RESTAURANTS • First Word
The Skinny: After a 34-year run on Polk St., garlic noodle destination Crustacean has migrated to a glossy new FiDi location. Proprietor Helene An, now 81 years old, fled the fall of Saigon for San Francisco over 50 years ago, opening Thanh Long in the Outer Sunset in 1971. The An family followed its west side hit with Crustacean in 1991, and other offshoots followed. In July, the iconic Vietnamese restaurant shuttered on Polk and moved to its elegant new home, which boasts an upgraded menu.
The Vibe: Helene’s daughter Monique An and her husband Kenneth Lew oversee the spot, while another sister, Elizabeth An, designed the interiors. Tall ceilings, glossy dark wood, white tablecloths, and antique mirrors make for a dramatic setting, as do accents like 18th-century carved wood doors and over-the-top floral arrangements. Guided by principles of feng shui, the space was modeled so the kitchen fires in the south, and (speaking of drama) there’s a separate “secret kitchen” to protect family recipes.
The Food: It’s a truth universally acknowledged in San Francisco that there’s nothing as luxurious as having someone else crack your crab. The Dungeness at Crustacean comes pristinely picked and mounded in a pool of butter — just lift up the carapace cover and gasp. The garlic noodles live up to their reputation, and the caviar rolls, wagyu dumplings, and tuna cigars (served in a smoking cigar box) are all rich and delicious.
The Drink: The wine list could afford to get more creative than standbys like Mumm bubbles and Duckhorn cab. Signature cocktails are a better choice. The Daughter of the Dragon laces vodka with Thai chile, the Saigon 75 bubbles with floral gin and lemongrass, and the High Tea Penicillin infuses whiskey with black tea, plus a waft of smoke from scotch.
The Verdict: While Thanh Long and Crustacean’s original locations are San Francisco classics, both definitely have some city miles on them. The new Crustacean is a worthy evolution of Helene An’s empire, where the setting hits the same high marks as the cuisine. –Becky Duffett
→ Crustacean (FiDi) • 195 Pine St • Lunch Tue-Thu 1130a-230p, Dinner Sun-Thu 5-845p, Fri-Sat 5-930p • Reserve.