Canal Legacy · Tiny-Bowl Noodle Soup

Kuay Teow Reua (Boat Noodles)

Photo: Alpha / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

The tiny bowls are usually explained as a legacy of the boats: small portions were easier to pass from a rocking boat to customers on the bank without spilling.

A dark, herbal broth thickened with pork or beef blood is ladled over rice noodles with sliced meat, morning glory and crispy pork skin, traditionally served in a small bowl meant for a couple of bites at a time. Diners typically order several rounds at once, since one bowl doesn't go far.

Why it's made this way: The dish originated on the boats that once worked Bangkok's canals, where a lone vendor handled paddling, cooking and serving alone, and some restaurants still moor a boat out front as a nod to that history.