Newport Seafood, Rowland Heights

Every time the topic of good Chinese food came up, there was always someone who would mentioned Newport Seafood. The unique thing about Newport Seafood is the Vietnamese influence in some of the dishes. After years of putting off this much talked about restaurant, it was finally time for a visit. I know better than to go to a place like this with only one companion so I gathered up the troops. The thing about Chinese restaurants is the more people you have the more you dishes you get to order.

Newport Seafood has two locations and we decided on the one in Rowland Heights because it was a good half way point for everyone. We arrived at lunch time to a packed restaurant that was much smaller than I expected. The restaurant is very clean and modern inside with booths, round tables and partially sectioned off rooms for large parties. Although it was full, the restaurant's noise level was quite manageable compared to others.

The staff was on point with bringing the menus, getting beverage orders and checking in to answer questions. The menu is very extensive and can be overwhelming for the indecisive. We went with the basic rule of order one of each protein.

Beef loc lac (French style)
11.95
The glistening chucks of beef arrived in a pepper sauce sitting on a bed of raw onions and lettuce. The beef was very tender and the pepper flavor mixed with the onion gave the dish a bright flavor. The squeeze of lime juice also added a nice tang to the dish.

Deep Fried Tofu
9.25The fried arrived piled high with a side of soy and scallion dipping sauce. The large fluffy pieces of tofu were fried to perfection with a very thin crust that provided a crunchy texture. The spoon was on the plate for a reason because any attempt to pick up the tofu with chopsticks resulted in it falling into pieces. The tofu was silky smooth and scallion flavor in the sauce brought out the flavor of the tofu.

Newport Special Lobster
market price - $99

The lobster arrived in pieces with the shell attached tossed in a garlic and scallion sauce. This dish was a hands on experience that got a little messy, luckily, the waiters came by to change out our plates. The sauce did overpowered the flavor of the lobster, but the texture was just right. For the price, there wasn't enough lobster to satisfy everyone's appetite.

Chinese Broccoli with Dried Fish
12.95
The broccoli was lightly flavored and a refreshing addition to our meal. Some pieces of dried fish almost tasted like bacon.

Crispy Fried Sole Fish
market price

The fish arrived already broken up into pieces with a side of fish sauce. Since it was fried to golden perfection, almost everything was edible, including some of the fish bones. The sweet and tangy fish sauce gave this dish a unique flavor. It was a nice departure from the soy based sauce.

Kong Pao Chicken
9.95
The kong pao chicken good, but nothing special. The chicken was tender, the peanuts were crunchy and the sauce had a little kick of spiciness.

Shrimp with walnut
14.25

The walnut shrimp was crispy and creamy. The batter for the shrimp was light and the sauce had just enough sweetness. The candied pecans added a nutty and crunchy flavor to every bite.

Crispy Duck
17.95The large plate of crispy duck also arrived with fish sauce. Every piece of skin was crispy and fatty and the meat was smokey and flavorful. The duck was great on its own, but also tasted good with the fish sauce.

Overall, the food at Newport Seafood was tasty and satisfying. Most of the dishes were well executed with good flavors. Favorite dishes were the beef loc lac, deep fried tofu, shrimp with walnut and crispy duck. The service was friendly and the food arrived quickly.

Newport Seafood
18441 Colima Rd
Rowland Heights, CA 91748

Parking

The restaurant is inside a shopping mall with a huge parking lot.