Best SF restaurant for a crab feast
I am organizing my best friend's rehearsal dinner in SF for a party of 50 (locals and visitors). I'd like to find a great place to have a crab feast (Oct 24 dinner date), it being a San Francisco quintessential experience. Looking for a restaurant that can:
1. accommodate big party with private room
2. Serve GOOD local Dungeness crab
3. Be somewhat casual
4. Preferably in the city
This may a tall order, but I thought I'd give it a shot. What I'm NOT looking for is a banquet, sterile sort of environment or chain.
Any suggestions?
By blackbirdpie
on Jul 3, 2008 11:09 AM
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Unfortunately, local fisheries crabs will not be quite in season yet, though you can probably get them from not too far away, at a premium. Asian (Chinese or Vietnamese) places probably have some good (including private room) options, if you have nothing against garlic and ginger.
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That's probably the worst time of year to find Dungeness that hasn't been frozen. Alaska's season might be over by then, and the local season doesn't start until mid-November.
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Shoot! I was thinking the crab season started mid-Oct. Thanks for your feedback.
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It's not the perfect time for Dungeness, but if you are willing to spend the money you can have the roast crab at Thanh Long out near the ocean in the Sunset, and while you're at it the fabulous garlic noodles. This is a Vietnamese restaurant that has been serving these dishes at the same location for over 30 years.
I believe they have banquet rooms. If they don't, their other restaurant, Crustacion (sp?) on Polk does, but I like the food and feel at Thanh Long much better.
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Best case scenario would be a Dungeness crab from Alaska that had not have to live in a tank for too long. I would choose PPQ Dungeness Island over the Crustacean chain, however.
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me too, plus you might be able to rent entire upstairs of PPQ
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Link:
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PPQ Dungeness Island
2332 Clement St, San Francisco, CA 94121
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Thanh Long went downhill. Recent reports suggest it's still down but I don't know.
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Thanh Long
4101 Judah St, San Francisco, CA 94122
Crustacean Restaurant
1475 Polk St Ste 3, San Francisco, CA 94109
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I don't know. We've been going a few times a year forever, and I've heard that before, but the specialties always taste just as good as ever. This was certainly true the last time we were there.
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