Hong Kong, now you don’t have to go to Bangkok for a boat noodle fix. ThongSmith is here

If you ask Hongkongers if they like Thai food, many will say they do; ask them if they know ThongSmith, and chances are most of them will say yes. The Bangkok-based noodle chain opened in 2018 and has since expanded to more than 25 locations in the Thai capital. It made a name for itself by honing in on humble boat noodles, with a slow-simmered broth and adding premium toppings such as Australian Wagyu beef and Kurobuta pork. Now, in its eighth year, it has picked Hong Kong as its first overseas location. On March 18, ThongSmith landed in Wan Chai, where long queues of Thai food enthusiasts formed on the first day. According to Instagram users, there was already a 45-minute wait when the restaurant opened 30 minutes before noon. Opening in Hong Kong was a deliberate choice, one that was a long time coming, co-founder Atchara “Pla” Burarak says. “Hong Kong customers have been coming to support ThongSmith since the days when we had only one store,” she says, referring to the restaurant’s first branch in Central Embassy, a luxury shopping centre in Bangkok. “I get contacted by many Hongkongers asking to franchise the restaurant.” For Atchara, Hong Kong is “a very vibrant, foodie city. You love to eat and have a lot of good restaurants; you have a mix of local and international crowds; it’s not too far [from Thailand]. People here understand Thai food very well.” And what better than boat noodles to represent Thai cuisine? Traditionally served from boats and in small bowls, the dish dates back to when canals connected Bangkok instead of roads. “Boat noodles have a special place in Thais’ hearts,” ThongSmith’s culinary director Karn Kittivech says. “It seems to me it has a special gravity. “We have a lot of noodles, us Asian countries. For Thais, we usually go for the best value and what we like the most in terms of taste and proximity. But for boat noodles, somehow, we are willing to drive 16km to try a place that we heard is good.” He has sampled countless variations in Thailand, but the ingredients that he enjoyed in different versions did not quite “come together in one bowl”. So, when he and Atchara – who has been in the food and drink business since 1999 – decided to work on a new project together after nearly two decades of friendship and unofficial collaboration, the chef and food consultant pitched the simple yet hearty boat noodles as the focus. Boat noodles are common in Bangkok, but they can be difficult to find in the central business district or luxury shopping centres, where most of ThongSmith’s outlets are. The recipe for the broth began at the back of Karn’s house. “It started with building, one by one, the spice mix and choosing which herbs to use,” he says. “Now, it’s a collection of around 15 spices and seven fresh herbs.” The name “ThongSmith” means “goldsmith” in Thai, symbolising the craftsmanship that goes into the eight-hour-simmered broth. Hong Kong’s ThongSmith will offer the same authentic flavours, but it is getting a more diverse menu compared to branches in Bangkok, which feature just boat noodles and a few appetisers. “For local Thais, that is enough to satisfy the craving for boat noodles,” Karn says. “For here, we want ThongSmith to be something that represents Thai flavours. “We also understand that boat noodles can be on the spicier and heavier side, so we added other offerings, more appetisers, lighter soups and some wok dishes that are very Thai.” One of the new and Hong Kong-exclusive highlights is the tossed noodles, which – akin to the signature soup noodles – come in beef, pork and vegetarian options, but are instead pre-seasoned and served dry with a bowl of clear soup on the side. There is also the khao ka-prao (beef and Thai basil stir-fry), an equally iconic Thai dish. ThongSmith makes its version spice-heavy and serves it with optional braised tendon and fried duck eggs. Another dish worth mentioning is “yum of golden coin beef”: a salad tossed with inner beef shank slices with lime, fish sauce, chilli, lemongrass, shallots and mint. Also on the menu is the ka-nom-tuay, a steamed pandan coconut pudding made fresh every day. “Most traditional boat noodle spots serve pandan custard at the table,” Atchara says. “When people arrive at the restaurant, they can eat dessert while they are ordering and waiting for the food. It has become like a culture to eat boat noodles with pandan custard.” “They go together quite well,” Karn says, “possibly because the salted coconut cream balances the heat from the soup.” With such a long wait, perhaps Hong Kong’s boat noodle connoisseurs should order a takeaway pandan coconut pudding so they don’t go hungry while waiting in the queue. 38 Spring Garden Lane, Wan Chai. Monday to Sunday, 11.30am to 10pm.

Hong Kong, now you don’t have to go to Bangkok for a boat noodle fix. ThongSmith is here

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}ThongSmith has more than 25 locations in Bangkok. Luckily for Hong Kong’s Thai aficionados, it has opened its first overseas outlet here

ThongSmith has more than 25 locations in Bangkok. Luckily for Hong Kong’s Thai aficionados, it has opened its first overseas outlet here