As a new year looms ahead, many Erie County residents spent New Year’s Day savoring long-held traditions in the form of comforting foods.
In Asian cultures, many people eat long noodles. They symbolize longevity and prosperity.
Al Cabantog was born in the Phillippines and has found the traditional flavors he craves at Saigon Nights in Millcreek Township.
“For New Year’s it’s a tradition in the Philippines to eat long noodles because it’s a sign of life and longevity. So that’s why we come here after a long bike ride in Presque Isle and live the tradition!” said Cabantog.
Local divers welcome 2025 with scuba dive into Presque Isle Bay
“The new year, they feel something like veggies, something like healthy and warm inside. Make them feel healthy… energy!” said Nga Rastatter, owner of Saigon Nights.
Aziana Rivera celebrates her Puerto Rican heritage every New Year’s Day.
“It’s more of my mother cooking, the empanadas… the pollo, all of it is cooked homemade. My mother and my sister cook it every year,” said Rivera.