Today we were at the third and newest location of Crab Hot Lau, newly minted Vancouver Magazine’s Best Vietnamese restaurant, for the third year running.
Located on the second floor walk up on South Granville, the location comes with free parking underground and a spacious dining room. They have taken up this residence from the Japanese all you can eat restaurant that came before it.
The space is bright and cheery with green plants, colourful lanterns, and robot servers. We were seated family style along a long table to be able to share the following.
We started off with their Chili Oil Cucumber, this was essentially a spicy cucumber salad with chunky cucumber pieces tossed in their house-made sate chili sauce. More refreshing than spicy, these crispy morsels served as a great snack in between more bolder bites.
Their Square Crab Spring Rolls is one of their claims to fame, a tradition dish from Hi Phong. Instead of the regular long tubes, their spring rolls are hefty squares, wrapped in the traditional square rice paper shell, stuffed with a lot more filling than there is wrapper covering them. Real crab meat, shrimp, pork, shiitake mushrooms, and aromatic spices. Fried until perfectly crispy, and served with homemade fish sauce, lettuce, and fresh herbs. This was the heartiest and most filling spring roll I have ever had, and these isn’t anything like it else where.
The Grilled Oysters with Scallion Oil were fresh oysters topped with scallion oil and crispy pork fat. The topping had just enough flavour and fat to cut into the naturally briney-ness of the oyster. Not my favourite due to the size of the oyster and its milky texture. They are $5 each with a minimum order of 4 oysters.
I preferred the texture of the Steamed Clams with Lemongrass, they felt better cooked through. These were fresh clams lightly steamed with lemongrass, resulting in a clean and aromatic broth that the pile of clams sat in. I just would have like a soy sauce based dipping sauce to add some salt to this otherwise very gentle dish.
They also have Bánh Mi on their menu. We tried their Black Pepper Steak Bánh Mì with tender cuts of black pepper seasoned steak, pickled vegetables, fresh cucumber, cilantro and their house sauce. All served in a warm crispy Vietnamese baguette. Best eaten when the bread is toasty for a hard, crispy, and flaky crunch. This contrasted the crunchy vegetable, tender meat, and creamy sauce.
They also have an experimental Bánh Mì that has yet to hit the menu, so we were getting a sneak peek taste here today. This one comes with thick cut fries and a regular tubular spring roll cut into segments. So not only do they cater with classic fillings, but take some creative liberties as well.
If you can only order one item let it be one of their signature hot pots. They are only available at this, the Granville location, and the one on Kingsway. You can have the whole pot one broth or split your pot for two flavours at no additional cost. We had the Aromatic Tomato Shrimp Broth made from wild ocean shrimp from BC and the Signature Rice Field Crab Hotpot in a two for one. This is similar to Chinese style hot pot, where the broth is brought to a boil right at the table, using a built in electric coil.
You then have your choice of raw ingredients to cook within said broth. The selection includes thin slices of meat, mushrooms, leafy green vegetables, and noodles. We had Tender Pork Jowl, Sliced Lean Beef, Sliced Beef Shank, Sliced Beef Belly, Sliced Beef Chuck Eye, And Naturally Sweet Cooked Shrimp For Meat. Followed By Crown Daisy, Enoki Mushroom, Seafood Mushroom, And Bean Sprouts For Veggies.
Most of which were familiar from other hot pot spots, but what set them apart was their more traditional Vietnamese ingredients. Like the Fragrant Pork In Lolot Leaves, Fried Fish Puff, And House Signature Fish Cake.
If decision making is giving your paralysis, you can take the guess work out of choosing what to order by getting the Signature Rice Field Crab Hotpot set. This is ideal for two or more people, and is what the restaurant is named after. Unique to them is this slow-simmered rice field crab broth with golden crab roe. As a set it is served with a perfectly balanced selection of meats, seafood, and fresh vegetables. The broth was rich, bold, and deeply comforting. You get a delicious sweetness from both the tomato and crab. What elevates this is adding in the Crab Roe Topping Bowl. This is a blend of ground beef, shredded black fungus, and fried scallions; giving the soup is so much taste and textural interest.
I liked this best as soup, especially with the inclusion of the red rice noodles. But be warned, do not let the noodles over cook as they will grow soggy and break apart for a less than desirable texture. I did not find that I needed any dipping sauce, that all the flavours were already perfectly melded. Although there is the option to have some for those who want an extra kick, additional salt, or a change of taste.
And for dessert we had young coconut sweet soup with pieces of coconut flesh bobbing in a thick coconut milk soup. This was a great and rejuvenating way to end on a sweeter note.
In short, this was a delicious meal and I can see why they have been awarded all their accolades. Come for traditional Vietnamese cuisine, like you have never had before, and leave a fan of what makes them unique and unlike any other Vietnamese restaurant in Vancouver.
Crab Hot Lau, South Granville
2993 Granville St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3J6
(604) 558-1818
crabhotlau.ca
