RSS
Home
Local yokel: Crustacean
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Just one of Crustacean's delicious dishes.
L.A. is one of those kinds of places where dining options are always in flux. What was newly open and adored yesterday is ignored and laden with dust bunnies today, and often times six months in business constitutes a diamond anniversary celebration. But every once in a while a restaurant slips through the cracks and becomes an institution. A perfect example? Beverly Hills mainstay, Crustacean.
Crustacean isn’t like one of those flashy, over-packed places you expect to drive by – in fact, I did drive by it. Twice. But when I finally pulled in front of the understated but elegant entrance, it all made sense to me – Crustacean isn’t about seeing and being seen, as many L.A. restaurants are. It’s about lush but comfortable aesthetics, incredible food, and most of all, family. From the moment you walk in to the moment you walk out, you’re treated as though you’re just as important as anyone else in an atmosphere that feels jovial and welcoming.
And that’s no accident. Crustacean was born out of family strife, when Helene and Danny An were forced to flee Saigon in 1975 with their five daughters. They arrived in San Francisco to reunite with Diane, Helene’s mother-in-law, who had purchased an Italian deli that the two soon transformed into a culinary homage to Helene’s homeland (that same restaurant, Thanh Long, still stands today!) They branched out and launched Crustacean in the Bay Area in 1991, and six years later, opened the L.A. location. And just like all the others, it was a family affair: the family recipes took center stage, while Helene’s daughter Elizabeth called upon her mother’s memories of French Collonial Vietnam to inspire the décor.
Certainly the décor is breathtaking – how many restaurants offer an 80-foot, 6000 gallon sunken koi aquarium that you walk over en route to your table? But really, it’s the food that’s the main event. Start with grilled beef or chicken satay marinated in lemongrass, featuring Asian herbs served with pickled veggies. Sample a soup, try some mouthwatering sashimi. But whatever you do, make sure you save room for the An family’s famous Roasted Crab, bathed in garlic sauce and a secret spice mix so undercover that the dish is made in the restaurant’s Secret Kitchen, a kitchen within a kitchen that is only accessible by Chef Helene and family members.
Crustacean will be offering a special Valentine’s Day menu featuring some of their more memorable dishes, but really, any time is a good time to drop in on the An family and enjoy their contribution to L.A.’s culinary scene. And if their longevity thus far is any indication, Angelinos and travelers alike will be able to enjoy the restaurant and its offerings for decades to come.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
