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Viet Huong (3 Crabs) Fish Sauce Tasting

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Fish-sauce-tasting

Fish sauce (nuoc mam) is the most important seasoning in Vietnamese cooking. Like shrimp sauce (mam tom), fish sauce is a stealth ingredient used by Vietnamese cooks to impart savory depth and oomph. But despite fish sauce’s role, it can be confusing to select a bottle at the Asian market. For years, my go-to fish sauce brand has been 3 Crabs by Viet Huong Fish Sauce Company. But there have been plenty of impostors to get in the way of making the right choice. My shopping has been cluttered with 2 Crabs, 4 Crabs and other knockoff labels and bottles. At a Vietnamese market where the fish sauce selection can be overwhelming, I’m often standing in the fish sauce aisle studying and deciphering the multitude of labels.

One day I realized that the Phu Quoc brand of fish sauce was also made by Viet Huong Fish Sauce Company. Then a visitor to this site said that he preferred 1 Crab brand over 3 Crabs brand as the former is less salty. There’s a 1 crab brand too? When I last shopped at the Shun Fat (Thuan Phat) Westminster Superstore market in Orange County, I noticed a 5 Crabs brand. What’s with all the crabbiness and the Phu Quoc brand?

Who is behind 1, 3, 5 Crabs and Phu Quoc Fish Sauce?
Turns out they are ALL made by the same company – Viet Huong Fish Sauce Company, which got its start in San Francisco in the 1980s. Entrepreneurial Chinese-Vietnamese immigrant Mr. Chung started blending his fish sauce in his garage in the Outer Sunset district. His tinkering eventually led to the birth of the 3 Crabs fish sauce. Viet Huong fish sauces all have crazy labels – think of the Huy Fong/Rooster Sriracha sauce label but in full color. My sense is that the company’s complex label is a strategy to deter copycat fish sauces. The bottle’s plastic cap also is a tip off — check them out before buying as all the Viet Huong fish sauce caps bear the 3 Crabs or Flying Lion logo along with the Viet Huong name in both Roman lettering and Chinese characters:

Viet Huong fish-sauce-tasting-caps

I bought all of them – the prices ranged from $3 to $4.50 per bottle — and then did a tasting today. This wasn’t like the Sriracha chile sauce taste off I did because all the candidates were from the same company. Even though I’m used to sprinkling fish sauce directly into my rice bowl, tasting them in a row  was tough. I swished water in between tastings and tasted multiple times. It was hard to discern the difference but they did exist. My Viet Huong fish sauce tasting notes:

  • 1 Crab Fish Sauce: The lightest in flavor. The label says “Hon Phan Thiet” which indicates that somehow it’s related to the islands around Phan Thiet city in southern Vietnam, a region known for making excellent fish sauce.
  • Phu Quoc Fish Sauce: Nicely balanced but  a hair more intense than 3 Crabs brand. You’ll often find Phu Quoc right next to 3 Crabs brand of fish sauce. I think that they are interchangeable and if Phu Quoc is on sale, I use it instead of 3 Crabs fish sauce. Phu Quoc is the name of an island off the southwest coast of Vietnam that’s known for making the finest fish sauce in the country, hence the brand’s name.
  • 3 Crabs Fish Sauce: Is nicely balanced between savory (umami) and sweet, but a touch saltier than I remembered. In years past I could have sworn that the flavor of 3 Crabs fish sauce changed throughout each year, some bottles being saltier than others. Nevertheless, 3 Crabs had a very pleasant flavor overall and remains my preferred brand.
  • 5 Crabs Fish Sauce: The label says that it is a “Super Premium” fish sauce. Indeed, it was the most intensely flavored among the four that I tasted. In fact, the flavor was reminiscent of  artisanal fish sauces that I have tasted straight from the vat at fish sauce factories in Vietnam. The 5 Crabs brand is not easy to find at this writing. (You won’t find it at 99 Ranch markets, for example.) Traditionally, such types of premium fish sauces would be used only for dipping sauces. If you use it in cooking, back off a bit from what’s normally called for in a recipe.

Actual Vietnamese fish sauce in the bottle
When I last spoke to members of the Chung family that owns Viet Huong, they revealed that their fish sauce company has operations on Phu Quoc Island and in Thailand. The company takes fish sauce produced from those two sources and carefully blends them at their state-of-the-art factory in Hong Kong. Both Vietnam and Thailand are renowned for fish sauce making so in a bottle of Viet Huong fish sauce, you’re getting the best  combination of Thai and Vietnamese fish sauce. Just pick the number of crabs that you want!

