Much more than ramen: The guide to Asian soups you must know in London
When talking about Asian soups, in London or anywhere else, most Israelis immediately think of ramen, and perhaps sometimes of Vietnamese Pho. But that's just the tip of the iceberg: London is nothing less than a powerhouse of incredibly diverse Asian food, and within this celebration, there is a rich, aromatic, and colorful world of fascinating soups with rich broths, from countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Burma, Nepal, Taiwan, China, Korea, and more.
As a culinary guide ("Hungry in London") who is passionate about international cuisine, and loves that you can go on culinary journeys around the world in this city, I invite you to join me on a fascinating journey through my favorite soups from Asia, which thankfully can also be found here in London, and many of them are less known to the Israeli public. From Malaysian Laksa to Nepali Thukpa, from Thai Kuay Teow to Indonesian Soto Ayam 🙂
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Just as ramen is a world unto itself, with different types of broths, so too is the world of Asian soups. If Vietnamese Pho is based on a relatively clear and delicate broth, in Thailand, noodle soups tend to be more aromatic, spiced, and based on a balance between sweet, sour, spicy, and salty. In Malaysia and Singapore, Laksa takes everything in the direction of coconut, chili, dried shrimp, and spices. In Taiwan and China, beef and noodle soups can be deep, dark, spiced with anise and cinnamon, or conversely, clear and minimalist. In Nepal and Tibet, the soups are meant to warm and be a "complete meal in a bowl," so the additions and aromas can be truly surprising. In short - a world.
These soups represent not only the fascinating cuisines of various Asian countries but also the culture of those countries, serving as a kind of "gateway" to these cultures, through which one can enjoy some of the best cuisines in the world, and some of those soups represent the culinary highlight of those cuisines for me (if you ask me, for example, what my favorite dish is in Thai, Malaysian, or Nepalese cuisine - it will often be the soup you see here in the guide:) By the way, I won't go into ramen here, because we have a whole review dedicated to the best ramen soups in London.
Each soup has its own magic - some are based on broths that cook for long hours, others are based on a unique combination of ingredients or spices, on diverse curry pastes that are very different from what Israelis think when they hear the word "curry", on coconut milk, spices, herbs, bones, dried fish, and what not. Shall we begin?
Laksa - a wonderful family of soups from Malaysia and Singapore
If you've ever joined me on a culinary tour of London, you've likely heard me say, when passing a ramen restaurant or stall, "I highly recommend venturing beyond ramen and discovering other Asian soups here – especially laksa."
Could make ramen lovers develop a new obsession. Laksa soup
Laksa (or Laksa) is, in my opinion, the soup that can make ramen lovers develop a new obsession. It's not a single soup but a family of noodle soups from Southeast Asia, mainly from Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, which are usually characterized by an orange color, a crazy coconut aroma, and a rich broth with varying degrees of curry notes, different types of noodles, vegetables, and additions of chicken, beef, tofu, or seafood.
There are laksa soups that will feel relatively delicate to you, more coconutty and creamy, and there are those that will feel spicier, or with more prominent curry flavors. In my opinion, the division of most of the laksas you'll find in London is between a delicate coconut laksa and a punchy curry laksa, but in the world of laksa there is a distinction between two main types, curry-based laksa, and Asam-type laksa which is based on fish and tamarind.
The type you'll usually find in London is the Curry Laksa, in varying degrees of strength, with the soup based on coconut milk, spice paste, chili, lemongrass, galangal, and sometimes shrimp, roasted eggplant, fish balls, and what not, and that's before we even get to the noodles 🙂
When you "stumble upon" a truly good Laksa – it's delightful on so many levels. Think Thai Khao Soi soup "on speed," or a combination of ramen's creamy texture and flavors from the more exotic side of the Far East.
Where to eat laksa in London?
My personal favorite is the Laksa from Phat Phuc Noodle Bar in Chelsea, especially the one with shrimp (highly recommended in my opinion) or the duck (which isn't on the menu but you can ask for it:) Another "institution" for Laksa is C&R Cafe in Chinatown, and in West London there's a hidden gem of a family-run place called Normah's that specializes in home-style Malaysian dishes, including, of course, Laksa.
