in Food & Drink, Travel | July 1st, 2026 Leave a Comment
As Bangkok rises into the ranks of the world’s great culinary destination cities, its restaurant scene caters to ever more well-heeled travelers. There, you can now visit establishments with not just one, and not just two, but three Michelin stars. Even so, many a Bangkok habitué will surely tell you that the city’s best food is still served in the same humble places as always, or at least whose rent hasn’t been hiked too badly. Even in as hipsterized an area as Ekkamai Road, though, some have been around long enough to own their real estate. Take Wattana Panich, which has been serving beef noodle soup in its own building for more than 50 years — and indeed, using the same broth the whole time.
You can have a look at the process in the Great Big Story video at the top of the post. “Forever soup, also known as perpetual stew or hunter’s pot, is enjoying a moment as adventurous cooks and intrepid diners rediscover the old method in which a broth can simmer for weeks, months or even years,” writes Shan Li in a recent Wall Street Journal article.
Third-generation Wattana Panich owner Nattapong Kaweenuntawong “has tended the broth from morning until night since gaining custody two decades ago. By day, it bubbles in a giant stainless-steel pot about 5 feet across and one foot deep, encased in lava-like concrete and heated by gas. He tweaks the flavor by adding fresh ingredients, including fish sauce, soy sauce, chunks of beef and sachets of Chinese herbs.”
