A Cantonese cauldron boils over to Thailand

"At first, only ethnically Chinese customers came. But word spread about the taste. It was viral word-of-mouth marketing."

The eatery serves more than 300 customers daily, from 10 am to 9 pm.

"Thai people eat all day," she says, smiling.

"I don't know how many cows we go through. But it's a lot."

Steam twirls off the pot's bubbling surface. The vessel's mouth exhales a shrill aroma as it gargles beef chunks and permeable sacks of herbs and garlic.

"I'm the only one who tastes it every day," Kaweenuntawong says. "So, only I know if the flavor changes and something needs to be added."

But the sum of the flavors that had accumulated over the year has recently been wiped out, as the Year of the Horse arrived on Jan 31.

"We clean it every Spring Festival for good luck for the coming year," she says.

"I don't know if people in Chaozhou do this anymore. But I'm glad to keep this tradition alive. I'm the third generation and hope my children will continue the legacy."

IF YOU GO

Watanapanit Restaurant

336-338 Sukhumvit 63 Road,

Wattana, Bangkok

662-391-7264