Nohm Thai Boat Noodle @ Abu Siti Lane, Georgetown, Penang.

Nohm Thai Boat Noodle is not new- the restaurant has set foot at Butterworth for a couple of years and they have just opened a second branch at Abu Siti Lane. The outlet at Abu Siti Lane offers a rather big Thai menu with a focus on Thai Boat Noodle as well as the usual Thai delights. Dishes are reasonably priced; a convenient spot in the heart of Georgetown for a bowl of lip-smacking Thai Boat Noodle.

Skiff Thai Cafe @ CYC Heritage Hotel, Georgetown, Penang.

Housed in CYC Heritage Hotel at CY Choy, Skiff Thai Cafe replaces ATAS Cafe of the same spot; offering a small Thai menu. Visitors can park their cars at the car park behind the building (within the CYC Heritage Hotel) and enter from behind. The cafe features a small Thai menu consists of Thai Boat Noodles, a small selection of Thai appetizers and mains. The price points are generally higher than most Thai restaurants- considering the extremely small portions. It poses a challenge to visit in a big group as you will probably need to order a few more extras to make up the portion (also the drinks- be prepared to pay RM9 for a glass of Nutmeg-cordial juice). Quality-wise, the ones we had were fine, just the portion did not quite justify the prices.  

Siam Poh Boat Noodle @ Sri Bahari Road, Georgetown, Penang.

Siam Poh Boat Noodle is probably one of the few Thai restaurants in town that serves authentic Thai Boat Noodles. What sets them apart is their rich, flavorful broth... made unique by the inclusion of pig blood which gives the soul to the dish. This Thai restaurant at Sri Bahari Road offers a great Thai street food menu- with a good variety of delicacies and light meals. Other than the Boat Noodles, expect to find Som Tam, Mama Mee Seafood or even Yen Ta Fu (Thai Fermented Noodles) on the menu! Their specialties also include dishes from Isan (a region in Thai near to the Laos and Cambodia borders). A place not to be missed by Thai food lovers. 

Many Thanks to Siam Poh Boat Noodle for hosting us.

Kin Zab Thai Street Food @ Noordin Street, Georgetown, Penang.

A new spot for Thai food lovers to check it out- Kin Zab at Noordin Street offers a Thai Street Food menu, featuring many Thai delicacies from southern Thai. The proprietor is from Hatyai and naturally, able to offer the best from Songkhla district. The menu features a selection of Thai noodles- Boat Noodles, Tom Yum, MAMA noodles etc with an array of Rice and side dishes. Some uncommon dishes like Yen To Foo are also available. Price points are reasonable but expect the portion to be smaller than expected. The place is air-conditioned and offers a comfortable space for a quick meal.

[Travel/ Food Guide] Itinerary to Betong, Thailand (勿洞，泰国) 2023

Being one of the nearest towns in Thailand to the Malaysian border, Betong remains as a popular destination for many Malaysians for a short retreat. Many new places have sprung up since the lockdown and the town has regained its previous glory. Our short trip here was to uncover some new places and of course, to visit new attraction like the Betong Ayerweng Skywalk. Read more on our previous trip in 2019 here.

If this is your first trip crossing the Malaysia-Thai border by car, same procedure as before. You just need to get the immigration cards done with valid passport as well as relevant vehicle permits. 

Code Thai Tom Yum Noodles @ Bayan Lepas, Penang.

Code Thai Tom Yum Noodles has been around for quite a while... like its name suggested, the place specializes in dishing out Thai-noodles... available in different ways. Though the name mentions about Tom Yum Noodles, the place is not entirely about Tom Yum but include almost every popular Thai noodles... from Green Curry to Pad Thai to Boat Noodles; of course, the menu also extends to cover some Thai stir fries as well as Thai delicacies. Affordable price tags, comfortable-air conditioned dining space... not too shabby for a quick, casual yet sweat inducing Thai food experience. 

WhatSaeb Thai Boat Noodles @ Carnavon Street, Georgetown, Penang.

WhatSaeb Thai Boat Noodles made its first debut in The Saw Emporium earlier this year, the Boat Noodle specialist is well-established in Klang Valley but has recently relocated to Penang. The new location can be found at Carnavon Street and the place offers an array of Thai delights; expect to see some authentic, robust Thai Noodles, Rice dishes and sides. Prices are standard-average but the serving portions are smaller than our expectations.... more like a place to taste the diversity (of flavors) than a place for filling meal. 

