A former colleague left our company and it was quite a blow to us. Not only was he talented, he was outgoing, friendly, and a really nice person. Since he left before we had an official send-off, we recently met him for an early supper at Tan Cang Newport Seafood.
Since he lives in Lake Forest, I settled on a Chinese / Vietnamese restaurant in Santa Ana called Tan Cang Newport Seafood. Everyone had already eaten mariscos with me and so I knew an Asian seafood restaurant would not be an issue.
The inside resembles a Chinese dim sum restaurant. It is a single large room filled with six-foot round banquet tables in the center of the room. The experience is all about efficiency in motion and in conversation, “how many?” and you are quickly ushered to an empty table. “Anything to drink?” to which we each ordered a beer.
Tan Cang Newport Seafood is best known for their namesake, the Newport Lobster. As we waited for our food, we couldn’t help noticing that every table around us was ordering this dish. There was a family of eight next to us and the waiter brought out a massive live lobster to show them what they were about to enjoy.
Crab Baked with Salt and Pepper
The first dish that arrived was the Crab Baked with Salt and Pepper. I’m not sure how this dish is baked because the crab arrived breaded and fried. It tasted like it was stir-fried with garlic and onions and topped with green onions. An empty crab shell was placed on top to add to the presentation. The batter was both sweet and salty.
Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce
Chinese broccoli with oyster sauce is a fairly common Cantonese dish. It is typically on the menu at restaurants serving dim sum and is a nice alternative to the proteins being served. The broccoli was fresh and had a nice crunchy nature.
Steamed Flounder with a delicious sauce topped with fragrant cilantro
When we ordered the steamed whole fish, we were presented with a choice of a flounder or a striped bass. We selected a flounder which fortunately was not large and quickly fell apart when you applied a fork to it. The flavor profile of cilantro, ginger, and fresh scallions nicely elevated this mild tasting fish.
Clams with Black Bean Sauce
Chinese stir-fried fresh clams in black bean sauce is a perfect summer dish. It had flavors of garlic, ginger, green onions and cilantro and is a classic Cantonese offering.
House Special: Newport Lobster with Noodles
Last but not least was their House Special – Lobster with Noodles. A Maine lobster is blasted in a wok with green onions, jalapeños, black pepper and clarified butter. Underneath is a bed of addictive stir-fried garlic noodles. The result is a dish that you keep eating despite being full. It is the dish that creates a loyal customer following.
Unlike your typical Chinese restaurant, the service at Tan Cang is quite good. They are quick about bringing ice water to the table and they proactively bring napkins and extra plates for the seafood shells.
It appears that many people dine there to celebrate a special occasion. I contend that you don’t need to wait for that occasion to experience their incredible Newport Special Lobster.
Tan Cang Newport Seafood, 4411 W 1st St, Santa Ana, CA 92703
http://tancangnewportseafood.com/