The Best Boat Noodles in Utah: How Chef O Brought Northern Thai Street Food to Holladay's First Thai Tapas Restaurant

There's a moment—somewhere between the first spoonful of cinnamon-kissed broth and the second bite of tender short rib—when you realize this isn't just another Thai restaurant in Utah. At Kinsen Thai Tapas in Holladay, Chef Pornpimon Prathummas (who everyone calls Chef O) is doing something no one else in the state has quite figured out: serving authentic Northern Thai street food in tapas-style small plates that make you want to order everything on the menu. One customer put it perfectly: "Best Boat Noodles in the state! Full flavored with authentic Thai taste, reminds me of my mom's Thai noodles."

The dining room fills with the aroma of five-hour broths and Thai basil by 6 PM most nights. This is the kind of place where regulars text each other when they're heading over, because sharing is the whole point. The boat noodles Utah food lovers have been searching for? They're right here on Murray Holladay Road, just minutes from Sprouts Farmers Market.

H2: From LA's Thai Select Kitchens to Utah's Thai Tapas Pioneer

Chef O didn't take the typical path to opening what's become one of Holladay's most distinctive restaurants. Her journey started in the kitchens of Los Angeles, where she worked at Chan Dara, a Thai Select award-winning restaurant known for uncompromising authenticity. That's where she learned that shortcuts don't belong in Thai cooking—a philosophy she's carried through every restaurant she's touched.

When she moved to Utah in 2006, nobody expected what came next. She spent twelve years working under Valter Nassi, first at Cucina Toscana, then at the legendary Valter's Osteria. Yeah, you read that right—a Thai chef spent over a decade mastering Italian technique alongside one of Utah's most respected restaurateurs. "Her time under Nassi was both a catalyst and an education," according to local food critics who've followed her career. You can taste that education in unexpected places: the luscious short rib curry that's a direct nod to Valter's osso buco, the attention to detail in every curry paste, the way she thinks about building layers of flavor.

After running Ekamai Thai (which grew to three locations across the Salt Lake Valley), Chef O returned to Thailand. But Utah pulled her back. The Beehive State's food scene had gotten under her skin. When Covid derailed her first iteration of Kin Sen in 2020, she didn't quit. She just got more determined. Now, with both the Millcreek location of Kin Sen Thai and the newer Kinsen Thai Tapas in Holladay, she's building something completely unique in Utah: a menu that highlights Northern Thai street food you won't find anywhere else in the state.

The Holladay location opened in fall 2025 with a focus on "small tapas and craft Thai cocktails"—a concept that's turning heads among Utah's increasingly adventurous food community.

Let's talk about those boat noodles, because they're the reason people drive across the valley. These aren't your standard Thai noodle soup. Kuay Teow Reua—boat noodles—come from the floating markets of Thailand, where vendors served them from boats, hence the name. Chef O makes them the old way: at least five hours of simmering bones, spices, and aromatics into a broth so complex it has its own Wikipedia page in your mouth. Cinnamon weaves through everything, balanced by star anise, garlic, and a whisper of vinegar that makes your taste buds pay attention.

The Boat Noodles with Short Ribs are what converted me. The meat falls apart if you look at it wrong—fork-tender from hours of braising. You get meatballs, hunks of oxtail, and crispy chicharron swimming in that deeply savory broth alongside rice noodles. One review captured it perfectly: "The broth bursts with savory dimensional flavor highlighting Thai spices, basil, light vinegar, garlic, salt and the right amount of sweet to balance it out."

But here's where the Thai tapas concept really shines: you don't have to commit to just one dish. The small plates format means you can try the Khao Soi with Short Ribs alongside the boat noodles. This Northern Thai curry noodle dish is criminally underrepresented in Utah restaurants. Chef O's version features a fennel-and-anise-diffused yellow curry that's both coconut-rich and surprisingly bright. You get two types of noodles: crispy fried egg noodles on top (for texture) and soft egg noodles lurking in the gravy below (for slurping). A giant chicken thigh and leg emerge from the golden depths, with sharp pickled greens cutting through the richness. One customer who'd tried it wrote: "The short rib boat noodles are simply out of this world—so flavorful and comforting."

Then there's the Poor Man Noodle—don't let the humble name fool you. This is a case study in how Thai street food takes simple ingredients and makes them unforgettable. Sen Yai (wide rice noodles) get wok-charred with dark soy sauce and topped with ground pork and tofu. It's the kind of dish that makes you understand why Chef O spent years perfecting her wok technique.

The menu reads like a greatest-hits tour of hard-to-find Thai dishes: Kao Man Kai (Thai chicken rice), Yentafo (the pink noodle soup), Thai Sukiyaki, Kao Kha Moo (braised pork leg in black bean sauce). These aren't dishes you'll stumble across at your average Thai restaurant in Holladay or anywhere else in the Salt Lake Valley. A Tripadvisor reviewer raved: "Boat Noodles—excellent! One of the house recommendations."