So Thaisty @ Bayan Baru, Penang.

So Thaisty started out as a Thai Tea parlour but recently, it has rolled out its food menu. Housed in a snug shop lot right to the Bayan Baru mosque (facing the Bayan Baru wet market), So Thaisty is known to serve thirst-quenching Thai Tea but its newly introduced food menu focuses on noodle-dishes. Noodle-lovers would be glad to know that no common Thai dishes such as Tom Yum or Kerabu but instead, some unconventional Thai-inspired noodle dishes. Though the menu is small, the flavors are big; the Chef pays great attention to small details as to the use of herbs and spices. Given the satisfying quality, we thought the dishes are competitively priced. It is also noteworthy that So Thaisty does catering as well, so it might be a decent option to cater for the Muslim crowd (manned by Muslim Chef and proprietor). 

[The Original] Boat Noodles @ Sunway Carnival Mall, Seberang Jaya, Penang.

The very-hyped Thai Boat Noodle trend in Penang seen a few new opening of Thai Boat Noodle outlets but the market leader- Boat Noodles did not respond to the trend. We believe the trend has subsided for now but recently, The Original Boat Noodles has decided to expand their business operations to Penang. The first branch by the brand is now open at Sunway Carnival Mall and relentless queues were spotted during our trips there. It was not easy for us either, we gladly joined the queue and it took us approximately 15 minutes to clear it. The Thai menu is Boat Noodles-centric with a few sides while the interior decor is minimal and a lot of tables (distance between tables is small). If I were to nitpick, there are rooms for improvements- the floor was not properly cleaned, utensils were greasy; the only thing praise-worthy was the crowd-management. Find Boat Noodles on the Second Floor of Sunway Carnival Mall, a stone's throw distance away from Hanamaru and Yoshinoya. 

Thai Food @ Fong Garden, Terengganu Road, Georgetown, Penang.

Fong Garden appears to be just an ordinary hawker centre in the neighborhood but what hidden inside the place is extraordinary. Firstly, there's this Chu Char corner- New Anson Park Seafood (not to be featured in this blog post) moved from Anson Park which dishes out lip-smacking dishes and we particularly recommend their Curry Fish Head but if Chu Char is not on your list, watch out for this humble stall selling Thai delicacies. While there are plenty of interesting eats inside, there is nothing worth-mentioning about the interior decor. If you are coming from Heng Ee High School towards Jalan Air Hitam/ Han Chiang Schools, Fong Garden is on your left, right next to a Chinese Temple on the same road. 

[Suggested Itinerary] Bangkok, Thailand Food Guide 2015 of Street Food and Restaurants

A gastronomical paradise for food lovers, Bangkok is indisputably famed for its food, not only the ubiquitous street food but also renowned for its myriad of restaurants offering international cuisine. It is nearly impossible to go through and narrow down everyone of them. We might not have tried a very extensive selection of restaurants/ street food but we do have a list of interesting food places here; whether you have a tight budget or deep pocket, you will always find a place that suits you in Bangkok, Thailand.

P/S: If you are looking for an eloquent tour guide who speaks fluent English and Mandarin, you may contact Pinky at +6681-372 9848 or email her at pinky_9848@hotmail.com. She is one of the best tour guides I have ever met- extremely friendly and knowledgeable. One of the many reasons to why we enjoyed our tour so much. Also, many thanks to Richard Lim, Marketing Manager of Tourism Authority of Thailand in Malaysia for showing us around.

*This post is brought to you by Tourism Authority of Thailand.*

1) Kuang Heng Pratunam 

Address: 960- 962, Phetchaburi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, Thailand.

Business Hours: 6 am to 1 am. Opens Daily.

Direction: 10 min walk from Ratchathewi BTS station, the place can be found across the street to Platinum Fashion Mall.  

Dried Fish Maw Soup (50 Baht)

Sangkaya with Steamed Bread (40 Baht)

"Little Thai" of Thai Boat Noodles and Coconut Ice Cream @ One-Stop Midlands Park Centre, Pulau Tikus, Penang.

