The Origins of Chinese Lobster Sauce

If you order Lobster Sauce at a Chinese restaurant, most people realize that it doesn’t contain any lobster, and that the ground meat in the sauce is actually pork. On most menus, you'll see Shrimp with Lobster Sauce, though many Chinese restaurants also sell the lobster sauce on its own, which you can then serve over white rice. In addition, there are two different kinds of lobster sauce, dependent in large part on your part of the country. In New England, lobster sauce tends to be a brown sauce while it is more of a white sauce in the rest of the country.

The Chinese term for lobster is 龍蝦 (lóngxiā), which roughly translates as "dragon shrimp." In Chinese culture, the dragon represents good fortune and longevity, which they also associate with lobsters. 

What is the origin of lobster sauce? Why is it called lobster sauce when it contains no lobster? And why are there two different versions?

Most online sources are of little help in answering these questions, presenting claims without any supporting evidence. Many of these sources believe that lobster sauce originated during the 1950s. These sources also claim that lobster sauce was first used in a different dish, Lobster Cantonese Style, but because of the expense of lobster, a variant dish was created, using shrimp instead of lobster but with the same sauce. Those same sources also provide no real explanation for the regional differences of the sauce.

I agree that the origins of Chinese lobster sauce are murky, but my own research was enlightening in a number of regards. The origins of this dish extend back at least to 1898, when Lobster Cantonese Style was referred to as Chow Loong Har, and there's no proof that "high-priced" lobster led to the replacement with shrimp. In fact, the opposite is true, that shrimp were more expensive than lobster during the 1930s and 1940s. In addition, I have some insight into a possible explanation of the regional differences in the sauce.

There’s evidence that lobster was on the menu at Chinese restaurants in the U.S. at least near the end of the 19th century. For example, the Boston Globe, December 16, 1893, described how the Hong Far Low restaurant, in Chinatown, hosted a special banquet and the menu included fried lobster, birds' nest soup, abalone, fried pigeons, and shark's fin.  The Boston Herald, August 18, 1895, reported on a dinner at a new Chinese spot, the Oriental Restaurant, in Boston's Chinatown. One of the courses was “fried lobster,” although there wasn't a mention of any sauce associated with the dish. More lobster dishes were available at this restaurant as well, including Plain Lobster and Lobster Omelet. 

The Providence Sunday Journal (RI), March 29, 1896, in an article on slumming in Boston's Chinatown, noted that the largest Chinese restaurant served items including fried lobster (75 cents), chop sooy (25 cents), chow mein (75 cents) and fried boneless chicken (75 cents). It's interesting to see that the lobster and chicken cost the same price.

An interesting book, New York’s Chinatown: An Historical Presentation of its People and Places by Louis J. Beck (NY, 1898), described the various Chinese restaurants in New York City. It was stated there were seven first-class restaurants, which served similar menus. One of those common dishes, priced at 75 cents, was Chow Loong Har (Fried Lobster with Vegetable). This dish was the same price as Fried Boned Chicken and Fried Pig's Paunches.

However, Chow Loong Har is more commonly known as Lobster Cantonese Style, and this may be the first appearance of this dish in a U.S. book or newspaper. Obviously, this dish could have existed prior to this time, but it wasn't noted in any other newspaper or book. Unfortunately, a fuller description of this dish, especially of the sauce, wasn't provided.

The Charlotte News (NC), August 4, 1900, published a menu for the Oriental Restaurant, which offered Plain Lobster (50 cents), Fried Lobster (75 cents), and Lobster Omelet (75 cents). Although Chop Sooy (25 cents) was quite cheap, their Chow Mein (75 cents) was priced similarly to the lobster dishes. Even the Fried Boneless Chicken (75 cents) was a similar price. So, considering the prices, lobster didn’t seem a luxury dish at this point. After this date, numerous Chinese restaurants would offer a wide variety of lobster dishes, from Chop Suey to Chow Mein.