Have you tasted these Viet Huong fish sauces? What are your thoughts and preferences?

Related information:




Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. It is interesting to hear that all are made by the same company since the Vietnamese tend to have very strong brand loyalties, especially with food.
    My mom uses different brands of fish sauce like how Italians use different grades of olive oil. She uses the low end Squid Brand Fish sauce only for cooking since heat can dull the flavor of a more expensive fish sauce. Likewise, my mom only uses Phu Quoc Fish Sauce for making dipping sauces.
    I remember hearing once from my mom about how fish sauce does not impart a salty flavor when cooked. I forgot what she said it does add to a dish when cooked. Do you happen to know what that is?

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  3. I love fish sauce so much. In pho, in stir-fry, in dipping sauce, just sprinkled on a bowl of plain white rice.
    I’ve also become a big fan of putting a little fish sauce in a Western-style salad dressing (they often have a pounded anchovy, traditionally)

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  4. For a long time, I was only using Phu Quoc fish sauce in my Vietnamese cooking. I first bought it because it was a dollar or two cheaper than 3 Crabs, and since my food turned out good, I stuck with it. But then several people told me 3 Crabs was better, so I switched. Like you said, Andrea, Phu Quoc is a little more intense than 3 Crabs. But I’ve also found that 3 Crabs is a touch sweeter, so I need to add a little less sugar in dipping sauces when using it. After using up my last bottle of 3 Crabs, I think I’m going to switch back to Phu Quoc. I like the extra intensity and its sweetness level.

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  5. For as long as I can remember (10+ years), my mom swore by the One Crab bottle. She cooks w/ it and makes dipping sauce w/ it, and since it’s what I grew up eating, I find myself automatically buying One Crab as well. I think I tried 3 Crabs at my friend’s house and didn’t like it as much. You just get used to what you’ve always known, maybe. 🙂

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  6. My favorite so far has been the Knorr brand actually made on phu quoc. It’s really hard to find, i’ve only found it once, and i haven’t seen it since!

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  7. Great ideas and opinions, everyone. I just love that you’ve thought it all through and have your allegiances. Adding nuoc mam to salad dressing is a great idea, Eve.
    Corey — head to Ranch 99 market — try the Valley location if you’re on the Westside.
    Jason — I can’t get Knorr in Cali and have seen it in Canada.

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  8. Fish sauce is addictive. As a westerner, my vietnamese
    friends were amazed that I love the condiment.
    My favorite is 3 Crab for its’ lightness and flavor.
    But, if you don’t have access to a large selection,
    Tiparos from Thailand, is suitable. Walmart even
    carries it! Being Italian, I agree with Lan that it’s
    comparable to olive oil for use in cooking compared
    to dipping sauces or dressings. Does fish sauce, if
    stored properly, become better over time once its’
    bottled?

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  9. I used to use 3 crabs, but lately switched to “Golden boy” fish sauce, mainly because if you read carefully the lable,you’ll find that 3 crabs is not naturally brewed.

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  10. I’ve grown up with the 3 Crabs brand myself. I use the 3 Crabs brand when I want intense fish sauce flavor e.g. eating with pigs feet, with green mango, etc.
    When I make nuoc cham, I use the Squid brand since it’s cheaper and I’m watering it down anyway.
    I guess us Viet folks are extremely loyal to brands, huh?
    Funny enough, when my mom came to visit me last month, she picked up some rice noodles that weren’t the Thap Chua brand. I was like, “what, you didn’t get XXX brand?” She was like “nah, I like to try different noodles some times.” 🙂

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  11. Is there msg in the 3 crabs fish sauce? When I tried it I felt a little light-headed, which peaks my curiosity if there maybe additional msg.

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  13. Jai — Fish sauce is sold at Walmart? That is so fabulous! No, fish sauce doesn’t ‘age’ nicely except for that it becomes more salty as it oxidizes. Yes, it’s blended like wine but doesn’t age like it!
    Kate Lee — there’s something called Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein added to 3 Crabs — which is like natural MSG. How much of it did you consume? Maybe your system is overly sensitive. Or, perhaps it was in combination with other things? Sometimes you can get a buzz from food…
    Folks — there’s MSG — which is made in a factory and there’s natural glutamate in stuff like fish sauce, fine shrimp sauce (mam tom), parmesan cheese, dried porcinis, dried shiitake, seaweed, ripe tomatoes, etc. There’s been no conclusive evidence about the harmfulness of MSG consumption to prove the “Chinese restaurant syndrome.” These kinds of high-glutamic acid ingredients are filled with umami.
    That said, I don’t use MSG in my cooking. However, do understand that you can play with ingredients that are umami intensive to make tasty food. Also, enjoy stuff in moderation, as Julia Child said.

