171 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068621
★★★★☆ 4.0 / 5 (637 reviews)
At a Glance
Address 171 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068621
Opening Hours Mon–Sat: 11:30am – 10:00pm | Sunday: Closed
Nearest MRT Telok Ayer MRT (4-minute walk)
Price Range $$ (approx. $10–$20 per person)
Cuisine Thai — Boat Noodles, Rice Dishes, Sizzling Plates
Contact +65 8509 9171
Delivery foodpanda (Islandwide)
Promotions Entertainer App — 1-for-1 on selected mains
Restaurant Review
In a city where Thai restaurants are as common as hawker stalls, standing out requires more than a reliable pad thai. Thachang, nestled along the conserved shophouse stretch of Telok Ayer Street in Singapore’s CBD, earns its reputation on the strength of a deeply satisfying niche: Thai boat noodles executed with care and culinary conviction.
The restaurant occupies a single shophouse unit and makes no pretensions to grandeur. The focus is squarely on the food — specifically on the robust, deeply-spiced noodle soups that trace their lineage to the floating markets of Ayutthaya and Bangkok. For the CBD lunch crowd or the deliberate food pilgrim, Thachang delivers a meaningful and satisfying meal at a price point that feels generous.
The menu extends beyond boat noodles to include rice dishes, stir-fries, and sizzling hotplate preparations. However, it is the boat noodles that cement the restaurant’s identity, and the dishes to which a first-time visitor should orient their order.
Ambience & Atmosphere
Thachang inhabits its Telok Ayer shophouse with the kind of character that modern purpose-built restaurants attempt to manufacture. High ceilings, warm lighting, and subtle Thai decorative elements — framed artwork, traditional motifs, potted greenery — create an interior that feels grounded without being theatrically ethnic.
The space seats approximately 40–50 diners at capacity, lending the room a lively, communal energy during peak lunch hours. Noise levels rise considerably at full capacity given the hard surfaces and compact layout, but the atmosphere reads as convivial rather than chaotic.
Evenings offer a markedly different experience: dimmer, more relaxed, and better suited to a leisurely meal. For a quiet solo dinner or an unhurried catch-up, the dinner service is preferable. For a brisk working lunch, the midday energy is perfectly functional.
Verdict: A character-rich shophouse setting that complements rather than overshadows the food. Functional at lunch; genuinely atmospheric in the evening.
In-Depth Dish Analysis
- Special Pork Boat Noodle — $10.90++
The flagship dish and clearest expression of Thachang’s culinary philosophy. Thai boat noodles (kuay teow ruea) originated as a staple sold from canal boats navigating the waterways of Ayutthaya and Bangkok. The defining characteristic is a darkly complex broth built on bone stock fortified with dried spices, fish sauce, and traditionally pig’s blood, which imparts its characteristic depth and slight viscosity.
Components
⦁ Liver: Sliced thin, cooked just past pink. Retains a silken interior that avoids the chalkiness of overcooked offal. Integrates into the broth without dominating it.
⦁ Pork Balls: Dense, springy, and satisfyingly chewy. Made from ground pork with sufficient fat to stay moist. Resist the tooth briefly before yielding cleanly.
⦁ Pork Slices: Thinly cut, braised to tenderness. Absorb the broth character readily and provide textural contrast to the firmer meatballs.
⦁ Rice Noodles: Medium-flat cut with enough body to hold up in hot broth without turning gluey. Each strand carries the broth coating well.
⦁ Broth: The centrepiece. Mahogany-hued and complex, with background notes of star anise and cinnamon, a savoury-umami foreground, and palm sugar sweetness for balance. Slightly viscous from the collagen-rich stock.
Texture Profile
The bowl presents a deliberate textural range: silky liver, the elastic bounce of pork balls, the yielding tenderness of pork slices, and the smooth resilience of rice noodles. Each component occupies a distinct textural register, ensuring no bite is repetitive. The broth is slightly viscous — coating rather than merely liquid — adding sensory richness that thinner broths cannot match.
- Special Beef Boat Noodle Soup — $11.90++
The beef variant operates on the same structural logic as the pork bowl but delivers a fundamentally different flavour experience. The beef broth is deeper, more mineral, and possesses an iron-rich undertone that makes it particularly fortifying — the kind of soup one craves on a rainy afternoon.
Components
⦁ Beef Slices: Braised until each slice pulls apart with gentle pressure. A thin rim of fat on some pieces delivers flavour and lubrication.
⦁ Beef Balls: Firmer than their pork counterparts, with a compact protein structure and concentrated beef flavour. The firmness is intentional — a feature, not a flaw.
⦁ Chewy Rice Noodles: A slightly thicker cut than the pork variant, matching the assertiveness of the beef broth.
⦁ Broth: Straighter-edged than the pork version — more savoury, darker, with a clean iron note. Unambiguously rich without tipping into heaviness.
Comparative Analysis: Pork vs. Beef
Facet Pork Boat Noodle Beef Boat Noodle
Broth Character Complex, slightly sweet Deep, mineral, savoury
Primary Texture Silken liver + springy balls Firm balls + yielding slices
Offal Element Liver (prominent) Minimal / optional
Broth Viscosity Slightly thick from collagen Full-bodied, cleaner edge
Best Occasion Adventurous palates, offal fans Rainy days, hearty appetite
Price $10.90++ $11.90++
Other Notable Dishes
Khraphao Fried Rice: Thai basil fried rice executed with genuine wok hei and fragrance. One of the stronger non-noodle options on the menu.