The Courier-Journal (KY), February 8, 1904, noted that at a Chinese New Year’s celebration, one of the dishes served was Chow Loong Har, which was stated to be “fried lobster with vegetables.” As I mentioned above, this dish is more commonly known as Lobster Cantonese Style.

The Boston Herald, March 21, 1907, reported that Governor Guild had been greatly feted in Chinatown, hosted by the Chinese Merchants' Association. A banquet was held at the Red Dragon restaurant, "the most noted restaurant in Chinatown," and 14 courses were served, including, "lobster a la red dragon." Unfortunately that dish wasn't described.

As for other lobster dishes, Lobster Chop Suey (Chow Sarm Hal) made its appearance in an ad in the Oshkosh Northwestern (WI), September 12, 1907, and was also mentioned in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram (TX), November 27, 1907. There would be references to Lobster Chow Mein in the Boston Post, April 7, 1916, and Lobster Chop Suey in the Boston Post, November 27, 1918. Lobster was a popular ingredient at this time.

“Fried Lobster-Canton Style” made another appearance in the newspapers, in a restaurant ad in the Fall River Daily Evening News (MA), August 20, 1916. Unfortunately, once again, there was no description of the sauce.

More Lobster dishes. The Nebraska Signal (NE), November 10, 1921, presented a restaurant menu with various lobster dishes including Lobster Chop Sui (50 cents), which was the same price as Chicken Chop Sui. Lobster Chow Min (75 cents) was also the same price as Chicken Chow Min. Other items included Lobster Egg Fu Yung (35 cents), Fried Lobster with Vegetable (50 cents), Fried Lobster with Waterbeans (35 cents) and Fried Lobster with Green Pepper & Tomatoes (50 cents). As we can see, lobster prices were comparable to chicken dishes, so it still wasn’t a luxury item. Ten years later, the Evening Vanguard (CA), August 20, 1931, printed a recipe for Lobster Chop Suey.

The Chinese love of lobsters! The Boston Herald, April 4, 1931, reported that "That Chinese are also big buyers and connoisseurs of lobsters. For some reason best known to themselves, the Chinese restaurant proprietors, who customarily do their own shopping, almost always pick out female lobsters and refuse to buy males."

During the 1930s, Lobster Cantonese Style began to make more frequent appearances in various newspapers. The Evening Bulletin (RI), May 2, 1932, printed an advertisement for the 6th Anniversary of the Port Arthur restaurant, and its menu included "Chow Loong Har (Live lobster stuffed Chinese Style)" for 80 cents. The Greenwood Commonwealth (MS), June 29, 1934, mentioned “Chinese lobster (Canton style)” while the Brooklyn Daily Eagle (NY), August 7, 1935, had a restaurant ad mentioning “fried lobster, Cantonese style.” 

The Hartford Courant (CT), October 9, 1936, also published a restaurant ad noting “Chinese Fried Lobster.” The Times Dispatch (VA). December 3, 1938, mentioned a New York City restaurant serving “Chow Loong Ha (Lobster Cantonese Style)” while the Hartford Courant (CT), December 18, 1938, also noted a new restaurant in New York City that served “fried lobster, Cantonese style.”

However, what was Lobster Cantonese Style? None of these prior newspaper references actually explained the nature of this dish. Some sources claim that it was based on a dish from China, where the sauce was made with ginger and scallions. However, when we finally get a description of the lobster Cantonese Style sauce, it differed significantly from the recipes for Lobster with Ginger & Scallions Sauce. For example, the former usually didn't include the use of soy sauce or ginger though the latter sauce did. In addition, the former included the use of minced pork but the latter sauce did not.

The Times Union (NY), April 17, 1938, presented the first newspaper recipe for Lobster Cantonese. The ingredients for this dish included 1 large boiled lobster, chopped pork, eggs, black beans, scallions, salt, sugar, gourmet powder, corn starch, meat stock or water, and garlic. If this recipe was reflective of the dish at most Chinese restaurants, it shows the differences from Lobster with Ginger & Scallions. It would thus be a significant variation of the original lobster dish. I'll note that no soy sauce was included in this recipe. Without the lobster, this sauce would be close to some modern versions of Lobster Sauce.

