Thai Boat Noodles

Where it comes from

Before Thailand had highways it had canals, and before food courts it had boat noodles: vendors rowing the khlongs with a charcoal pot balanced amidships, ladling dark, herb-deep beef broth into small bowls — small, so nothing spilled when a wake rolled through. The Rangsit canals near Bangkok made the dish famous; roads eventually beached the boats, but the bowl survived. Ours honors it with slow-simmered broth, chunk beef, meatballs and greens.