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  14. I just recently read about how fish sauce is made which through a 12-18 fermentation process. I learned that many fish sauces producers use hydrogenized wheat protein to speed up the fermentation process and msg to enhance flavor. Having said that, thanks for the analysis you made on the Viet Huong’s different brands. I, too, never knew that they owned all four brands. I like the 3 crabs one the best.

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  15. Rose Belle, thanks for the info on the 12-18 fermentation. Is that info available online? Do let me know.
    Hydrolized wheat protein is used to doctor up lots of processed foods. I think it’s what give nuoc mam a slight sweet edge.

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  16. As a relative newcomer to fish sauce (I’ve just recently started cooking all my favorite Vietnamese and Thai foods), I went with your recommendation and bought the 3 crab brand last time I was at the Asian market. I was completely overwhelmed with all the different varieties, but I recognized the labeling of the 3 crab brand as one you had said was good, so that’s what I went with. Now if only I’d read this post before going, I might have been able to make a real choice instead of just guessing! 😉
    How should you store fish sauce, and how long does it last?

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  20. Viet Huong is great stuff, especially a few drops on plain rice. However reading any bottle I purchase here in Australia says its made in Thailand.
    I guess the Vietnamese stuff from Phu Quoc is exported to Thailand and mixed there, which is why it is labeled as made in Thailand?
    Recently I have been purchasing a brand named Chin-Su (its made & bottled in Vietnam) have found it cheaper than 3 crabs & just as nice.
    I also love the Nuoc Mam made in Phan Thiet, bought some on my last trip there great stuff.

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  21. According to Wikipedia, “Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, or HVP, is produced by boiling cereals or legumes, such as soy, corn, or wheat, in hydrochloric acid and then neutralizing the solution with sodium hydroxide. The acid hydrolyzes, or breaks down, the protein in vegetables into their component amino acids. The resulting brown powder contains, among other amino acids, glutamic acid, which consumers are more familiar with in the form of its sodium salt, monosodium glutamate, or MSG. It is used as a flavor enhancer in many processed foods.” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrolyzed_vegetable_protein

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  23. Karla, thanks for the info. As with all food, enjoy things in moderation. The problem comes if you’re drinking fish sauce from the bottle, everyday. There’s fake MSG and natural MSG and it’s good to know what’s what. Let people make informed votes with their pocketbook and palate.
    I like Golden Boy for Thai food but it’s a little heavy tasting for Vietnamese food.

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  24. I’ve also been loyal to the Three Crab brand for years mainly because that’s what my Vietnamese mother said was the best. But I’ve been gradually migrating towards eating more natural foods and have switched to the Golden Boy brand and Tra Chang Brand. Both brands are considered “All Natural” and contain only anchovy extract, salt, and sugar and are processed in the same place that they are made. Three Crabs adds fructose & hydrolyzed wheat protein and is a product of Thailand but processed in Hong Kong.

    Reply

  25. Thank you for this article and taste review!!! I like Golden Boy fish sauce for Thai dishes, but I have enjoyed Three Crabs when making Vietnamese cuisine (There IS a difference). I have an Asian market warehouse not far from me that has more brands of fish sauce than you can shake a stick at – and 5 Crabs is one of them. And it’s not very highly priced – I wondered if it was indeed, made by the same company that made 3 Crabs. Since you say it IS, I am going to go get 3 or 4 bottles of the stuff.

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  27. Unfortunately, Thai food is known for fish sauce in almost everything. Many sauces at Thai restaurants are made ahead of time and they cannot “hold” the fish sauce. In any case, make sure to ask your waiter about fish sauce and ask them to make your dish without, if possible. If you are having Pad Thai, also ask for no eggs.

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  28. Knorr is the BEST. It’s probably the only authentic Phu Quoc fish sauce you can get here in the U.S. We found it at a Vietnamese market in San Diego a couple of years back but the market no longer exists so we still hold on to our brand new bottle of Knorr Fish Sauce as if it were a rare wine 🙂 As Jason mentioned, it’s made right on the Phu Quoc Island. Looks like we will have to hand carry a few bottles from Vietnam in our next trip there.

