Kat's 9 Lives

YAY! I no longer have to carry a wad of cash to come eat at Newport Tan Cang! They moved to a new location down the street that is bigger and better. Even though it is much bigger there is still a long long long long wait outside. The inside decor has more of a modern feel now and they have seafood tanks displayed by the entrance. I liked the lanterns on the ceiling. While we were waiting, TP and I looked over every inch of this place and enjoyed gazing upon the gigantic crabs in the case.
TP and I decided to drive up and come here for lunch. It was my treat for her B-day. The first time I took her here she tried the lobster and simply fell in love with it. That is saying a lot for the fact that she was a vegetarian for a while and now is very selective about her meats. Still, the more time we spend together the more she will try! haha
As always we both get our own blended drinks. My favorite is always the Durian Smoothie that TP hates. O=9 Even more reason to drink it now! She ordered her Jackfruit Smoothie as usual. With our meal we get the typical cup of Hot & Sour soup. The flavors are decent and the soup is normally piping hot. It's a good way to tie yourself over until the massive amount of food arrives.
Being greedy and adventurous as always, I decide to order 2 lunches and I will still make this mistake again! lol Usually the Salt and Pepper Shrimp is pretty good so I recommended that TP get that so that she will have more to eat. Sadly I think they ended up over frying the shrimp so they were a bit dry. The outside flavor was not bad but the shrimp was a bit too tough.
I wanted to try something new so I asked what they recommend and they told me the Mongolian Beef would be good. The dish looked promising but one bite told me that the beef was a bit chewy. Was this even really meat? I just took this home to the parental units. The flavors were so-so. I mean lunch is a great deal but this was not the way to go. Be sure to stick to the seafood dishes on the list rather then be adventurous like me. =P
Now I must dedicate lots of time and praise about the almighty Newport Special Lobster! There are 2 photos to tempt everyone. One with flash and one without. It is so beeping good that I always carry hundreds of dollars on when I go because I plan to be poor and happy after I leave. This time around I decided to splurge since it is hard coming out here all the time so I asked for a 4-5lb lobster... MmmmM MmmmM gooood. They lightly batter and then fry the lobster then chop it into pieces. Then stir fry in this delicious array of garlic, chopped onions, black pepper and more to make this heavenly dish. The lobster is always juicy and full of flavor. It goes great with white rice.
Every bite is a bit of heaven and you feel the elation and joy of the tender pieces bursting with flavor. Am I drooling onto the computer yet? I normally don't eat too fast but for this, I will work hard at being the winner! lol It is hard to stop devouring every last piece when you start. I wish it was a never-ending plate. The sauce on top of rice is always so good but be sure to do it before the dish gets cold. To finish off the meal they always bring you slices of Oranges. I wish they'd just bring me more lobster! ^_-
All in all I love the lobster here! Hands down the best! I have not tried their other locations nearby but I will get to it one day. Normally I hate waiting for food but for them, I am always standing around pining for the lobster outside without any intention of leaving! lol Just for them, I am also willing to fight with other Asians in the area for a parking spot. That is how much love I have for this place. Yes, it is just that good and TP can testify! ^_^
Newport Tan Cang
518 W Las Tunas Dr
San Gabriel, CA 91776