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Boat Noodles - Huai Lua

·409 words·2 mins
An image of the Boat Noodles café in Huai Lua.
Photo source: ‘Thai Ben’. License: CC BY-NC-SA v4

📍 Map: https://goo.gl/maps/HBjyH9dNm7pTrRZ27

Where I went #

I planned to return from Bueng Kan to Udon Thani today. Rather than returning along the Mekong River to Nong Khai, and then riding down the major highway, I decided to take the more scenic route. Cutting through the inland areas of Bueng Kan and Udon Thani provinces would be a much-needed break from the road trains along the main route.

Half-way through, both my tummy and the skies started to grumble, so I figured it was time to stop for brunch. The next town I pulled in to was tiny. Aside from a police station, there was not much else going on. As I passed a ma-and-pa type convenience store, I noticed a few seats and the familiar water esky and cups that are common at cafés. I turned back and pulled up alongside the store and noticed a small noodle soup shop was set up in the corner.

What I liked #

  • No fuss café with a cheerful owner
  • Simple menu. I believe the options were pork or beef soup and various sizes.
  • Honestly, one of the best boat noodle soups in Thailand

What I ate #

My attempts at speaking Thai were a complete failure here, so I resorted to pointing to one of the 5 options on the menu hanging on the wall. The owner nodded and hurried back to the kitchen

A few moments later, she returned with a steam hot bowl of beef noodle soup. This is one of my favourite meals in Thailand, and I was not disappointed :). I added a few condiments and dug in to it… Having enjoyed many great noodle soups, I had lowered my expectations given the remote area I was in, and the tiny size of this town.

… I needn’t have bothered. Undoubtedly, this was the greatest noodle soup I have tried anywhere. It had an incredibly rich flavour, balancing spice and sweetness extremely well. The beef chunks were falling apart in my spoon, and the noodles were cooked to a perfect al dente firmness.

I devoured my meal slowly. Watching the (brief) rain roll through and fully enjoying the flavours and textures in the dish.

The bowl of noodles came to 40 baht

📷 Photos #

Unnamed café serving incredible boat noodles!
Arriving in to town, with blue skies ahead and rolling thunder behind
Photos just do not do this bowl justice!
Another poor attempt to capture the deliciousness