Roasted Crab & Garlic Noodles

ROASTED CRAB 🦀 & GARLIC NOODLES

My dad’s sister immigrated to the Bay Area in the 70’s. Subsequently, the rest of his unmarried siblings followed suit through the years. Our parents stayed in the Philippines because they both had built successful businesses and we were all quite young. I do remember coming to the US to visit during our summer vacations to see our cousins and to also travel to different cities. A lot of our travels involved seeing the sights and of course, food.

An early food experience I remember during one of those vacations is going to Thanh Long in San Francisco. It was all about the Roasted Crab and Garlic Noodle. If you haven’t heard of Thanh Long, you may have heard of Crustacean – both are the Anh Family’s legacy. This experience stuck with me because we would eventually immigrate to the US and still frequent Thanh Long.

The Roasted Crab and Garlic Noodle is just such a magical combination. The sweetness of the Dungeness Crab paired back with the garlicky noodles is just a food memory that has stuck with my family, so much so that it has somehow made its way into our Noche Buena celebrations through the years. I can’t remember when it first appeared but I do have memories about trying to figure out how to make their noodles. There is something about it that sticks with you and later on, we figured out that it was Maggi (we think!). 😆

Let me just say that the recipe for Thanh Long’s Roasted Crab and Garlic Noodle is a closely guarded secret by the Anh family. No one really knows how to make their version but them so go visit them to get that experience. However, to make at home, you can definitely find a place to start by looking online. You’ve got many sources. Try them and make it your own. I will post my version in Stories and Highlights so you can check that out too.

Now you’ve seen @janieP00’s Galbi and my Roasted Crab and Garlic Noodle, neither dish is Filipino but are now part of our immigrant stories of Noche Buena. Do you have an adopted dish as well that is now a part of your Noche Buena? We’d love to hear from you.

♥️Tricia