At Wattana Panich in Bangkok, you can order a bowl of beef noodles with a broth that's been around for nearly half a century.

Wattana Panich is one of the most famous restaurants on Ekkamai Street in Bangkok. The most famous dish here is beef noodles with a rich broth, cooked according to a family recipe. When entering the restaurant, diners will see a giant pot of broth, inside of which are stewed beef, pork belly, meatballs, organs... Spices include star anise, cinnamon, black pepper and 10 kinds of Chinese herbs and spices.

What makes the noodles here unique is its broth. The pot of broth has been simmering continuously for nearly 50 years. According to BK Magazine, the chefs at Wattana Panich chill the leftover broth every night and store it in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage. It is used to make the base for the stew the next day. Every day, they add about 25 kg of beef to the broth, which retains its flavor for decades, and continuously enriches the dish.

The owner said that they have been doing this for many years, and believes that this is the method that keeps the flavor of the broth unchanged for more than 4 decades, creating famous delicious dishes.



This method may surprise many diners, but it is not unfamiliar to chefs. In fact, Wattana Panich is based on an ancient cooking method called "perpetual simmering". Basically, it is letting the broth simmer continuously while adding new ingredients. This ensures that the broth absorbs as much flavor as possible from the ingredients, making it the most delicious. The principle is simple: the longer the broth simmers, the better it tastes.The current owner, Nattapong Kaweenuntawong, 40, is the third generation in his family to run the restaurant. He started learning to cook the dish as a child, every day, under the guidance of his father. The restaurant was first opened in a small restaurant near the Chao Phraya River nearly 60 years ago by Nattapong’s grandfather. It later moved to another location before settling in the heart of the capital where it is today.

He hopes his three children will continue the family tradition, becoming the fourth generation. Whatever happens, the Thai-Chinese owner says, one thing is for sure: they will use the same broth, or at least a little bit, as when the restaurant opened in Ekkamai nearly 50 years ago.

Currently, due to the pandemic, the restaurant is still open but only sells takeout. In March this year, the restaurant and five other eateries in Thailand were honored by BK Magazine as "Asia's Essence".