Why we love Thanh Long's famous garlic noodles
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The perfect combination. Photo: Nadia Lopez/Axios
It's officially crab season, but that wouldn't mean much without one unassuming restaurant that gave rise to a quintessential fusion dish.
Why it matters: In a city that prides itself on its culinary diversity, Thanh Long stands out as a foundational San Francisco restaurant that continues to influence the food scene today.
State of play: The longtime eatery situated on a quiet corner deep in the Outer Sunset at Judah Street and 46th Avenue was founded by Vietnamese immigrant Helene An and her family in 1971.
- An's recipe combines classical French techniques with Southeast Asian flavors to create garlic noodles ($16), often paired with Dungeness crab ($88).
- The noodles are rich, springy and savory, drenched in an umami butter-garlic sauce that goes so well with a whole roasted crab doused in black pepper and fried shallots.
- Though the recipe remains a family-held secret, the basic ingredients include some combination of garlic, butter, oyster sauce, soy sauce and a hefty handful of Parmesan cheese.
The big picture: At a time when Vietnamese food was still largely unfamiliar to many Americans, the dish offered an approachable entry point that helped bring it into the mainstream.
- It soon became one of San Francisco's signature fusion dishes that launched An's restaurant empire, which today spans five restaurants across the Bay Area and Southern California, a catering business and a cookbook.
The vibe: Today, the restaurant remains largely unchanged. The dining room buzzes with locals and out-of-towners alike, many wearing plastic crab bibs as platters of the steaming dishes hit the tables.
- Walls are lined with family photos and yellowing newspaper clippings from the early 1990s, documenting the An family's legacy and the restaurant's rise to fame.
Dig in: For the same price, diners can also opt for the crab in two other flavors — a "drunken" version simmered in Chardonnay, sake and brandy, and one infused with tomatoes and tamarind.
- Other noteworthy dishes include the garlic rice ($13) and spicy eggplant ($28).
My thought bubble: I love enduring places like Thanh Long that feel nostalgic and celebrate the immigrant journey behind San Francisco's food culture.
If you go: Hours vary. Open Wednesday through Sunday at 4101 Judah St.