It is a magical cauldron that towers at Wattana Panich, a legendary eatery in downtown Bangkok. Here the goat and beef broth has been simmering for 45 years, and it is a solera method in cooking.
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Bangkok is a gastronomic hub: in recent times, it has attracted up to 40 million tourists a year and fed them through something like 320,000 restaurants, ranging from street food to Michelin-starred. A certain fame in this crush has been won by a restaurant called Wattana Panich, which everyone is talking about for its beef and goat soup, which has been simmering for almost half a century. What would the frowning European inspectors, with their HACCP manuals under their noses, say about it?
Credit Miss Tam Chiak
Credit Miss Tam Chiak
And that giant steaming cauldron, imposing like a totem pole in the restaurant's colorful and somewhat chaotic hall, greets guests, local and foreign. Juggling it is the mother of owner Nattapong Kawewnuntawong, wielding an imperial ladle. Indeed, this is the third generation of a family of Chinese descent whose cuisine bears traces of the Celestial Empire. "The soup has been boiling for 45 years," Nattapong says of that magic cauldron that never empties. "We never make it from scratch. Rather we set it aside every night, and the next day we combine water and fresh ingredients."
Credit Michael Sullivan per NPR
Credit Miss Tam Chiak
A dozen dishes are on the menu, including goat stew with Chinese herbs, which carry flavors other than the ubiquitous lemongrass and chili, and beef soup with noodles. They are all prepared in the back by a dozen employees and then assembled, even for takeout, with the pieces of meat scattered everywhere, even out on the street. They have earned Nattapong and family numerous accolades, including Michelin plaques hanging on the wall among the newspaper articles and photos of the monks. And, the broth, extraordinary in complexity and harmony, does not disappoint- meaty but not wild, flavorful, and fragrant, it comes with hibiscus flower juice, light and refreshing. All for just $5.60.
Credit Miss Tam Chiak
Source: insider.com
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Cover Photo: Credit Miss Tam Chiak