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  29. my family has been using 3 crab for .. well since i was little which is probably about 10+ years ago im assuming? My mom wanted to try out the squid but i find that its not as strong as 3 crab(My favorite also) . A few months ago, i went to our local asian supermarket and i saw Phu quoc and it was labeled at 4 dollars++. I was amazed and curious because its pricier than 3 crab so i thought the flavor would be better also. Thank you for tasting them as you’ve just saved me about 5 dollars that could be used for gas 😀

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  30. Thanks for the tip on 3 crabs. It’s confusing for a Westerner to be confronted by 10 different brands of whatever sauce we want to buy when shopping at an Asian grocery. I picked up a big bottle of 3 crabs at a Korean grocery and it’s definitely the best I’ve had.

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  31. My wife and I have been on this quest searching for quality fish sauce all these years (since 1987) but we were not satisfied with any fish sauce brand here in the US since they either have the unnatural sweet after taste (Thai made fish sauce) or too strong of a smell and salty (Philippine fish sauce). No matter how we tried to mix or fix, they still don’t come close to the fine taste of quality fish sauce that we sorely miss (good fish sauce needs not to be mixed to taste good). My father, a Phan Thiet’s native and his family used to own a Nuoc Mam factory in Mui Ne therefore we know what true extra virgin Nuoc Mam should taste like!
    Until recently, I stumbled across this brand, bought a pair (not cheap though) … and boy, my wife and I were blown away! The reason for this fish sauce goodness is the umami level of 40N since it is extra virgin (first press). We bought 3 cases of 12 bottles each as gift for my family and my in-laws, we’re sure that they will be thrilled! Give it a try, I’m sure there’s no going back to marginal quality Nuoc Mam brands stocked at local Asian markets!
    In case you should ask, no … I don’t work for these people – My wife and I are just new converts, as their huge fans, we sincerely wish them success so we could continue to get their taste bud taunting fish sauce!
    http://nuocmamphuquoc.com/

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  32. Do you know what type of hydrolised vegetable protein they use? Soy, corn or wheat. I have been using it in my cooking but coeliacs can’t have wheat derived products so it is important I provide accurate information. Thanks in advance for anyone who knows the anwer.

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  33. Oh by the way at home we have been using Megachef fish sauce (very expensive) but truly a wonderful product. Only three ingredients anchovies, salt and water. I heard they built the factory within 20 minutes from where the boats come in so the anchovies are in vats as soon as possible. Amazing. The results really speak for them selves. Must try!!

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  34. I’ve been traveling to SE Asia for a decade and have definitely acquired a taste for fish sauce. I’ve also become picky about my fish sauce.
    I do a lot of Thai, Lao and Cambodian cooking and for about six years tried nearly every brand on the Market. I shop along Little Saigon in South Sacramento. About two years ago on a busy Saturday at the busiest market I took about 20 minutes to watch Thai, Vietnamese and Hmong shoppers and noticed that 3 Crabs was picked most often. After asking several of the shoppers why, the near unanimous comment was 3 Crabs had the fullest, roundest taste and aroma and was medium on the salt intensity Two of the shoppers were originally from Phu Quoc and claimed this was better than anything they remember (20 plus years ago). This is the first time I’ve been to this site so it is comforting to know the near universal like of this sauce.
    About a year ago I began to focus on Vietnamese cuisine then I recently returned from the Mekong Delta in Vietnam and found entire shops selling 5 to 7 grades of the same brand of sauce exclusively. Hundreds of bottles on display. I bought a bottle of the medium flavor at a shop in Sa Dec and just finished making a Thai eggplant dish, (eggplant, fish sauce, palm sugar, thai basil and hot peppers & water). It is a dish that really rises or falls on the fish sauce. I tried both and my guests and myself were unanimous in their preference for 3 Crabs.

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  35. I taste tested three fish sauces recently, on of which is the Phu Quoc you also use.
    here are photos of the brands: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cncjedi/5853882167/in/set-72157627008277242/lightbox/
    The brand Hung Thanh is a product of Vietnam, so i assume is authentic. The bottle has the 35N rating on it. It also has 2.2g of protein per 10ml serving. The Phu Quoc has 2g per 15ml serving. The five crabs had 0 protein, and the highest sugar content.
    The Hung Thanh was a little saltier and stronger flavor than the Phu Quoc, but not by much. Color and odor were similar, with the Hung Thanh being a little fishier.
    All were purchased at the Hong Kong Market in Houston TX.
    cheers,
    Michael

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  36. Michael/Jedi: Thanks so much for the reporting and images on your Flickr photostream. I was just at the Hong Kong Market in Houston a couple of weeks ago! But I could not have brought the fish sauce on the plane as carry on.