Pad Thai: Well-balanced and consistent, avoiding the gloopy over-sweetness that mars less careful versions of this dish.
Creamy Omelette Crab Meat Garlic Fried Rice ($15.90): A standout from the rice section — fragrant garlic-forward rice topped with a yielding omelette encasing generous chunks of crab meat. A crowd favourite.
Sizzling Hotplate Pork Collar with Thai Basil ($19.90): Presented at table on a smoking cast-iron plate. Tender pork collar in a Thai basil sauce with clean heat and excellent caramelisation. Well suited to sharing.
Home Recipe: Thai Boat Noodles (Kuay Teow Ruea)
The following recipe draws on the culinary tradition of Thai kuay teow ruea and is calibrated for a home kitchen. Serves 4. Note that a restaurant broth is the product of extended reduction and accumulated seasoning — a home version will differ in intensity but can still achieve excellent results.
Broth
⦁ 1.5 kg pork or beef bones (knuckle or marrow), blanched
⦁ 3 litres cold water
⦁ 4 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons dark soy sauce, 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
⦁ 2 tablespoons palm sugar (or brown sugar)
⦁ 3 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 5 garlic cloves (crushed), 2 coriander roots, 1 tsp white pepper
⦁ 100ml pig’s blood (optional; gives authentic depth and colour — available at wet markets)
Per-Bowl Assembly
⦁ 80g thin rice noodles, par-boiled
⦁ 50g thinly sliced pork or beef, blanched briefly
⦁ 3–4 pork or beef balls
⦁ 30g pork liver, sliced thin (optional)
⦁ Bean sprouts (blanched), spring onion, fried garlic
⦁ Condiment set: dried chilli flakes, white sugar, fish sauce, white vinegar
Cooking Instructions
- Blanch bones in boiling water for 10 minutes, drain and rinse thoroughly to remove impurities.
- Combine rinsed bones with 3 litres cold water in a large stockpot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer.
- Add star anise, cinnamon, garlic, coriander roots, and white pepper. Simmer uncovered for 2–6 hours, skimming fat periodically. Longer simmering yields greater depth.
- Season with fish sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and palm sugar. Taste and adjust — the broth should be savoury-sweet with layered depth.
- If using pig’s blood, whisk smooth and add in the final 30 minutes over low heat. Do not boil vigorously after adding. This thickens and darkens the broth authentically.
- To serve: place par-boiled noodles and bean sprouts in a bowl, ladle 300–400ml of hot broth, arrange protein, and finish with fried garlic, spring onion, and white pepper.
- Serve with the condiment set alongside. Guests adjust to personal taste — this interactive seasoning is integral to the boat noodle experience.
Notes on Texture Achievement
Liver should be blanched for no more than 45 seconds in near-boiling water to retain its silken, just-cooked interior. Pork balls achieve their characteristic springiness from a high-protein, well-beaten grind — use lean shoulder and beat vigorously before forming. Rice noodles should be added to the broth at service, not simmered in it; prolonged heat causes them to absorb liquid and turn gluey.
Delivery Options
Thachang is available for delivery via foodpanda, with islandwide coverage from the Telok Ayer outlet. Two separate foodpanda storefronts exist for the restaurant — worth checking both for delivery time estimates and any platform-specific promotions before ordering.
Delivery Platforms
Platform Coverage Notes
foodpanda Islandwide 2 listings; check both for best ETA
Self-Pickup In-person at 171 Telok Ayer St Recommended for broth-based dishes
Delivery Caveats
Boat noodle soup presents an inherent structural challenge on delivery. Extended transit causes noodles to absorb liquid and soften significantly. Delivery reviews note instances of noodles arriving stuck together or over-softened, and occasionally missing garnishes or reduced broth volume. To mitigate this, request that noodles and broth be packed separately where possible, and combine them yourself upon receipt. For optimal quality, dine in or collect in person.
Final Verdict
Thachang is a restaurant that knows what it does well and does not stray beyond that competence. The boat noodles — pork and beef alike — represent some of the most carefully considered bowls of this style available in Singapore. The broth commands respect, the proteins are handled with precision, and the price point is fair to the point of generosity.
The broader menu holds up, with rice dishes and stir-fries that reflect genuine culinary intent. The shophouse ambience is characterful without being contrived, and the Telok Ayer location is accessible without being overrun by tourist traffic. Delivery is available via foodpanda, though dine-in remains the more rewarding experience for broth-based dishes.
Recommended For
- Boat noodle enthusiasts
- CBD lunch breaks
- Casual dinners with friends
- Authentic Thai flavour seekers Bear in Mind
- Closed on Sundays
- No reservations; queues at lunch
- Broth dishes degrade on delivery
- Noise rises at full capacity
Overall Rating: 4.0 / 5 — Strongly Recommended
171 Telok Ayer Street, Singapore 068621 | Mon–Sat 11:30am–10:00pm | +65 8509 9171