Guay Tiew / Kuay Teow - The Genius of the Broth
Guay Tiew is not the name of a single soup, but a broad name for Thai noodle dishes, sometimes in soup and sometimes in a dry version. But in the context of soups, it is one of the most everyday and most important things in Thailand. It is such a wonderful, yet elusive soup, that only a few places in London make it as well as in Thailand itself – and when it's good – it's one of the most aromatic and flavor-packed things you will eat, mainly thanks to the deep broth that is cooked with Chinese Five-Spice, which has greatly influenced the "brown soup" culture of Thailand's streets. If you like Vietnamese Pho soup, in my opinion, Thai Guay Tiew is its more powerful, aromatic, and upgraded version.
Don't let the simple and warm look fool you - this is an aroma bomb. Koteau
By the way, sometimes you'll find this soup on menus under other names, for example Boat Noodle Soup or Five Spice Noodle Soup, and sometimes it won't be on the menu at all under the Soup category but rather under the Noodle Dishes or Noodle Soups category.
When it comes to Thai soups, many Israelis are familiar only with Tom Yum and Tom Kha, and perhaps the Khao Soi, which we will discuss later. But in Thailand itself, aromatic noodle soup stalls are part of life. It's a dish eaten in the morning, at noon, at night, alone, with friends, near a train station, at a market, or in a small restaurant with plastic tables.
The magic is in the broth. In deep, aromatic, and good versions, the broth can be simmered with bones, meat, roots, and a Chinese five-spice blend. The classic blend typically includes:
Chinese Cinnamon / Cassia - hotter, sweeter, and more aromatic than delicate Ceylon cinnamon (this is one of the few cases where I'll prefer Chinese "cinnamon" over Sri Lankan).
Anise star - gives a deep licorice sweetness.
Fennel or fennel seeds - adds an unexpected twist to the taste.
Clove - a warm and sharp power, and a classic "hot spice".
Sichuan pepper - not always in every version, but when it's there it adds a lemony aroma and a slight tingling sensation.
The result is a broth that sometimes looks simple, but smells like a Chinese spice shop that met a street stall in Bangkok. And it usually comes with rice noodles, beef, chicken or duck (the finest versions in my opinion are the duck ones), beef balls, herbs, fried garlic, and sometimes, in traditional versions, don't be alarmed, also a little beef or pork blood, especially in the boat noodles soups found in the floating markets and street stalls of Thailand.
Where to eat Cuteyao in London?
Unfortunately, this is a rather "elusive" soup that only truly authentic or specialized Thai places will serve, because it requires slow and meticulous cooking, and because it has unfortunately not become well-known among Western audiences. But still, you'll find this wonderful soup in places like Eat-Aroi in West Kensington (yes, worth the trip), Thai Rice (in the Notting Hill area), or The Great Thai Restaurant in Fitzrovia, a restaurant with an especially rich and diverse menu, where you can also find rarer Thai dishes. And a tip from me: at any place that serves authentic Thai food, try to "finish" with an orange, green, or both Thai milk tea – one of the tastiest things there is, in my opinion 🙂
And if, like me, you love this addictive aromatic flavor, also try a dish called Mu Parlow (מו פרלאו) at a wonderful restaurant in the Spitalfields/Shoreditch area called Som Saa. It's a slow-cooked pork (or sometimes beef) stew, with a perfectly cooked egg, and an incredibly rich broth of five-spice, garlic, and who knows what else. A crazy explosion of flavors in the mouth, and in my opinion, an unforgettable dish.
A dish with an unforgettable taste. The Mu Parlow from Som Saa restaurant
Thukpa - Nepal and Tibet in a warming and comforting bowl
Thukpa (or Tokpa) is a noodle soup that comes from Tibet and Nepal, meaning from the Himalayas, and it's exactly the type of dish that feels logical when thinking about cold and mountainous regions, but it's also perfectly suited for a gloomy or rainy day here in London.
