Spotlight: Andrei Soen of Crab Landing
December 17, 2009
Crab Landing, the new seafood hot spot dreamt up by owner Andrei Soen and his team, happens to open at a very fitting time: crab season.
Aptly located in the picturesque coastal town of Half Moon Bay, the restaurant features a diverse fusion menu of all things delectable and fresh from the sea.
Featuring a sparkling Raw Bar complete with oysters on the half shell and chilled bites like Hamachi Carpaccio with a lime-mint vinaigrette, and a poke-inspired Wakame Salmon Tini with spicy diced salmon and cucumber over Japanese seaweed salad, Crab Landing has a menu full of delights for the ultimate seafood lover.
The mouthwatering menu includes weekend brunch, lunch, starters, dinner, desserts and a full cocktail and wine bar. Patrons will relish in the range of classics and new twists, finding anything from steamed Manila clams and Ahi Tuna Poke to a Prawn Mango Salad with sweet chili garlic dressing and Cracked Crab.
Here, Andrei Soen talks a little about his Asian heritage and the influence his background has had on his work and in the creation of Crab Landing.
Where were you born and how long did you live there?
I was born in Singapore; and immigrated to the United States at the age of 13.
How long have you been accustomed to the food & hospitality industry?
My family has been involved in the restaurant business in Singapore since before I was born.
How many restaurants have you been a part of? What were the restaurant names and the kinds of food you served?
Five years after coming to the United States we opened Yellow Ginger Cuisine. The restaurant centered around authentic Singaporean food and was owned and operated as a family business in Mountain View, California.
We began construction on our second restaurant, Crab Landing Seafood & Steakhouse, in February 2008 on the scenic California Coastline in Half Moon Bay. The restaurant opened in October of that year and features a full Raw Bar, Sushi Menu, as well as classic seafood offerings.
What inspired you to open a restaurant of your own?
Growing up in an Asian family, much of our time together was spend enjoying delicious food. And, although Crab Landing is not a Singaporean restaurant, it was very important to us to include Singaporean inspired dishes to share the flavors of our culture with our guests.
What is something valued by you regarding Singaporean cuisine or culture?
I value the multi-cultural aspects of Singaporean food. Singaporean cuisine has distinctive flavors pulled from various backgrounds, Chinese, Malay, Indian, and Tamil influences, which make it uniquely diverse.
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