The tapas-style presentation means you can build your own Thai street food feast. Start with curry dumplings or spicy chicken gyoza (which, honestly, could be spicier—reach for the condiment caddy if you like heat). Move to Som Tum (papaya salad) if you want something fresh and punchy. Then dive into the curries that regularly get called the best in Utah. The Panang curry "billows with arresting lime leaf," according to local food writers who've tracked Chef O's evolution across multiple restaurants.

Everything's designed for sharing, which is very much the point. This is social eating, Thai-style, where half the fun is stealing bites off your friend's plate and debating which dish deserves a repeat order next time.

What the Insiders Know

Regulars have figured out the rhythm. Get there right when they open at 5 PM on weeknights if you want first pick of the boat noodles (they sometimes run out on busy nights because Chef O won't compromise on the broth). The Thai iced tea is, according to one loyal customer, "hands down the best I've ever had, perfectly creamy and sweet." Friday and Saturday nights fill up fast—one reviewer noted arriving at 4:30 PM only to see the place packed by the time they left.

The service gets consistent praise: "The service is always outstanding; the staff is warm, welcoming, and attentive." Multiple servers check on tables, which means you're never waiting long for water refills or extra napkins (you'll need them for the boat noodles).

Holladay's Thai Food Revolution and Community Connection

Kinsen Thai Tapas sits in the heart of Holladay's quietly booming restaurant scene, holding its own among established spots like Layla Mediterranean Grill, Francks, and Sukihana. But while others play it safe, Chef O's pushing boundaries. The Thai tapas concept—small shareable plates that let you taste across Thailand's regions—fills a gap in Utah's dining landscape. It's approachable enough for Thai food newcomers who want to explore without committing to a huge entree, but authentic enough to satisfy the homesick Thai families and food nerds who've been searching for real Northern Thai cuisine.

The Holladay location complements the Millcreek restaurant (Kin Sen Thai at 3011 E 3300 S), which merged the best of Chef O's previous Kin Sen and Kao Thai menus. Together, they're serving neighborhoods from Cottonwood Heights to Sugar House, Murray to East Millcreek. The Holladay spot is particularly convenient—right on Murray Holladay Road near Sprouts and the Holladay Village shopping area, with easy access from I-215.

Local food critics have taken notice. Gastronomic SLC, which covers the Salt Lake dining scene in granular detail, has followed Chef O's career for years, calling her cooking "the best Thai cuisine I've tasted in Utah. No exceptions." When a restaurant makes it onto that publication's list of must-eat spots, Utah food lovers pay attention.

This is the kind of neighborhood restaurant that becomes a regular habit. The place fills with a mix of curious first-timers clutching their phones to look up what "Kao Soi" means, date-night couples splitting multiple small plates, and Thai families nodding approvingly over their boat noodles. Everyone finds something that clicks.

Planning Your Visit to Kinsen Thai Tapas

Location: 1871 E Murray Holladay Rd, Holladay, UT 84117

Hours: Monday-Saturday 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM, Closed Sunday

What to Order:

Boat Noodles with Short Ribs (the signature dish that customers consistently call the best in Utah)
Khao Soi with Short Ribs (Northern Thai curry noodles you won't find anywhere else in the state)
Poor Man Noodle (simple, perfect, addictive)
Som Tum (papaya salad for freshness between rich dishes)
Thai Iced Tea (customers rave about it)
Curry Dumplings (great starter for sharing)

Pro Tips:

Come early in the evening (5-6 PM) for the best selection and shorter waits
Embrace the tapas concept—order 3-4 small plates for two people
The boat noodles sometimes sell out on busy nights
Parking is accessible right off Murray Holladay Road
Available for takeout and delivery if you want to enjoy at home

Instagram: @kinsen_thai_tapas

For those exploring from other parts of the valley, you can also visit the Millcreek location (Kin Sen Thai) at 3011 E 3300 S, just minutes from REI and Smith's, which offers a slightly different menu with even more Northern Thai specialties.

Conclusion

Here's what sets Kinsen Thai Tapas apart in Utah's increasingly crowded Thai restaurant scene: Chef O isn't trying to make Thai food that Americans think they want. She's making Thai food the way it's meant to taste, then trusting Utah diners to appreciate the difference. Those boat noodles Utah food lovers have been craving? They're worth the drive to Holladay. The Thai tapas concept that lets you explore Northern Thai street food without overwhelming your palate or your wallet? It's exactly what this state's adventurous eaters have been waiting for.

As one customer summarized perfectly: "If I could give Kin Sen more than 5 stars, I absolutely would! This has become my all-time favorite spot." After fourteen years in Utah's restaurant industry—from Italian kitchens to her own Thai concepts—Chef O has finally built the restaurant she always wanted to run. And Holladay's Thai food scene will never be the same.

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