There are all sorts of versions of Thukpa, but generally, it's a comforting, homemade soup: broth, noodles, vegetables, chicken, beef, lamb, or a vegetarian version, sometimes seasoned with garlic, ginger, chili, cilantro, and local spices, and sometimes even with "bonuses" like peanuts, taro root, or lentils. It's usually a nutritious soup, meant to give you some of the "macronutrients," and its Nepali versions tend to be a bit spicier than the Tibetan versions. The problem: this soup is a bit "elusive," and not that easy to find in London.
The official warmer of the Himalayas. Tibetan / Nepali Thukpa soup
Where to eat Thokpa in London?
In London, the natural place to look for thukpa is in areas with a strong Nepali and Tibetan community, especially in the Woolwich area and South East London, but Nepali cuisine has become increasingly common in other parts of the city as well.
Unfortunately, the place with my favorite thukpa (a stall called Tipan Tipan) has closed, and I hope it will move to a new location somehow (this happens sometimes), but in the meantime, you can find comforting thukpa in Nepalese and Tibetan places around London like Aloo Tama in Central London, Kailash Momo in the deep southeast of London (in the Woolwich or Welling neighborhoods), Taste of Nepal not far from Waterloo.
Khao Soi - The delightful soup of Northern Thailand
Khao Soi is one of the most brilliant soups in the world, and undoubtedly the highlight of Northern Thai cuisine, but unfortunately it is also one of the soups that many Israelis are still not familiar enough with, and sadly it has not received even a tenth of the recognition it deserves globally, as one of the most delicious soups to come out of this wonderful cuisine.
The dish comes from Northern Thailand, mainly from the Chiang Mai region, and is influenced by the meeting of Thailand, Burma, Laos, and Southern China. It is a coconut curry soup with egg noodles, usually chicken or beef, topped with crispy fried egg noodles.
Khao Soi in the classic version (right) and the modern London version, with Wagyu steak (left) at Khao-So-
The beauty of Khao Soi lies in its contrasts: a creamy broth that ranges from delicate to spicy, the combination of soft noodles with the crispness of fried noodles, and the blend of rich coconut cream with lime, pickled vegetables, shallots, and chili.
Where to eat Khao Soi in London?
Fortunately, we are in a period of "blooming" for Thai cuisine in London, and who would have believed that in the Fitzrovia neighborhood in central London there would be a place that truly specializes in this soup, named Khao So-i, where you will find no less than seven (!) versions of this wonderful soup, including with decadent additions like lobster tail, scallops, or wagyu steak (additions may vary from season to season), alongside other excellent dishes from Northern Thailand. Besides that, at Khao Bird, another restaurant specializing in Northern Thai cuisine, which moved this year from Borough Market to Soho, you will also find this magical soup.
A Thai chef explains how to prepare Khao Soi from scratch. My tip: If you're traveling to Thailand - look for a cooking class that includes this soup, it's an addictive soup and also an experience to make 🙂
Ohn No Khao Swe - The Burmese soup you should know
Speaking of Khao Soi, it's worth getting to know its Burmese cousin: Ohn No Khao Swe, which some say is the origin of the beloved Thai soup.
This is a noodle soup from Myanmar (Burma), the large country between India and Thailand, which is very reminiscent of Khao Soi (and it's not surprising, as Burma borders northern Thailand), based on chicken and coconut, with turmeric, onion, garlic, and sometimes chickpea flour or ingredients that thicken the broth. It is usually less spicy than Khao Soi, less ostentatious, and sometimes more homemade and delicate. Here too, there is a crispy element - only instead of frying the noodles, a sort of "cracker" that looks like a connected noodle network is added to the soup.
The delicate but interesting Burmese cousin of Khao Soi. Oh-no-khao-suay
The similarity between Ohn No Khao Swe and Khao Soi is no coincidence. The cuisines of Burma and Northern Thailand have influenced each other for years, especially in regions where modern political borders are less important than migration, trade, families, culture, and flavors.
But in the Burmese Khao Soi, there is a delicacy that makes it interesting in itself. It's a relatively delicate soup, not a "boom" of flavors like some Laksa or Khao Soi soups, and sometimes that works - because it's a soup that's very easy to surrender to, and the more you eat, the more addictive it becomes.
Where to eat o-no-ka-su-wa in London?
