Tan Cang Newport Seafood — Restaurant in Santa Ana

Last weekend we went down to OC for Tet festival and we got to visit this favorite Chinese Seafood Restaurant, specialize in everything LOL. I haven't been here for almost 20 years. Didn't know it's still alive and well. I believe it's the same owner, now must be in the 70s. It's at the same location off the little Saigon strip Asian Garden Mall (Phuoc Loc Tho).

The parking is not very big with another famous noodle house and other businesses so it's a little hard to find a parking space in the day time, but we came on Sunday's evening, it's not so bad and we found our spot.

The servers here are extremely pleasant, attentive and humorous, we had fun chatting with them. He knows how to take group pictures too. Great photographer.

My favorite dish is elephant clam steam and deep fried. The body is steamed and the head is deep fried, so crispy and tasty with both body and head. Everyone loved it.

The deep fried tofu here is second to none. I tried to cook this at home but never succeed and couldn't find any place in the Bay Area to match. The hardest part is using silken tofu (extremely soft) and fried to crispy outside, soft inside without being broken.

The Lobsters are to die for, we ordered 2 small ones (they're huge), one with special sauce and one with Ginger and scallions. Both are excellent but everyone preferred the Ginger over the special, because the special sauce is a little sweeter than Ginger.

Octopus sautee is delicious in it's own way with the vegetable dish is so good that my wife loves so much.

Mongolian Beef is cooked with perfection, just right amount of tasty sauce.

My wife kept asking me why not to take her here more often. The answer is with 2 people, we can't share all the good dishes as with many people. She insists that we eat here again next time we come down to OC because there are so many dishes she...

Tan Cang at first and Newhope street. Today 11-13-19 I went to Tan Cang order a lobster(lobster cost 23 dollars per lbs) and I am request a lobster 3 and half pounds. The cashier woman she told me the smallest lobster is only 4 lbs. Then I told her ok bring the lobster out and let me see. She told the waiter bring the lobster out to let me see and the waiter he told me here this is 4 lbs lobster. I said ok, and I ask the waiter can you put the lobster on the scale and weight it to let me see. First he told me there is no scale here. And I asked him if you don’t have a scale how do you know this lobster is 4 lbs? And I am look at his eyes there is something wrong that he is hidden something. And then finally he is told me come with him and weight the lobster. I am follow the waiter and he put the lobster on the scale and weight only 3.70 lbs. I told the waiter look this lobster is only weight 3.70 lbs and why you told me earlier this lobster weight 4 lbs? He didn’t answer me, and just told me go talk to women at cashier. I said ok and I went to see the woman at cashier and I told her the lobster is only weight 3.70 lbs, not 4lbs. After I told her that she is walk away from me and didn’t say anything. And then the waiter come to me and told me this lobster is weight 4 lbs and he keep repeat three time this lobster is weight 4 lbs. I told the waiter thank you and I am walk away from the restaurant. Remember lady and gentlemen don’t trust the people work at the restaurant, they will steal your money. Don’t be afraid to ask to weight the lobster before...

FOOD & DRINKS I had the chance to eat lobster at this location on two occasions. I practically went here the next day again because we were invited. The first time we went here the lobster tasted dry and and not fresh at all. The second time the lobster tasted wonderful. The lobster meat was juicy and fresh. Even the crab we ordered was good while the walnut shrimp the day before was not good at all. It was like night and day and if I had been able to put the dishes next to each other, you could just tell by looking. I don't know why the quality changed so much but the inconsistency really made me mad because you are paying quite a lot.

SERVICE This one is hard to judge for me. While it seems the staff was very helpful and friendly, I always had the feeling that they were just faking or acting it. Especially after observing them when they were not serving customers. Plus sometimes when you complain about the food, they just ignore it silently.

ATMOSPHERE Dirty old restaurant. Come here for the food and nothing else.

RATING This review is based on two experiences. It would probably got at least a three star rating if it weren't for one thing. When you pay a hefty price for a quality product you expect to get that quality at all times. I really felt cheated after my first experience and that will last for a while. I personally will not come back here unless I get invited.

Additional note: The picture I took was from...