A cookbook from 1938 seems to give support to the idea that this recipe was the norm. Cook at Home In Chinese by Henry Low presented a recipe for Lobster Cantonese Style (Chow Loong Ha). Henry was the chef at the famed Port Arthur Restaurant, in New York’s Chinatown, which was opened in 1897 by Chu Gam Fai. Henry worked there for at least ten years, starting in 1928. It stands to reason that the recipe he provided in his cookbook would reflect that served at the Port Arthur Restaurant. The ingredients for his recipe included 1 large lobster, chopped raw lean pork, eggs, black beans, scallions, garlic, salt, pepper, gourmet powder, cornstarch, and stock or water. Very similar to the previous newspaper recipe. And once again, soy sauce and ginger were not used.

1938 was also the year when the phrase "Shrimp with Lobster Sauce" was first mentioned.  The Bangor Daily Commercial (ME), March 11, 1938, had an ad for the Pekin Garden restaurant which stated, “try our Fried Fresh Shrimps with Lobster Sauce.” The Montclair Times (NJ), March 11, 1938, also mentioned a New York City Chinese restaurant which served “fresh shrimp with lobster sauce.” The Intelligencer Journal (PA), October 1, 1938, printed an ad for a Chinese restaurant offering “Fried, Fresh Shrimp with Lobster Sauce.” The Milwaukee Sentinel (WI), November 1, 1938, ran ad ad for a Chinese restaurant which served “Fresh Shrimp, Cantonese Style.” And the Evening Bulletin (RI), June 16, 1939, had an ad for the Pagoda Restaurant, which offered “Fried Fresh Shrimp with Lobster Sauce."

However, none of these ads described the “lobster sauce.” Did it actually contain lobster, or was it something very different?

Continued mentions of lobster sauce occurred into the 1940s. The Morning Call (NJ), April 2, 1940, noted a Chinese restaurant that served “fresh shrimp with lobster sauce” 

It's important to note that during the 1930s and 1940s, lobster was actually less expensive than shrimp, which was seen far more as a luxury ingredient than lobster. So, the claim that shrimp with lobster sauce was created due to the expense of lobster lacks any foundation or evidence. If anything, shrimp with lobster sauce should have been a pricier dish, as shrimp were a luxury item.   

A recipe for "Shrimp with Lobster Sauce" also appeared in 1940. The Record-Argus (PA), May 4, 1940, provided that recipe for “shrimp with a tasty lobster sauce.” The recipe would be reprinted in newspapers in Texas, New York, Minnesota, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Maine, New Jersey, and Ohio. However, this was not a Chinese version, didn't resemble Lobster Cantonese Style, and actually used lobster in the recipe.

Continued mentions of this lobster sauce occurred into the 1940s. The Morning Call (NJ), April 2, 1940, noted a Chinese restaurant that served “fresh shrimp with lobster sauce” while the Montclair Times (NJ), November 22, 1940, noted a different Chinese restaurant that also offered “fresh shrimp with lobster sauce.” The Atlantic City Press (NJ), November 29, 1940, had an ad for the Far East restaurant, serving “Special Fried Jumbo Shrimp with Lobster Sauce.” The Evening Sun (MD), December 6, 1940, referenced a Chinese menu for a special event which served “Shrimp with lobster sauce” while the Miami News (FL), February 19, 1941, stated that Ruby Foo’s offered “shrimp with lobster sauce.”

The Brooklyn Eagle (NY), May 5, 1941, provided a recipe for Chow Loong Har, aka Lobster Cantonese Style, calling for lobster and ground pork, but no soy sauce. 

In an ad for the Fu Manchu restaurant, in the Miami News (FL), August 20, 1941, it said, “Shrimp with Lobster Sauce is our own creation! Culinary critics say it is beyond compare. Enjoy this seafood masterpiece at The House of Fu Manchu.” No further description of the dish was given.