London is one of the few Western cities where you'll find Burmese restaurants. It's a wonderful cuisine found at the crossroads of Indian, Chinese, and Thai influences, alongside many local traditions.
At LahPet, a mini-chain of three Burmese restaurants (in Covent Garden, Shoreditch, and Bermondsey) that I really like, you'll find this soup, alongside other special dishes (for example, a special tea leaf salad), and at Cafe Mandalay, a long-standing and authentic restaurant for amazing Burmese/Myanmar food.
Pho / Pho - The well-known Vietnamese soup, which is very popular in London
Pho (actually pronounced 'pa' not 'po'), is probably the second most famous Asian soup in the world after Ramen, and in my opinion, the most delicate soup on this list. I deliberately come to it a bit later, to pay respect to the other soups. I know many Israelis love it, but in my opinion, it's a bit too delicate, and I prefer its less famous brother - Thai Kway Teow, which is like "Pho on speed," and despite everything, I'm glad it's on every corner of the city, and sometimes, in certain places, it can surprise with a more aromatic taste than usual.
What are the most popular Asian soups in the world. From the variety of Pho soups you'll find in London
At first glance, it looks like a rather simple soup: a delicate broth, rice noodles, meat or chicken, herbs, sprouts, lime, and chili. A good Pho depends almost entirely on the broth: delicate, clear, deep, seasoned with star anise, cinnamon, ginger, roasted onion, and sometimes cardamom or clove. It's not supposed to be heavy. It's not supposed to shout. It's supposed to unfold slowly. When it's too delicate, it can feel like a clear soup. But here and there in London, there are places that "allow themselves" to make this soup more aromatic - and then it's a delight.
One of the beautiful things about Pho is its interactivity. You are served a bowl, and alongside it, herbs, lime, chili, sauces, and sprouts. Everyone finishes the soup differently. Some add Hoisin and Sriracha to it, to add sweetness or spiciness. Some (like me) strongly object to this. And some overload it with herbs (I'm all for it). Compared to those who prefer to let the neutral broth speak. This is what's beautiful - everyone and what he or she likes 🙂
The main versions are:
Pho Bo - Beef Pho, usually with thin slices of beef, brisket, flank, or beef balls.
Pho Ga - Chicken Pho, lighter and more delicate.
Where to eat Pho soup in London?
For truly good Pho, and in general, good and non-generic Vietnamese food, you need to go to East London, to the 'Vietnamese Corridor' area of Hackney. I recommend Song Que, and its successful younger sibling Song Que Pho Bar, undoubtedly some of the best places in the city. Hai Cafe in Lower Clapton also makes excellent Pho, and Tay Do / Tay Do Cafe in Kingsland Road, the beating heart of London's 'Vietnamese Corridor', also excel at it, although I prefer to go there first and foremost for the whole fish, yum!
Bún Bò Huế - the spicy and dramatic sibling of Pho
If Pho is the elegant and quiet Vietnamese soup, Bún Bò Huế is the more colorful, spicier, and some would strongly argue, more interesting sibling.
The soup comes from the city of Huế in central Vietnam, and it is usually based on beef broth and lemongrass, with chili oil, thicker rice noodles, and deeper flavors than Pho. Originally, it can also include various beef cuts, Vietnamese sausage, and sometimes ingredients that are more challenging for the Western diner.
The lesser-known Vietnamese sibling of Pho. Bún Bò Huế
What distinguishes it is the combination of spiciness, herbaceousness, sourness, and meaty depth. A soup with presence.
Where to eat Bún Bò Huế in London?
In many of the places in the 'Vietnamese Corridor' we mentioned earlier, especially Song Que Pho Bar, you will also find Bún Bò Huế.
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup - Taiwan's unofficial national dish
Taiwanese cuisine is one of the most prominent Asian cuisines in London, and this soup is one of the most iconic Taiwanese dishes: deep beef broth, wheat noodles, tender beef chunks, pickled vegetables, and sometimes bok choy or other greens. The most famous version is the dark red one (a sort of Taiwanese goulash, if you will), with soy, fermented beans, ginger, garlic, star anise, Chinese cinnamon, and other spices. But there are also clearer and more delicate versions.
Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup - one of the most iconic dishes of Taiwan's popular cuisine
This soup tells the story of Taiwan itself: Chinese, local, military, immigrant, street, and home influences. It is much more 'meaty' and darker than Pho, for example, but less oily than Tonkotsu Ramen. Something in between, with a depth of spices and an almost wintery warmth.
Where to eat Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup in London?
At BAO Noodle Shop in Shoreditch, they decided to pay tribute to this soup, and there they serve Taiwanese beef noodle soup with beef cheek slow-cooked for 24 hours, and noodles made from specially imported flour. Another place that takes this soup seriously is NIU Taiwanese Beef Noodles, where they swear their soup is no less than what you can eat on the streets of Taipei.
Lanzhou Lamian Chinese - the art of pulling noodles
Lanzhou Lamian is much more than a noodle soup: it is a dish that tells the story of northwestern China, of the Silk Road, of the Yellow River, and of the Hui Muslim cuisine, with hand-pulled noodles and a clear beef broth that has become one of China's great culinary symbols. It is a dish of hand-pulled wheat noodles, sometimes pulled in front of the diners, until they become long, flexible, and springy strands.
A celebration of colors and elements. Chinese Lanzhou Lamian soup
The classic bowl includes a relatively clear beef broth, beef slices, white radish, cilantro, green onions, and chili oil. There is a famous Chinese saying that describes the dish through colors and elements: clear broth, white radish, red chili, green cilantro, and yellowish noodles. This soup also has several versions, for example, with different types of noodles, with more or less cilantro, and with or without chili oil.
Where to eat Chinese Lanzhou Lamian in London?
This soup also has its own dedicated spot - Lanzhou Lamian Noodle Bar in Covent Garden, which specializes in handmade noodles pulled on-site, and the highlight: it is one of the few places in London open until the early hours of the morning (until 5 AM on Fridays!)
Chinese noodle soups: from Sichuan to Canton, a world in a bowl
It's not entirely surprising, but China is not a country with one cuisine, and certainly not one soup. When you say 'Chinese noodle soup,' you could mean various and diverse worlds - from spicy and numbing Sichuan soups with chili oil and Sichuan pepper, to delicate Cantonese wonton soups with clear broth and thin egg noodles, through noodle soups with roast duck, to dark and rich beef soups, and even homemade and regional soups with eggs, tomatoes, fish, and more.
The most flavorful and dramatic are the Sichuan and Chongqing ones, which love a lot of chili oil, garlic, green onions, fermented bean paste, and Sichuan pepper, which creates the famous Mala sensation - a kind of numbing spiciness that has become the hallmark of this cuisine. On the other side of the spectrum are the Cantonese soups, characterized by precision, clean broths, springy noodles, and good protein like duck or chicken, which do most of the work.
A world of soups. Various types of Chinese noodle soups in restaurants here in London
Where to eat in London?
A place that nicely represents the world of Chinese noodle soups is Noodle & Beer, a place specializing in Sichuan or Chongqing noodles, with chili oil and the atmosphere of a young and modern noodle bar. Another place worth checking out is Ye Ye's Noodle & Dumpling.
Seolleongtang - Korean white bone broth soup
Seolleongtang is a Korean soup based on beef bones (usually ox) that are simmered for many hours until the broth becomes white, milky in appearance, rich but clean.
It is a very minimalist soup. It is usually served with noodles or rice, beef slices, green onions, salt, and pepper on the side. The diner seasons it themselves. The idea is not to get a 'flavor bomb' bite, but to build the flavor slowly.
In Seolleongtang, the depth of flavors comes from the cooking time. Bones, water, long simmering, patience. It's almost the opposite of Laksa: instead of chili, coconut, and spices, there is quiet, milkiness, bones, and kimchi on the side.
The secret is in the broth. Seolleongtang Korean soup
Where to eat in London?
It's not a soup that's easy to find, but if you look hard enough, you can. If you're in the Hackney/East London area, there's a place called Miga, which is one of the most authentic places in London for Korean bone broth, based on beef bones simmered for hours. You might also find this soup in the New Malden neighborhood, which is London's 'Koreatown,' but mainly during the winter and not in every restaurant.
