If there was ever an institution that epitomizes the foundation of what a Mecca of Gastronomy is to Mister Munchie, it is the World Famous Crab Cooker in Newport Beach California. This is truly an iconic and legendary restaurant establishment that is the oldest in all of Orange County. That did not happen by accident, rather as a result of the heritage, creativity, humor, work ethic, standards of freshness and culinary genius that is one Mr. Bob Roubian.

To effectively tell the story of this amazing human being, would take an eternity, as the historical accounting of his journey is a mountain of details, surprises, stories and songs. All one can do is try and give a glimpse into his psyche and historical past and hope that some portion will be comprehended.

With that, the story of Bob Roubian, founder, owner and proprietor of The Crab Cooker begins when he was born in Pasadena some seventy plus years ago. His mother was and immigrant from Santa Caterina, Sicily and his father a refugee of the Turkish Genocide who escaped in 1895. It’s was the combination of these two strong but varied personalities that began to influence and inspire Bob from a very young age. His mother was a consummate cook and almost always in the kitchen, where she would find Bob pulling at her apron strings and watching her every move. “They were all a bit worried about me”, he would say. Instead of being out with the other kids playing, he would be in the kitchen, soaking up his Mother’s eloquence like a sponge.

Beyond cooking, Bob Roubian was drawn to other art forms, especially music. At that time, the Pasadena neighborhood he grew up in was primarily black and he fed off of the soulful influences that that environment offered. Very soon he would become a self-taught prodigy of music and would use those talents to earn money as a teenager. He would later say that there was a link between Music & Fish, “They both have scales…”

Bob also worked for his father who was a contractor. One of his father’s customers had a fish market that the young Bob was drawn to. This was his first introduction into a lifelong association with seafood.

It wouldn’t be long before Bob Roubian would take over the old Chrysler-Plymouth Dealership on Balboa Blvd and open the Crab Cooker in 1951. This original location was two blocks North of the current Crab Cooker and is where the concept of providing the very best quality seafood, became a standard for decades to come. It is also where the now famous Smoked Fish and Clam Chowder recipes would be perfected.

Back then, times where not all that easy. There weren’t the throngs of customers on the peninsula, like today and doing business on Balboa was much different. After about ten years, Bob would lose his lease and be forced to move his operation. The Bank of America Building stood at 2200 West Balboa Blvd and 22nd Street, as a “white elephant”. Bob was able to secure the lease on this massive white building that still has the original B of A logo (a ship) embedded in it. Very soon it was transformed into the landmark location that we all know today, with the signature red paint and green striped awnings.

By this time, Bob had become an accomplished musician and composer, doing gigs around the country while keeping his restaurant going. Bob also composed songs for many of the famous entertainers of the day, including Louis Prima, Keely Smith and Sammy Butera. In 1969, Bob would write the hit song “Popcorn” that was originally recorded by Gershon Kingsley and later by the band Hot Butter. The “Popcorn Song” would go on to become an International hit. The royalties from the song came in and allowed Bob to pay off all of his fisherman, taxes and even buy his Mother a brand new car. With a full head of steam and a clean slate, Bob never looked back. He stopped touring and focused 100% on building the Crab Cooker into the “Seafood Enterprise” that it is today.

Freshness and quality were never sacrificed and still aren’t. Bob Roubian would run his own dory fishing boat to help provide the surplus fresh fish that the restaurant would need. He also created a network of local fisherman that would get top dollar from Bob for their catch. If the going rate was 60 cents per lb. for Swordfish, Bob would pay $2 in order to ensure that he would get the very best of their catch.

“Fresh fish doesn’t smell like fish”, Bob would say, “It smells like watermelon”.

Bob would make sure that all of his fish was harpooned or line caught and eviscerated on the decks of the boats. This age old technique of handling fish is taken from the Norwegian culture and is essential in preserving the freshness and taste of the fish. Fresh Pacific Lobster, Abalone, Dungeness Crab or local Rock Cod, it didn’t matter. What could not be purchased locally, he would source from around the world.

The foundation of Bob’s early restaurant concept has been practiced straight up until today. He has never sacrificed price for freshness and quality and never will. This can be seen in every aspect of the business. They still smoke their Salmon and Albacore in- house inthe very same manner they did back in 1951. The Salmon is brought from Scotland and the Albacore from wherever they are around the globe, during their continuous migration.

At the Crab Cooker Annex, which is their warehouse, bakery, office and commissary, located across the street, the Salmon and Albacore Tuna are brought in, filleted and brined for three days before the master smoke houseman Rickie, uses his blend of hardwoods and a massive convection smoker to create what is probably the finest smoked fish in all of California. Rickie has been doing it the same way at the Crab Cooker for over 27 years.

The culture that Bob Roubian has created at the Crab Cooker is like no other. His employees are his extended family and he treats them all just like it. Some of the waitresses have been serving this beautiful seafood for over forty years and counting. Many of his cooks and kitchen help have literally grown up at the restaurant and have learned to do things “Bob’s Way”… whenever he would hire a new cook, he’d always make sure he would state that there was no experience necessary. That’s because he realized that you can’t “teach a cook to cook”. This needed to be taught and learned from scratch.

Bob has always kept a close-knit group of dedicated managers and operators by him to help run the restaurant including his longtime friend and former philosophy and economics professor Pete Rossi. When Bob was in the service, he served and as one of the infamous “Sea Bee’s” in World War II. In the military hospital, he met his longtime bookkeeper Robby who was a paraplegic. Robby would work with Bob right up until the day he passed, just several years ago. His nephew Steve Bolton serves as the Manager of the Crab Cooker in Newport and when his son-in-law Jim Wasco got out of the Navy as a Navy Seal, he realized that they had “only one ship with three captains”. This was 1992 and the year that hey decided to open the second location in Tustin. Jim now oversees that store with same standards and intensity that the original location is run with.

The décor at the Crab Cooker is almost as famous as the seafood that is served in it. Most people don’t realize that the it is filled with fine art and antiques that have been a part of Bob’s growing collection since the restaurant opened. Always being a lover and supporter of the arts, Bob would allow the galleries in Laguna to hang their art for sale and would never take a commission. The collection of photos, sculptures, old signs, taxidermy and memorabilia are all permanent fixture in this ever-changing art installation. You will also see dozens of signs with funny sayings and slogans inside and out of the restaurant, all of them reflecting the youthful exuberance and humor that Bob exudes.

Today you will still find Bob Roubian at the helm of this Orange County Seafood Institution, standing by his ethics of “Simplicity, Authenticity and Consistency”. His idealism of “The Main Thing is to Keep the Main Thing, the Main Thing” is holding strong. There are no computers or fancy gadgets here, just good honest food being made and served by good honest people.

The Crab Cooker in Newport Beach still serves as many as 2000 plates of seafood on a busy day and its patrons will consume over 25 tons of Albacore every year. Mister Munchie is guilty of contributing to a portion of that 25 tons and you can see him weekly buying his signature to-go package of Smoked Fish, Clam Chowder, Fresh Baked Bread Balls and homemade Tartar Sauce at the pick-up counter. Or you’ll see him with friends and family sitting at the communal dinning tables enjoying the fish of the day pulled fresh from circular mesquite grills on the trademark hard paper plates and parchment. He’ll always get it with the decadent Cheese Potatoes and sublime Cole Slaw and wash it all down with an ice-cold draft beer in a plastic cup.

Mister Munchie is proud to say that he has become a friend of Bob Roubian and this magnificent, creative and ingenious man will always inspire him.

Bob, You are a true “Cod Father “…