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  37. I am looking for a retailer in the UK who sells Viet Huong ‘3 Crab’ brand Nuoc Nam in the UK. I have had little success, whereas in France I was able to buy the whole range of Vietnamese products.

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  38. Actually, you are incorrect about all these labels originating from the same company.
    Only Phu Quoc (Made in Vietnam) is true to it’s apprellation origin and proper in production and ingredients per the labeled origin. In 2001 Phu Quoc fish sauce became one of Vietnam’s first product to have its appellation of origin recognised worldwide, meaning the name can be used only for fish sauce products made on the Vietnamese island. Other appellations of origin worldwide include champagne (a region in France), tequila (a town in Mexico), and Havana (cigars).
    Currently, 3 crabs, a hong-kong registered company ( NOT US) tried to usurp the Phu Quoc brand by registering the same name in a provence of china where it was given illegal protection of brand.
    http://www.vir.com.vn/news/top-news/sauce-trademark-owners-usurped.html

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  39. We only use Viet Huong fish sauce in my family cooking. They are great. But lately when they change the bottle cap, it’s harder to open. This is so inconvenient. Usually, the ring is broken so I have to use the knife to cut open. Can you make the cap so that it can be turned open as before, just in case the ring is broken, then we can turn open the cap. Thanks.

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  40. I used to buy Squid brand fish sauce for ages but now I have to say 3 Crabs Fish Sauce is my most favorite Ok, its more expensive but that taste is that much better in my opioion.
    I was told the cheaper type of fish sauces wither vietnamese or thai are use for cooking but when making sauce for rice paper rolls etc I was told i would not regret using 3 crabs by a vietnamese cashier in my local Veitnamese market.
    Well I will use it for everything not just dipping sauce. Last night i used it (3 crabs) along with Ginger Sugar garlic and fresh chilli as a marinade for grilled chicken YUMMY AS~~~~!!!!
    3 crabs brand is def my fav now 🙂

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  41. MSG is MSG, whether “fake” (I assume you mean “manufactured”) or “natural”, if you are talking about the compound itself. The chirality of the molecule is another factor, but manufactured MSG (Ajinomoto, etc) is actually purer in the S-isomer (around 99%) than “natural” glutamates/MSG which is usually around 95% in the S-isomer (about 5% is the R-isomer, the inactive form). At physiological pH (in your blood) the glutamate ion will be in the same form, whether from “natural” or “fake” sources. People sometimes say they get “bad reactions” from MSG, especially when a bad batch of MSG is used. Stuff like that may point more to their reaction to the IMPURITIES in a bad batch of MSG, and NOT to the MSG/glutamate itself.
    The Wikipedia article on MSG actually provides a decent summary on MSG.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monosodium_glutamate

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  43. My family uses the 3 crabs brand fish sauce as we consider it to be more of a premium, better quality and tasting fish sauce, however I’ve found that recently the taste has changed, and it resembles the cheaper brands of fish sauce. It’s pretty disappointing and I want to change brands. Has anyone else found this as well? Or have any other recommendations for fish sauce?

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  44. How can I be incorrect if the owner of the company told me so? I think you’ve misread the post. The Viet Huong company has different kinds of fish sauce. They label them differently. Viet Huong is 3 Crabs. Viet Huong operates a plant in Hong Kong. I’m sure that’s why it registered there. However, the family that owns the company are San Francisco based.

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  45. I’ve used the 1 crab, phu quoc and 3 crabs brands. One day out of curiosity, I decided to taste all three side-by-side. What I noticed is that the 1 crab has a distinctly different flavor than the other two, not necessarily lighter in my opinion. On the other hand, phu quoc and 3 crabs have pretty much the same flavor profile, except 3 crabs is noticeably saltier. I checked the label, and it indeed has a higher sodium content (highest of all three, if I remember correctly).
    Overall, I think 1 crab is made from a different blend than the other two and with relatively moderate sodium content, while 3 crabs and phu quoc are made from a similar/same blend, differing only in saltiness.
    I love all three and usually alternate between them. I’ll have to try the 5 crabs you mentioned.

    Reply

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