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The boat noodles (kaui ciao) at Doy Kuai Tiao Neua is amazingly good, packed with flavors. I guarantee it will surpass even your wildest expectations. And it’s only a 8-10 minutes walk from the Victory Monument. But honestly, I would be willing to walk a couple of hours if needed just to grab a mouthful of this wonderful bowls.

You can discuss for hours who serves the best boat noodles in Bangkok, but I can assure you that the boat noodles at Doy is really up there. I can’t imagine it can be any better, and I have tasted quite a few.

Doy has been serving their boat noodles with beef (neua) and pork (moo) for more than 50 years. In other words, they go back to the time when boat noodles actually were sold from boats that traversed Bangkok’s many canals. Those 50 years of experience is to be found in the taste.

Both the beef and the pork meat is tender and deliciously tasty, and the slice of liver not overcooked as it can be some places. The meat balls are also good. The noodles are chewy the way it should be. Most of the time I go for the sen lek size, but they have other options. Small bags of fried pork skin is on the table, so make sure you throw some pieces into your bowls – good taste, but also adding a nice and crispy texture to the dish. But what really separate Doy Kuai Tiao Neua from the crowd is the broth. I doubt you find anything better. The broth is dark, rich and thick and personally I find it extremely well seasoned. It’s not spicy, but mildly sweet and salty and full of spices. And yes, it includes a spoon of blood (nam tok), an important reason behind the deep and rich flavor. I seldom add more fish sauce or anything else when here, except for chili if I’m in the mood for a quick kick. The bowl is topped with chopped morning glory and coriander. Mind-blowing is probably the word that sums it up for me.

Doy Kuai Tiao Neua is a large “restaurant” located at the end of Ratchawithi Soi 18, next to the canal and behind the Wat Makok temple. It’s packed with office workers, nurses and doctors prime lunch time as the Rajavithi Hospital is nearby. Walking distance from Victory Monument is 8-10 minutes. The look of the shack might scare you of, but please walk in and have  bowl or 10. You won’t regret.

If you look for alternatives, you have a good alternative at Boat Noodle Alley close to Victory Monument, a few minutes walk away. If your stomack is heading more to khao man gai (chicken on rice) you have Jae Wa at the Victory Monument.

Name: Doy Kuai Tiao Neua

Food: Boat noodles

Price: 15 bath a bowl

Open: 8:30am-5:30pm

Phone: 081-619-1925

Address: Ratchawithi Soi 18 (Wat Makok)

How to get there: Take BTS to Victory Monument. Take exit 3 and walk North, facing the monument. Then keep to the left (west) where you first walk down and then up on bridge again to cross Ratchawithi Road. Follow Ratchawithi road it until you come to Soi 18. Turn left and walk down the Soi, passing the small Tops supermarked, passing the temple and walk around it. Then you see it on your right side, just before a small bridge.

History of boot noodles in short and type of noodles

Boat noodles originated from China and have been served in Bangkok since the period of Plaek Phibunsongkhram (1942). In the past, a merchant who sold boat noodles would have been the only person working on a small boat, and would have had to do everything by herself/himself – from paddle the boat, scald the noodles, season the soup, serve the dish and wash the dishes. The reason behind the small portions was to avoid spilling when handing it over to the customer.

Boat noodles (kuai tiao) has a strong flavor. It contains dark soy sauce, pickled bean curd and some other spices, and is normally served with meatballs and pig’s liver. The soup contains nam tok (cow or pigs blood) that gives the intensity of the flavor. The hot stock pored over a spoonful blood will kill any bacteria.

Other typical ingredients of boat noodles are garlic, fried garlic, radish, cinnamon, bean sprouts, parsley, morning glory and some paprika. Type of the noodles for boat noodle are several; thin rice noodles, egg noodles, sen yai and sen lek where sen yai is wider then sen lek.