Post Views: 1

Boat Noodles Soup in Phuket Old Town

1 viewsBy Willy Thuan · Living in Phuket since 1994

Content show

Thong Smith Phuket is the first branch of Bangkok’s famous boat noodle restaurant in southern Thailand. It opened on Yaowarat Road in Phuket Town, right next to Fran’s, and both restaurants belong to the iBerry Group. The Bangkok branch at Central Embassy has been one of my favourite stops every time I am in the capital, and seeing Thong Smith finally arrive in Phuket made me very happy.

Boat noodles, or kuay teow rua, are one of Thailand’s most loved comfort foods. The dish goes back to the old waterways of Ayutthaya and Bangkok, where vendors used to serve small bowls of noodle soup directly from wooden boats moored along the canals. The portions were tiny, just a few mouthfuls, and the broth was rich, dark, and full of flavour. People would order five or six bowls in one sitting.

Thong Smith took this humble street food and gave it a complete makeover. The kitchen still uses the traditional dark broth simmered with star anise, cinnamon, and other spices, but the ingredients are on a different level. Premium Australian Wagyu, Kurobuta pork, fresh beef, braised beef, beef tendon, and beef balls are all on the menu. The portions are also much bigger than the original tiny boat-style bowls.

A Sister Restaurant to Fran’s

Thong Smith and Fran’s opened next to each other on Yaowarat Road, and both are part of the iBerry Group founded by Atchara “Pla” Burarak. The two restaurants share the same garden courtyard, but each has its own building and its own personality.

Fran’s took over the beautiful 85-year-old heritage mansion at the corner, while Thong Smith built a brand new two-storey glasshouse right next to it. The contrast works very well. You walk through the courtyard, and you can choose between modern bistro food in the old mansion or premium boat noodles in the glass pavilion.

The Setting

The Phuket branch is a tall glass and steel pavilion designed to look like a modern barn. Big windows wrap around both floors, letting plenty of natural light in during the day and giving the whole place a warm atmosphere at night.

The ground floor has the open kitchen, the order counter, and a small dining area near the front window. The upper floor has the main dining room with booth seating along the windows. There is also outdoor seating on the wooden deck under big white umbrellas, which is nice in the early evening.

The Food

The menu at Thong Smith Phuket is the same as the Bangkok branches. You start by choosing your protein, then your noodle type, then your soup style and spice level. There are four spice levels, from mild to seriously hot.

The signature bowl is the Australian Wagyu boat noodle with sliced ribeye, beef ball, braised shank, and tendon. The broth is dark and rich, finished with chopped coriander, fried garlic, peanuts, and sliced green long beans. You can order it with the soup or “dry” with the broth on the side. The Kurobuta pork version is excellent too, lighter than the beef but just as flavourful.

Five noodle types are available: original rice noodles, vermicelli, egg noodles, flat rice noodles, and konjac noodles for those watching their carbs. Bowls start at 139 baht for the pork boat noodles, around 149 baht for the standard beef, and the premium Australian Wagyu ribeye bowl is around 499 to 529 baht. Konjac noodles add 20 baht. There is also a no-noodle option at around 199 baht if you just want the soup and meat.

The side dishes are worth ordering. The grilled pork meatballs with chilli dipping sauce are a Thong Smith classic, slightly smoky and very moreish. The crispy pork rinds, the deep-fried wontons, and the spicy Sichuan dumplings all pair well with the noodles. For dessert, the jasmine banana fritters are a must.

Insider Tips

The Phuket branch is still finding its rhythm. The Bangkok branches, especially Central Embassy, set the bar very high in terms of food consistency and service speed. The Phuket team is still settling in, so service can be slower at peak times. The food quality is already very close to the Bangkok standard.

Lunch is the quietest time, around 11 am to 12 noon. From 6 pm onwards, the restaurant fills up quickly, especially at weekends. There is no booking system as far as I know, so it is first-come, first-served.

If you have never tried boat noodles before, start with spice level 1. It is already spicy by Western standards, with a complex chilli heat that builds up slowly. Level 2 is what most Thais order. Levels 3 and 4 are for those who really know what they are doing.

Parking is available behind the restaurant or on the Merlin Hotel side of the road. Get your ticket stamped at the cashier.

After your meal, walk next door to Fran’s for coffee or dessert, or head a few blocks down to explore the rest of Phuket Old Town. The Sunday Walking Street is just around the corner if you happen to visit on a Sunday evening.