2015 New Menu: Boat Noodle at Empire Damansara, Publika and More: Restaurant Review

Boat Noodle pioneered the Klang Valley’s hottest gastronomic phenomenon of 2014, unleashing a wave of the now-familiar bowls of flavourful Bangkok-inspired noodles. This month, Boat Noodle introduces its latest initiative to make another big splash for 2015, with a wide-ranging new menu of many more Thai temptations, now available at all Boat Noodle branches.

‘Thai Popeye’s Tempura

Start with a series of cheerful snacks, like the playfully named ‘Thai Popeye’s Tempura’ (RM6.90), a striking presentation of fresh spinach leaves in crisp, light batter, coupled with a piquant dip, shipped to the table in a beautiful vessel. Fun finger food.

Thai Fruit Salad

Vibrant colours, vivacious flavours & vivid textures come together in the Thai fruit salad (RM6.90), a medley of grapes, corn, cherry tomatoes & nuts – refreshingly sweet & surprisingly spicy, rounded with a crunchy bite.

Yum Mama

Yum Mama (RM8.50) – the memorable name refers to the Thai-brand instant noodles, which form the soft-&-curly foundation for this easy-to-enjoy salad interspersed with slices of chicken sausage, crab stick & leaves.

Yum Woon Sen

Alternatively, try the Yum Woon Sen (RM13), a glass noodle salad for seafood fans, awash with bouncy shrimp & crab sticks.

Yum Meatball

Yum Meatball (RM8.90) is – as its name implies – ideal for devotees of meatballs, a recipe Boat Noodle has perfected.

Boat Noodle’s Sangkaya

Some fine-tuning is needed for Boat Noodle’s Sangkaya though – the coconut jam for this batch was a bit watery; still, it featured a pleasant flavour to partner with the thick Hainanese-style bread. The use of the steamer is a notable flourish.

Single-plate meals are now also available – soul food that ranges from a simple but satisfying omelette with savoury sauce …

… to the very comforting combo of rice with tender minced chicken, runny fried egg & aromatic basil (RM11.90).

The beverage list has expanded too; we love the cooling respite of the creamy ice-blended green tea & blended coconut (RM8.90). And there’s still more on the new food & drinks selection to try – grilled beef balls to chicken wings to iced coffee.