Soto Ayam - Indonesia in gold, turmeric, and lemongrass
Soto Ayam (sometimes just 'Soto') is a yellow, aromatic, and relatively light Indonesian chicken soup, which gets its color from turmeric. It can include shredded chicken, rice noodles or other noodles, egg, potato, cabbage, herbs, fried shallots, lime, and sambal.
It's a less creamy soup than laksa and less heavy than khao soi. It feels cleaner, but still full of spices: turmeric, lemongrass, galangal, garlic, shallots, kaffir lime leaves, and sometimes other spices.
In Indonesia, there are many regional variations of Soto, so there isn't just 'one Soto.' There's Soto Ayam, Soto Betawi, Soto Madura, Soto Lamongan, and more. In London, if you find good Soto, it's usually in small Indonesian restaurants or stalls specializing in home-style cooking.
Another 'gift' from the wonderful Indonesian cuisine. Soto Ayam soup
Where to eat in London?
At a restaurant called Triple Hot Spicy, which specializes in Indonesian street food in central London, and also at Bali Bali in the Covent Garden area, near Tottenham Court Road, you'll find this fun soup.
Udon Soups - Japan's gentler side
If ramen is the grand Japanese drama, udon is the quiet, precise, and wonderful side of Japanese cuisine.
Udon noodles are much thicker than ramen noodles. They are white, soft, chewy, and sometimes almost comforting in their texture even before we talk about the broth. The classic broth is usually based on dashi: kombu, which is dried kelp, and bonito flakes, which are dried and smoked tuna. Soy sauce, mirin, and sometimes other ingredients are added.
The big difference from ramen is that udon doesn't try to be oily, heavy, or loaded. It relies on subtlety, cleanliness, and balance. There's hot udon in soup, cold udon with sauce on the side, udon with tempura, udon with beef, curry udon, kitsune udon with fried tofu, and countless other variations.
Japanese Udon Soups at Koya and Marugame Udon in London
Where to eat in London?
First of all, of course, there's the accessible and relatively inexpensive Japanese-international chain called Marugame Udon with several branches in London, which makes fun, inexpensive, and wonderful udon soups for a cold day, especially if you add ginger from their topping bar, and they also have a rather decent 'tempura bar' for fans of the genre. I owe a lot to this chain, which saved me several times on particularly cold days. Another great place is Koya in Soho, a place that really specializes in handmade udon, with a particularly elegant broth.
Bak Kut Teh - Pork Ribs, Herbs, and Chinese Medicine in Malaysia
Bak Kut Teh, loosely translated as 'pork bone tea,' is a pork rib soup that is particularly associated with Chinese communities in Malaysia and Singapore.
Despite the name, there isn't usually tea in the soup. The name relates to the custom of drinking tea alongside the dish to balance the richness of the meat.
There are two main families:
The darker, more herbaceous version is more common in Malaysia, with dark soy sauce, garlic, cinnamon, star anise, Chinese medicinal herbs, and spices.
The pepperier, lighter version is more identified with Singapore, with a clear broth, lots of white pepper, and garlic.
This isn't a classic noodle soup, but it is one of Southeast Asia's important soups. In London, it's less common than Laksa or Pho, so when you find it, consider it a bonus, or a soup for 'connoisseurs' that is comforting, herbaceous, and aromatic.
Where to eat in London?
One of the places that almost always has this soup is C&R Cafe, a Malaysian restaurant in Chinatown.
Rasam - A rustic South Indian / Sri Lankan soup
Rasam is a thin, sour, spicy, and aromatic soup, usually based on tamarind, tomatoes, black pepper, cumin, garlic, curry leaves, and sometimes lentils. It can be served as a soup, as a sauce alongside rice, or as part of a larger South Indian meal.
This isn't a noodle soup, but it is one of the cleverest soups in Indian cuisine: light, sharp, warming, appetite-opening, and full of depth despite appearing almost transparent.
Where to eat in London?
At a restaurant called Chettinad near the British Museum, which focuses on rustic, home-style South Indian food.
Originally published on Londonist: londonist.co.il/asian-soupslondonist.co.il
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