Most Penangites have a soft spot for Thai Food, though Thai snacks and delicacies are a dime of dozen but finding a really good one can be challenging. One-Stop Midlands Park Centre, a place where time has forgotten... many shops have since closed down but there are some new ones popping out as well. The "Little Thai" corner is one good example, probably a place ideal for Thai food devotees to explore. Traditional Thai delicacies like Som Tam (Papaya Salad), Coconut Ice Cream, Tom Yum, Koay Chiap, Boat Noodles, Chicken Rice etc are available, all priced at unbeatable and wallet-friendly prices. 

Thai Me Up (夜泰美) @ Zainal Abidin, Georgetown, Penang.

Thai Boat Noodle craze continues in Penang, evidently seen from the opening of a new Thai Boat Noodle-specialist at Jalan Zainal Abidin, Georgetown. The new establishment has a quirky, catchy name- Thai Me Up; the small menu features a series of their Noodle-dishes but no, they do not serve their noodles in small portion but rather, normal-average portion. It should not be too hard to locate the place, Thai Me Up is just next to Sentral College on the same road. However, given that the food was not mind-blowingly good, I would not make my way all out just to have their noodles. Nevertheless, they are still new and the menu is constantly evolving, I might need to make a second visit before making a conclusion. 

Dim Sum City @ Insadunia Food Court, Kampung Baru, Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

A regular Dim Sum place for the folks in Bukit Mertajam, Dim Sum City is an iconic place in the heartland of Kampung Baru; partly due to the spacious, windy seating and strategic location which gives easy access to many. A Dim Sum place in the morning, a hawker center in the evening; the place has a huge facade with ample parking lots. While we did not think that they have plenty of choices but they do have the upper hand in terms of prices. We were quite impressed with their efficient service too, a couple of Dim Sum carts were approaching us right after we were invited to our tables. It was impossible for me to list down all the prices but the total damage of all Dim Sum dishes on my visit was Rm 34 nett.

Deep Fried Bean Curd Skin with Shrimp

Steamed Pork Ribs

Patsa Thai Thai @ Dato Keramat, Georgetown, Penang.

You would have missed Patsa Thai Thai Shop if you have not paid attention to the nearby shop houses... tucked within the heritage houses along Dato Keramat, a stone's throw distance away from GAMA Supermarket. Patsa Thai Thai specializes in serving Thai Boat Noodles as well as some of its proud creations. Rest-assured, authenticity is there as all the recipes are brought here by a Thai Chef, which apparently the wife to the restaurant owner. The menu is small right now but more items are to be added on to the menu in the near future. The restaurant is fully air-conditioned and has a minimalist Thai-influenced decorations.

Many Thanks to Patsa Thai Thai for hosting us that evening.

Noodle Doodle @ New World Park, Georgetown, Penang.

Another new Thai Boat Noodle establishment has invaded New World Park, drawing a huge crowd to the food court; a result of the continuation of the Boat Noodle-craze. Noodle Doodle occupies a prominent spot at New World Park, within walking distance from the food court and right next to Mizi Bistro (opposite Passion of Kerala). Similarly to its competitor at Summerton, the interior decor is simple and minimalist but Noodle Doodle has a better ventilation system and ample seating space. The menu, however, is quite restricted.

Thai Soup Boat Noodle (Rm 1.90)

Thai Hao Chi Boat Noodle (泰好吃) @ Summerton, Bayan Baru, Penang.

It has been quite some time since the Thai Boat Noodles craze happened in KL; the newly built commercial building at Queensbay- Summerton welcomes the first Thai Boat Noodle-specialist in Penang. The outlet at Summerton is the brand's humble start up and it has certainly drawn quite some attention from local foodies lately. The place saw relentless queue everyday, with explorers waiting patiently to try the noodles. The place, however, needs to improve on their air-ventilation, air-conditioners and serving speed. The labor-intensive Thai Boat Noodles had all the workers occupied, the place had water on the floor; while the entire restaurant was warm and sweat-inducing. Thai Hao Chi Boat Noodle does not have much to offer, only Boat Noodles with a few Appetizers and a couple of Desserts. Prices are on the steeper side and with the bad experience I had, I am not sure if I am willing to return to this place in the near future.