The Trenton Evening Times (NJ), April 2, 1942, printed a  PIC of recipe for "Chow-Loong-Har (Canton Lobster)." The recipe called for "lean pork" as well as actual lobster, and soy sauce was an ingredient although black beans were omitted. 

The Savannah Evening Press (GA), April 4, 1942, mentioned a Chinese restaurant which served "Fried Shrimp with Lobster Sauce." The Washington Daily News (D.C.), August 29, 1942, also mentioned a Chinese restaurant which served "Fried Jumbo Shrimp with Lobster Sauce." And in a restaurant advertisement in the Central New Jersey Home News (NJ), December 6, 1946, the dish was referred to as “Foo-Young Har-Kow (Fresh jumbo shrimp with lobster sauce).” 

We finally got a peek into the contents of lobster sauce, in a recipe provided in the Boston Globe (MA), December 19, 1946. The recipe for Shrimp with Lobster Sauce had been submitted from a reader, who claimed they received it from Chinese cook in Arizona. The recipe first listed the ingredients: “One-half to 1 pound raw shrimp, 1 rounded teaspoon black beans, 2 cloves garlic, ½ cup peanut oil, 1 cup water, 1 teaspoon gourmet powder, dash pepper, 3 eggs, 3 scallions with tops, 2 teaspoons corn starch.” 

Then, it provided the directions: “Soak black beans until soft; crush with garlic. Heat oil in heavy skillet, add raw shrimp, beans and garlic. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes. Add water, gourmet powder and pepper. Cover and cook for eight minutes. Chop scallions with tops into ¼-inch pieces; add to eggs and stir slightly until yolks are broken. While shrimp mixture is boiling pour the scallion-egg mixture into the shrimp. Stir slightly and cook until egg is done. The egg should be cooked into shred-like pieces if mixing is done properly. Mix corn starch in enough water to form a smooth paste. Add to shrimp, stir and cook 2 min. Salt to taste.”

This is essentially the recipe for the same sauce used in Lobster Cantonese Style, however it lacked ground pork. So, “lobster sauce” may have acquired its name because it was the same sauce as that used in Lobster Cantonese Style. Shrimp was, for unknown reasons, substituted for the lobster. 

Now, it would have made sense to refer to this dish as “Shrimp Cantonese Style” rather than call it “Shrimp with Lobster Sauce.” And actually, there were mentions of that exact name, extending back at least to 1938. The Columbus News (NE), December 22, 1938, briefly mentioned that someone’s favorite dish was “Shrimp Cantonese.” The Detroit Free Press (MI), January 30, 1941, mentioned a Detroit chef who made “a better shrimp, Cantonese.” Other references were in the Southwest Wave (CA), September 19, 1946, “Fried Shrimp, Cantonese style” and the Herald-News (NJ), April 4, 1947, “Fragrant Jumbo Shrimp—Cantonese Style.” The Tampa Bay Times (FL), January 3, 1948, noted that a restaurant dinner party served “breaded shrimp Cantonese” while a restaurant ad in the Pike County Dispatch (PA), July 1, 1948, included “Lobster Cantonese” and “Shrimp Cantonese.”

However, it seems that the term Lobster Sauce eventually became the more popular term, so that Shrimp Cantonese became much less common over the years. When the term shrimp with lobster sauce was first used, did customers know that the sauce didn't include any actual lobster? However, it seems like some of the earliest dishes of shrimp with lobster sauce might actually have included some lobsters. The menus probably didn't mentioned whether the dish contained actual lobster or not, and it's possible numerous customers didn't know they were eating minced pork rather than minced lobster. Unfortunately, none of the newspapers during this period addressed this issue. 

