Bò Kho in Saigon

This week was bò kho week here at Eating Saigon!

 

 

Yes, it was also the 38th anniversary of the Communist Party victory over South Vietnam.  Yes, it was time for May Day celebrations around the globe.  Yes, it was the week I was to learn much about visiting a local hospital here in Saigon for an eye injury at the gym (another days’ blog for that).

But, most importantly, Hai and I visited 2 new bò kho eateries here in Ho Chi Minh City.  Bò Kho Út Nhung and Bình Thạnh Street Bò Kho.  Both were great!

Bò Kho Út Nhung

Everyone working here at this local eatery was having a great time when Hai and I pulled into the small alleyway.  A happy staff, a laughing cook, a cheery owner – all signs of a food establishment that has their act together.  And often, as a result, might offer good food, good service and a fun eating adventure.  Bò Kho Út Nhung fit the bill perfectly!  And, they added some lively Vietnamese disco tunes as background dinner music.

When the ông tây (old white guy) – that’s me – jumped off the motorbike, there was a flurry of chatter, laughing, furtive glances and finger-pointing.  It seems my appearance created an opportunity for the staff to question one of their gay employees about his possible interest in the foreigner.  It’s not clear if there was or wasn’t interest, but clearly all involved were having great fun with the concept.

Hoa, the owner/cook, welcomed us to the only outside table.  There were a half-dozen tables inside the covered alleyway restaurant.  But, as always, Hai wanted to be near the cook and near the brewing pots.

I order bánh mì bò kho (bò kho with a baguette) while Hai order bún bò kho (bò kho with bún noodles.  In both cases, the bò kho, basically good old-fashioned beef stew, was incredibly meaty – a great quantity of beef.  A few carrots, chopped scallions topped off the brew.  And for me, there was a crunchy bánh mì (small Vietnamese baguette) to soak up the yummy stew broth.

Lots of reasonably tender meat and a rich, flavorful sauce made for a we-must-come-back-here-again-soon meal and won a Yum Yum on Eating Saigon!’s Yum Meter.

Hoa was happy we loved her bò kho, but was adamant that we MUST return to try her personal signature dish, phở bò (beef noodle soup) served only in the mornings.  We agreed.  We’ll report back later on her phở.

Both the bò kho and the phở are 35,000 vnd ($1.68) or delivered out for 40,000 vnd ($1.91). Sorry, it’s not clear how distant they’ll deliver.

Open for bò kho from 1:00 – 10:00 pm

Open for phở from 6:00 – 11:00 am

Bò Kho Út Nhung
109/7 Nguyễn Thiện Thuật
District 3
01869828668 – phone for delivery
0908734997

 

 

Bình Thạnh Street Bò Kho

This morning, on our way back from my eye-opening experience (pun intended) at the Optometry Ward of a local hospital here in Bình Thạnh district (another day’s blog, I promise), Hai and I stopped for lunch on the street.  Directly across the street from kietpetsSHOP featuring shampoos for your poodle and haircuts for your terrier, a pleasant-looking woman sat beside her giant pot of simmering beef stew.  Her children took turns scurrying around wiping tables, pulling each other’s hair, and staring at the foreigner (me) ordering lunch.

Carrots!  So many large, delicious, brightly orange fresh carrots.  A bit less beef than at Bò Kho Út Nhung, above. But, delicious tender beef stew, yummy carrots (ask for extra carrots), an assortment of green herbs to drop into the stew, and a fresh crunchy baguette to soak up the broth. Major yum!

Immediately beside the bò kho station was a small sữa đậu nành vendor offering very tasty, freshly brewed soy milk (add a dash of green bean or even cafe to spice up your soy drink here).

Not good on a rainy day – no shelter here.  But, on a clear sunny day, in the shade of the surrounding buildings, on this quiet street, a very nice eating experience, for sure.

Another Yum Yum winning street eating adventure here at Eating Saigon!  And lots of tree-shaded cafes right around the corner to enjoy after your meal.

Open from 6:30 – 11:00 am (or a bit earlier if the food hits bottom).

Bình Thạnh Street Bò Kho
Vũ Huy Tấn street
(across from #16M Vũ Huy Tấn street)
Bình Thạnh District

View Bo Kho (beef stew) in a larger map