Crab City (La Jolla Cove)

Unlike Girard Gourmet's focused daily rotations or American Pizza Manufacturing's single-purpose prep model, Crab City attempts the full Vietnamese menu *and* Louisiana seafood boils simultaneously — meaning you can order pho at one table and garlic butter crab at the next. That split focus creates the restaurant's central tension: when the pho kitchen is firing, you get properly spiced broth and crisp summer rolls with fish sauce that tastes housemade. When the Cajun side hits, the seafood boils deliver corn-and-potato-studded bags with actual spice gradation. But reviews suggest inconsistency — noodles clumping, tendon overcooked — which tracks when a kitchen's toggling between two techniques that don't share prep or timing.

The upside: groups with divided loyalties can actually coexist here. One person can commit to B1 pork vermicelli (the char marks apparently land right) while another goes full tourist with a shrimp boil. The summer rolls and P13 pho get consistent mentions as safe bets when the kitchen's focused.

The location on Girard draws both cove-walkers and locals avoiding Prospect's density. The patio offers actual views — not just of parking lots — which matters when you're paying moderate prices. Portions run large enough that the vermicelli bowl or a seafood boil can stretch to two meals, making the price-to-volume ratio work for families.

Practical notes: Weekend dinner traffic appears light, which either means locals know something or the dual-concept confusion keeps crowds away. The bánh mì gets mentioned by name in positive reviews but doesn't show up enough to confirm consistency. If you're committing to the Vietnamese side, stick to the standards — pho, vermicelli, summer rolls. If you're here for Cajun boils, ask about spice levels before ordering; the kitchen seems willing to calibrate.