Lobster prices! How much did these dishes cost in the late 1940s? The Baltimore Sun (MD), July 5, 1947, presented a restaurant ad, noting that their week’s special was a dinner of Lobster Cantonese Style, including soup or appetizer, rice, dessert and drink. The lobsters were shipped directly from Maine. The dish normally cost $2 but was on special for $1.25. In September 1947, that same restaurant ran another special, but only lowered the lobster dish to $1.50.

The New York Post (NY), December 5, 1947, provided a recipe for Shrimp with Lobster Sauce, which stated, "Here's how the Cantonsese do it." As we can see, this recipe called for lobster, and no pork. It also called for the use of soy sauce.  

However, there was a different recipe in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune (FL), July 17, 1949, which is more like the modern versions. It stated "Shrimp with Lobster Sauce" was known to the Chinese as "chow sang har." This is basically Chow Loong Har, aka Lobster Cantonese Style. This recipe does not include any lobster, but called for lean pork, soy sauce, and molasses. Some sources claim New England lobster sauce is different because Chinese cooks in that region used molasses, but we see that at least one recipe in Florida called for molasses.

The Tampa Bay Times (FL), April 10, 1949, published a menu for the China Inn noting that Fresh Shrimp with Lobster Sauce cost $2.25 while Fried Whole Lobster Cantonese Style cost $2.50. A very minor difference in price. There was another menu presented in the News-Journal (OH), April 24, 1949, which had a larger difference, with Fried Shrimp with Lobster Sauce for $1.35 and Fried Lobster Cantonese Style for $2.25. And in the Evening Star (D.C.), September 25, 1949, there was a menu that offered Shrimp, Lobster Sauce for $1.50 and Lobster, Cantonese Style for $2.00.

A new name for shrimp with lobster sauce. The Evening Sun (MD), November 8, 1948, published a restaurant ad which referred to shrimp with lobster sauce as Har Loong Woo. The ad also stated their jumbo shrimp had the same sauce as their Lobster Cantonese. 

The Los Angeles Mirror (CA), November 9, 1948, explained a bit about the contents of lobster sauce in a review of the Ming Room restaurant. It noted “Canton Shrimp with lobster sauce (garlic, egg, chopped pork, and soy bean).”

Another recipe was presented in the Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph (PA), August 28, 1949, for Shrimps with Lobster Sauce, and the ingredients included: ½ lb. finely ground lean pork, 1 tbsp. minced carrot, 1 tbsp minced celery, 1 tsp. salt, dash pepper, ¼ cup fat or salad oil, 1 tsp salt, dash pepper, 1 clove garlic, 1 cup bouillon, 2 lbs. raw shrimps, 1 egg slightly beaten, 2 tbsps cornstarch, ¼ water, and 2 tbsp minced scallions. This is similar to the prior recipe from the Trenton Evening Times (NJ), April 2, 1942. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (NY), September 22, 1949, presented a similar recipe for Shrimp with Lobster Sauce, Cantonese. 

A variant recipe arose during the 1950s. The Boston Globe, January 22, 1952, published a recipe from one of their readers for Chinese Lobster Sauce. First, you made a mix of salt, pepper, chopped pork, carrot, celery, and scallion or onion. You then fried lobster with the pork, some bouillon, and an egg. Finally, you blended cornstarch, soy sauce, and water, and added it to the sauce.

A cookbook recipe. The Ancestral Recipes of Shen Mei Lon (1954) provided a recipe Chow Loong Har, Lobster Cantonese. This recipe called for lobster, ground pork and soy sauce. 

The Boston Sunday Advertiser, December 16, 1956, also provided a recipe for Shrimp with Lobster Sauce, and the ingredients included both light and heavy soy sauce. The Boston Globe (MA), August 19, 1962, had a recipe for Foo-Young-Har-Kow (shrimp with lobster sauce) which used soy sauce and gravy darkener. This would clearly make a darker lobster sauce. 

The Chinatown Handy Guide San Francisco (1959), had its own recipe for Shrimp with Lobster Sauce, which didn't call for lobster, but did call for ground pork and soy sauce. This is very similar to the modern version of this dish.  

