Taiwan Immigrants' Global News Network-Thai nationals unveil best ‘boat noodles’ in Taiwan!

By The China Post, Taiwan【看CP學英文】, “Boat noodles” is one of the most iconic Thai dishes found on floating markets. The boats selling hot noodles among the canals are one of the most representative foods; they often leave a deep impression on tourists.

Because of the pandemic, many new migrants are unable to go back to their hometowns to visit their relatives.

With this observation in mind, Thai migrant, Sunny, Sae-tang (陳勝泰) and Malaysian second-generation migrant CK (洪崇凱) from the Taiwan Immigrants’ Global News Network have decided to seek out the best dishes that would help new residents in Taiwan feel less homsesick.

The “Hahalo 55 Boat Noodles,” Xinyi Store, is located near the Taipei City Hall metro station.

Not only does it bring the original Thai street food of boat noodles back to Taiwan, but the interior of the store, with its tables, chairs, decorations, tablecloths, and tableware, as well as the Thai radio programs played on the store’s stereo, is like going back to the streets of Thailand.

The menu from Hahlo 55 Boat Noodles. (Photo courtesy of Taiwan Immigrants’ Global News Network)

The menu from Hahlo 55 Boat Noodles. (Photo courtesy of Taiwan Immigrants’ Global News Network)

Sunny remarked that “haha” means the number “55” in Thai, and added that “hahalo” is a common Internet slang used by young Thai people.

All the dishes there, including the noodles and side dishes, are priced at NT$55. In addition, there are three kinds of soup: “garlic,” “braised” and “hot and sour.”

CK especially loved the fried chicken wings and fried pork bellies from “Hahalo.” adding that no sauce is needed for both delicious dishes.

The chef of Hahalo, Big Bear (大熊), later added that all the spices used to marinate the meat are imported from Thailand, and the chicken wings and pork have to be marinated the night before, to be fully immersed in the flavor. The tasty dishes had the praises of all three hosts.

Sunny also explained that a great bowl of boat noodles not only needs to have the perfect soup, but the sauces are also an important factor in making it a memorable dish.

According to Sunny, you need to add bean sprouts and basil into the noodles while it’s hot, take a sip of soup, and then add in the fried wonton skins.

Then, add in fried pork skins and crushed peanuts, squeeze some lime juice into the dish and you’ll get a perfect bowl of soup.

For those who prefer a stronger taste to their dishes, you can also add a little bit of the seasonings on the table, such as dried chili powder, sugar, green chili with white vinegar, chili sauce, and fish sauce, for a more authentic Thai taste.

The dish tastes extremely similar to the traditional dishes made in Thailand. (Photo courtesy of Taiwan Immigrants’ Global News Network)