The Thai Soup That Has Been Simmering For Over Half A Century

Time is the secret ingredient to a successful stew, and this small, family-owned restaurant in Bangkok has certainly put in its fair share of time — over 50 years — to draw out the flavors of its world-famous Thai beef and goat noodle stew. Wattana Panich, a third-generation Thai-Chinese soup noodle restaurant in the Ekkamai neighborhood of Bangkok, has perfected the art of fermented beef noodle stew.

Located on a bustling road, the faded green and peach exterior of this cafeteria-like restaurant is easy to miss. Just like its stew, Wattana Panich boasts an unassuming look, with a foundation steeped in history and tradition. With just 13 items, the menu is simple, direct, and offered in English for Western visitors. Many dishes listed are "stewed in selected Chinese herbs." According to the owner, Nattapong Kaweeantawong, who spoke to NPR, they use around a dozen Chinese herbs, with aromatics and spices including cinnamon, black pepper, and cilantro root. They cook whole slabs of beef in the simmering stew for up to three hours, then pull the meat out of the enormous pot (seriously, this thing is around 5 feet wide and more than 2 feet deep), dice it up into smaller chunks, then cook it for another four hours. Along with different cuts of beef, patrons can also order goat and tendon — all simmered in the stew. 

If you're planning on making a foodie pilgrimage to Wattana Panich, there are some things you should know first. Despite taking up two floors of the family-owned shophouse, this world-famous restaurant still boasts long lines of hungry and eager visitors. Considering the restaurant has received multiple Michelin Guide recognitions, all proudly displayed on a cluttered wall of awards, the wait is no surprise. If you want to beat the line, there are a few things you can do. One is to show up a little before opening at 10 a.m. or well after the lunch rush around 3 p.m. You can also order your food to go; that way, you won't have to wait for a table to open up.

There are a lot of misconceptions about what it means to be one of the world's oldest soups. Just because the soup has been simmering for over half a century doesn't mean it's gone bad or is spoiled. The dark stew, which needs constant stirring, provides a warm, simmering bath for nearly 150 pounds of beef a day and is replenished with fresh ingredients daily. Each evening, the pot is cleaned out save for a small amount that's left simmering overnight. Similar to a sourdough starter, that small amount left over in the pot is what provides the starting base for the next day's stew, as well as what gives this beef noodle stew its record-breaking longevity.