Wok-Steamed Manila Clams. Crab, crab and more crab. In spite of the room's size, no Sam Choy's restaurant can ever be described as alienating. He brings his homespun magic to the place, which has the feel of an urban fisherman's wharf, with its centerpiece 35-foot sampan and chalkboard signs enticing touristas with promise of fresh catch. Choy promised a casual family restaurant, and food and prices tend to reflect this by day.
Prices rise considerably when night falls.
Families abound, but so do downtown types at lunch time. Make sure you have an understanding boss because with customers pouring in during opening week, lunches tend to last two to three hours. Breakfast and lunch are straightforward, but boast many Choy-isms. A hamburger, for instance, is topped with a Maryland Blue Crabcake, topped by a layer of melted cheese, which sort of defeats the purpose of savoring a delicate crabcake. Snooty types would question the crabcake-burger combo, but it fits in with Choy's loco moco method of piling on the goods, local style.