Newport Seafood Restaurant

The inspiration

Newport Seafood began as a family-run restaurant opened in 1988, with the San Gabriel branch following in 1996 after the family sold its Orange County spots^1,2 . The idea was a menu built on fresh, live-tank seafood that blends Chinese cooking with Cambodian, Vietnamese and Thai flavors^3,4,2 . The restaurant describes itself as a casual spot for lunch or for celebrating a birthday with friends and family¹ .

Who's behind it

The founders are Wendy Lam, a restaurateur, and Ly Hua, a self-taught chef who created the signature lobster dish^3,1 . Sophia Lau took over management of the San Gabriel location¹ .

What to order

Popular dish

Beef loc lac^1,5,6

peppery seared steak bites in the French style, served with a lime, salt and white pepper dip .

• Crab with tamarind sauce: a signature alongside the lobster, also taken from the live tanks .^4,6
• Clams in spicy hot sauce: plump clams in a fragrant broth loaded with jalapeños and herbs, with rice on the side to soak up the stock .⁵
• Yang Chow fried rice: a simple Cantonese-style plate of char siu, egg, shrimp and scallions that pairs well with the sauce-heavy seafood .⁵

What people are saying

The MICHELIN Guide highlights the fusion seafood focus and generous portions⁶ , while Voyage LA notes the restaurant is known for its Newport-style lobster and French beef¹ .

Why you should try it

Bring a group, order the lobster, and eat the way the place was built for: family-style^5,6 .