Nowadays, lobster sauce in New England is commonly a brown sauce, while it remains generally white in the rest of the country. Why the difference? I'll address that issue shortly.

A couple explanations were provided for the name of lobster sauce. The Boston Globe, November 29, 1962, published a letter from a reader who stated he was told by a Chinese restaurant owner, of over 30 years, that “lobster sauce never contained lobster. It is called lobster sauce merely because it is usually served over lobster or other sea foods. The trend is now to serve lobster sauce with shrimp.” 

And in the Sunday Herald Traveler (MA), May 3, 1970, it noted: “Don’t look for lobster in Shrimp with Lobster Sauce. The sauce is made of ground beef, of all things. The Cantonese use the same sauce for Lobster with Meat Sauce, which may explain the nonsensical name.” I'll also note that the Boston Sunday Herald, April 9, 1967, provided a  recipe for Chinese Lobster Sauce that called for the use of a cup of lean raw pork or beef ground fine. 

That was the first mention I found of any Lobster Sauce recipe calling for beef. All of the previous recipes called for pork, which makes sense considering the important role of pork in Chinese cuisine. In addition, during the first half of the 20th century, pork was generally cheaper than beef, so it would have been less expensive to use ground pork in lobster sauce. However, in the 1960s, for the first time that century, beef was less expensive than pork, so that probably explains why references during the 1960s also mentioned ground beef as an option in lobster sauce.

Soy sauce made its appearance in Boston recipes for Shrimp with Lobster Sauce but it’s interesting that soy sauce also made an appearance other recipes for Lobster Cantonese Style, and not just in New England. Both the Philadelphia Inquirer (PA), May 2, 1952 and the Chicago Tribune (IL), May 13, 1955, gave recipes for Chow-Loong Har (Cantonese Lobster), and each used soy sauce.

An explanation for the use of soy sauce in these recipes, including lobster sauce, might have been provided by a Chinese chef in New York City, who was discussed in an article in the New York Times, February 3, 1972. The chef indicated that he prepared Lobster Cantonese Style in two ways, one for Chinese customers and one for Americans. Both recipes were provided and there were a number of similarities and differences.

Both recipes included ¼ cup peanut oil, ¼ pound ground pork, 1 one‐and‐one‐quarter‐pound live lobster, ½ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon MSG (optional) and 1 egg, beaten. Both recipes also included the following ingredients, although the amounts differed: ¼ (vs ½) teaspoon chopped garlic, ½ cup (vs 1 ½) chicken stock, ¼ teaspoon (vs a few drops) sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon (vs 3 teaspoons) cornstarch. The Chinese version also included several ingredients that were not in the American version, such as 1 teaspoon Chinese salted black beans, 3 or 4 slices fresh ginger root, ⅛ teaspoon dark soy sauce, and 1 or 2 sliced scallions.

Thus, lobster sauce which included the use of soy sauce may have been created more for Chinese customers, although it also became popular with other customers as well.

Finally, an intriguing tidbit about lobster sauce. The Canton Repository (OH), July 5, 1971, reported on a national pasta recipe contest, sponsored by the North Dakota State Wheat Commission and National Macaroni and Durum Wheat Institutes, which was open “only to professionals in the quantity food field.” The winning recipe was "Spaghetti with Chinese Lobster Sauce." The recipe called for the use of lobster tails, ground pork, and soy sauce. 

Although the exact origins of lobster sauce are still unknown, we know far more than what many other sources have provided. The dish's origins extend back to at least 1898, to Lobster Cantonese Style (also referred to as Chow Loong Har). It's also clear that the price of lobster wasn't a reason for the substitution of shrimp for lobster, as shrimp were more expensive. It's also clear that ground pork was an original ingredient in most lobster sauce recipes, until the 1960s when beef became less expensive than pork. Plus, we may understand better why the lobster sauce in New England is more of a brown sauce, but a white sauce in the rest of the country. 

(September 26, 2025: This article was revised/expanded.)