Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
When my friends and I came back from our Bangkok trip, we missed the taste of Thai boat noodles served in mini bowls. Thankfully, The Original Boat Noodle at Changi City Point was here to save the day!
Located in the basement, the restaurant was spacious and colourfully designed to mimic the lively streets of Bangkok.
Their Boat Noodle (S$1.30++) comes in three different soup bases, with a choice of beef or chicken. You can also choose either rice noodles or springy noodles, which had a texture like instant noodles. We decided to try five bowls of all three flavours.
The first bowl we tried was my personal favourite. The Pathumthani Boat Noodle had a soup base made from sweet dark soy sauce and various spices and herbs that made the soup extremely aromatic.
It was warm, flavourful and hearty, with each mouthful filled with the subtle sweet notes of the star anise.
On the other hand, the Ayutthaya Boat Noodle’s broth contained coconut milk. Even though it was creamier than the Pathumthani, it had a kick of spiciness that we enjoyed. The coconut milk made the broth heavier, yet at the same time, it didn’t overwhelm the taste of the spices.
We tried both the Pathumthani and Ayutthaya Boat Noodle with beef and chicken, and felt that the chicken version tasted lighter in flavour. So if you enjoy a meatier dish, you can opt for the beef version.
The last bowl we tried was the Creamy Tom Yum with Springy Noodles. Served with shredded chicken, a chicken meatball and, a few pieces of fried wonton skin, each bite was crunchy and flavourful. The creamy, sweet and slightly zesty broth packed a punch, and slurping it up was enjoyable.
Apart from these wholesome bowls of noodles, The Original Boat Noodle serves other dishes as well.
A Thai restaurant would not be complete without the popular Kra-Pow Chicken Rice (S$8.90++), or Thai basil chicken rice.
This dish came in generous portions, with a crispy fried egg atop the warm white rice, and trying it immediately put smiles on our faces. The basil chicken was also well-seasoned and had a good amount of spicy kick to it.
The Bangkok Omelette Rice (S$8.90++) is another dish I would recommend. Fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside, the fried omelette had a perfect texture. Served on top of warm rice and with a side of coconut tom yum sauce, this is an exemplary rice dish.
Given how big the portions are, I would recommend trying the different types of boat noodles, and sharing the rice dishes.
Of course, we couldn’t leave without trying the desserts and drinks. Unlike the popular mango sticky rice and red ruby you find in other restaurants, we tried the unconventional Hot Steamy Sangkayaa (S$4.90++). The warm and soft white bread came in a bamboo steamer, with a generous amount of kaya dip in the middle.
Don’t be fooled by how ordinary it looks! The smoothness of the kaya was impeccable and we just couldn’t resist reaching for more!
We also tried a range of their drinks, including Thai Iced Tea, Thai Ice Green Tea, Thai Iced Coffee (S$3.90++ each), Butterfly Lemon Tea (S$4.90++) and Coconut Blended (S$5.90++).
For those who enjoy drinks which aren’t too sweet, they have a option of lower levels of sweetness for the milk teas and coffee.
We definitely recommend the Butterfly Lemon Tea, which was really fragrant and refreshing, thanks to the lemon juice added to it. The colour even changes from blue to violet when you add the lemon juice!
The Coconut Blended left us wanting for more. It tasted just like the flesh of the coconut instead of just sipping on coconut water. It wasn’t as creamy as we thought it would be, and was equally refreshing.
These two drinks are definitely the choice to wash down the meal with!
The Original Boat Noodle did not let us down with its authenticity. It’s really worth the money if you go in a big group, as you’ll be able to try more dishes and enjoy the full food experience.
They offer lunch set meals from S$9.90++ – S$11.90++ as well. So if you’re in the vicinity, this place would be a good place for lunch and dinner with friends and family.
Expected Damage: S$10 – S$20 per pax
