Francisco”.

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