"Some people will say the pinnacle of a seafood feast is digging through a plastic bag of boiled shrimp in Cajun seasoning. Those people have clearly never been to Newport Seafood. This Chinese-Vietnamese restaurant is an SGV institution that’s been hosting rowdy birthday gatherings and family-sized banquets for decades. And if there’s one constant on every lazy susan in its gleaming dining room, it's their famous house special lobster: a four-plus pound behemoth that’s wok-fried and drenched in a rich, buttery sauce with scallions, jalapeños, and ginger. photo credit: Matt Gendal But Newport Seafood isn’t just a one-hit wonder—the fried rice, clams, and shaking beef are also fantastic staples. The sizzling platters will hit the table faster than you can take your first sip of tea, while servers whiz by and the family next to you fights over the bill. Dining here is bound to be chaotic, so although it wouldn't be our first choice for a one-on-one meal of reassuring our friend post-breakup that they’re the hotter one, it’s great for when you want to pull up your sleeves and dig into a mountain of shellfish with people who came ready to go big. Food Rundown photo credit: Matt Gendal Newport Special Lobster The main event. It’s sold at market price, and even the smaller size could feed four or five. Each piece of lobster comes pre-cracked, so there’s no need to wrestle with shells, and most of the tender meat tends to slide right out. It still does get messy though, so put on the plastic gloves like the respectable adult you are. photo credit: Matt Gendal Beef Loc Lac (French Style) A guaranteed crowd-pleaser that requires less effort to eat than the lobster. Also known as Vietnamese shaking beef, these seared steak bites have just the right amount of chew, and we’re fans of the makeshift dipping sauce with lime, salt, and white pepper that adds a citrusy punch. photo credit: Matt Gendal Yang Chow Fried Rice Newport’s version of this Cantonese classic is perfectly cooked and simple—just bits of char siu, fluffy egg, shrimp, scallions, and rice. We wouldn’t mind a few more toppings thrown in, but it does the job, especially when paired with the saltier, sauce-heavy dishes on the table. photo credit: Matt Gendal Clams With Spicy Hot Sauce This steaming piles of briny, plump clams tossed in a fragant broth with handfuls of jalapeños and herbs is an under-the-radar must-order. Ask for a bowl of rice on the side to eat with the flavorful stock, so none of it gets left behind." - Cathy Park
