First Thai Boat Noodle 甲泰船面

Article By Alison schwabe

Block C-103 Gaoke Plaza Gaoxin Technology Development District Of Xi’an City (under Haidilao Hotpot, Right Corner of Gaoxin 4th Road and 2nd Ring Road)
高新区高科广场B103商铺
甲泰船面(海底捞楼下)
(029) 8881 0077
11:30am – 2:30pm
5:30pm – 10:00pm

Average Price per Person /人均消费:85RMB

PROS:Authenticity, great taste

CONS:So busy!


Iwas very excited to find out that we would be reviewing a Thai restaurant, of which there are very few in Xi’an. Before going, I was a little apprehensive that this would end up being another poor imitation of what is generally a very hard culinary style to do correctly, but still hopeful that this could turn out to be a staple in my regular restaurant selection.

Boat Noodle is fairly easy to find and located in Gaoxin on the southwest bend of the Second Ring, making it quite accessible, especially now that the long-awaited line 3 is open. The closest station is either Yan Ping Men or Keji Lu, though you would still need to walk for a bit or take a short taxi ride to get there.

It’s a friendly, well decorated, modern space that has taken the best of the comfort of Thai lifestyle and combined it with an intense attention to detail. Authenticity is one of their top priorities, as we witnessed the staff painstakingly stripping palm leaves to make decorations and serving platters. Everything from the tables and chairs to the spoons served with dessert have been selected to fit the overall theme.

We started our meal with a dessert appetizer made of coconut cream, and honestly, any time I get to start with dessert, I’m happy. We followed with a selection of classic Thai dishes of varying tastes and levels of spiciness to get an idea of the overall quality of the menu, and we were not disappointed. The Thai green curry was fresh and tangy, while the red prawn curry was spicy enough to bring tears to the eyes, and all the better for it. The eponymous “boat noodles” were hearty and the meat fell apart in our mouths. While all of these dishes were fantastic on their own, we both agreed that the BBQ chicken skewers served with a mustard sauce were our favourite. Everything we tried was distinctly Thai, most likely owing to the fact that all of the ingredients are sourced from Thailand. You would expect it to be absurdly expensive, but it was surprisingly reasonable, with main meals ranging from 39-60RMB and drinks starting at around 20RMB.

With very friendly English-speaking staff that were happy to offer recommendations and an English menu, our visit was easy and relaxing. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for something different and a fun night out with your friends. But be warned—when we arrived at 5:30pm it was almost fully booked and by the time we left at 7pm, there was a queue out the door. Quite remarkable for a restaurant that only opened its doors just over a month ago.

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Alison is a South African living in Xi’an who doesn’t get tongue-tied when it comes to Thai food. She can be reached at reviews@xianease.com