MANILA, Philippines ? There?s nothing much to see in this 11-year-old Chinese restaurant in San Juan. If you?re expecting to gawk at huge tanks of fish housed in a room bursting with bright lights to match the blood-red tablecloth topped with a plate of peanuts or kropek, you?d be disappointed. There is none of that here.

You go to King Crab House not for its interior, which is simple and comfy, but for the food, which has satisfied clients from all over for many years now.

There?s the sweet, firm and refreshing flesh of crabs flown in daily from Zamboanga, Bacolod and Capiz. Most chefs say to enjoy crabs at their best, they should be fresh and alive right up to cooking. About 30-40 live crabs are supplied to the restaurant every day. Most of the time, they are sold out by evening, especially on weekends.

Cooked in a variety of ways?steamed, baked, or in coconut milk, curry, olive oil and ginger onion, or prepared with sotanghon or rice in a pot, or simply in salt and pepper?crabs at King Crab House are truly a gustatory delight.

The restaurant?s modest aquarium near the kitchen keeps live shrimps (suahe) from Batangas, lapu-lapu from Palawan and king fish from Laguna de Bay.

King Crab House (723-8820 to 23) has been San Juan?s best-kept secret. Owner Julie Te makes sure the menu is changed regularly to tickle diners? palates. Its latest addition includes Fukien Fried Rice, prepared like a stew with minced veggies like asparagus and carrots with black mushroom and button mushrooms.

The Thousand Layer Pork is a sweet pork asado with broccoli, and it comes with cuapao bread. The more flavorful Bagoong Chicken is a crispy, crunchy treat.

?We constantly develop our menu because our clients, mostly politicians and people in show business, always look for something new, although they still order the bestsellers,? says Te, who also operates other King Crab branches in Banawe, QC, and on Sucat Road, Parañaque.

Old favorites that continue to pack crab eaters into the restaurant include the Crab in A-1 Sauce, Shrimp Pie Cake, Tausi Chili Squid, King Crab Soup, Steamed King Fish with Soy Sauce, Peking Chicken, Patatim and Mapo Beancurd.

Typical of a Chinese restaurant, King Crab House also serves frog legs prepared either braised or fried with spicy chili.

It also caters and delivers within Quezon City.

Vangie Baga-Reyes

King Crab House is at 327 P. Guevarra St. cor. Wilson St., San Juan.