Wattana Panich: 40-year-old beef broth
Most restaurants simply boast about their traditional recipes. Wattana Panich does one better and has been using the same soup for over 40 years.
Here’s how they’ve kept their broth simmering for over 40 years and the intense flavour it brings.
The same soup since they began selling beef noodles
Image credit: @koz_bkk
Wattana Panich is famous for its soup. Sitting in the front of the store, the huge pot of broth attracts passersby with its alluring fragrance. The store’s regulars were enraptured by its rich and intense flavour only after a few sips.
This is because this particular soup is not only a 40-year-old recipe; it is literally a 40-year-old soup.
Image credit: @pong_noplantravel
Ever since the shop’s inception, they’ve stored the leftover soup overnight. Then when it’s time to open up shop, they’ll reheat the soup and refill the pot using the same equal ratio of ingredients to their original recipe in order to maintain its strong flavour.
Image credit: @mint.petch
The proof is in the pudding, and in this case, it is literal. The huge pot sits atop a gelatinous build-up that is a result of fat spilling out of the pot when it is simmering. That solidified fat is a result of over 40 years of spillage, which the owners claim helps preserve the concrete underneath as well as insulate it to prevent damage.
Signature beef noodles
Image credit: @koz_bkk
You’d be doing yourself a disservice if you’re going to Wattana Panich and not getting a dish that is a product of their 40-year-old broth.
The two dishes we recommend you check out are the beef noodles and beef Gao Lao.
The beef noodles include multiple cuts of beef braised in their signature broth. The beef is tender and is as intensely flavoured as the broth it was cooked in. It is also topped with beef innards and beef meatballs.
Image credit: @koz_bkk
The beef Gao Lao is the exact same dish but without noodles, which will allow you to focus entirely on the beefy flavour.
Both choices cost ฿100 (US$2.88).
Taste Wattana Panich’s famous broth for ฿100 per bowl
Wattana Panich’s broth has won them a ton of accolades, including the prized Michelin Guide recommendation. It’s not hard to see, or taste, why.
But the best way to know for sure is to get down there and taste it yourself.
Wattana Panich
Address: 336 338 Ekkamai Rd, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110
Opening hours: 9am-7:30pm, Daily
Nearest train station: BTS Thonglor
Contact: +66 2391 7264 | Google Maps
Other noodle stalls in Bangkok:
- Tao Huay Apollo: Yunnan noodles & Mala pork dumplings
- Good Noodle Bangkok: 70 types of instant noodles
- 2 Guer Noodles: Tom Yum noodles with Chashu for $2
Cover image adapted from:@koz_bkk