Thachang (Telok Ayer)

Thachang (Telok Ayer) is a casual Thai restaurant at 171 Telok Ayer Street, in Singapore's central business district. Its focus is Thai boat noodles. This spiced noodle soup was once sold from small boats on the canals of Bangkok.

Three Thai friends, Anna, Jazz and Maysa, started the business. They learned to make the dish from a veteran Thai chef with more than 20 years of experience. The broth recipe is said to trace back to the boat noodle stalls around Victory Monument in Bangkok. Thachang first traded at Golden Mile Complex and moved to Telok Ayer in 2023.

What to order

Start with a bowl of boat noodle soup. The special pork and special beef versions are the best known. The pork bowl has pork balls, sliced pork and liver, while the beef bowl comes with plenty of sliced beef and beef balls. You can choose egg noodles, Thai noodles, rice noodles or vermicelli.

Other dishes worth trying:

• Omelette Crab Bomb: a large omelette stuffed with crab and deep-fried, served with a sour chilli dip.
• Hot Pot Boat Noodle Set: the boat noodle soup served in a hot pot, made with a broth recipe the shop says is 20 years old.
• Creamy omelette crab meat rice: soft omelette and crab meat served with Thai fragrant rice.
• Fermented grilled pork skewers: Thai-style sour pork, grilled on sticks.
• Deep-fried seabass: served with fish sauce and a tangy mango salad.

The menu also covers Thai staples for anyone who wants rice or a stir-fry instead of noodles.

The setting

Thachang is a relaxed place for a quick, filling meal. The dining room is fairly small, so it can feel squeezed at the lunch peak, when office workers from the CBD head out to eat. Arriving a little before or after the main lunch hour makes for a calmer meal.

Good to know before you go

• Booking: you can reserve a table through Chope. Bookings there come with a 90-minute dining window.
• Spice: Thai food here can be hot. If you are sensitive to chilli, say so when you order.
• Delivery: the Telok Ayer shop is also listed on food delivery apps such as GrabFood.

Nearby

Telok Ayer MRT station on the Downtown Line is a few minutes' walk away. Telok Ayer Street is lined with restored shophouses and has many places to eat. Thian Hock Keng Temple, one of Singapore's oldest Chinese temples, stands a short walk along the same street. For Korean food on the same street, try Hyang Yeon (Telok Ayer). After your meal, you can walk to the riverside bars and restaurants at Boat Quay. If you need somewhere to stay nearby, The Clan Hotel Singapore is on Cross Street. See more Thai, Korean and Asian restaurants or all restaurants in Marina Bay and the CBD.