Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Beef Stew (Bo Kho)

When the weather turns a bit chilly like it is today, my stomach and soul immediately begin to crave a hot, comforting bowl of beef stew. Last year, Cochon Butcher stole my heart on multiple occasions with its version of tender, bite size morsels of beef and potato in a rich, smooth stock with just a hint of red wine in the background.


Unfortunately, I have not once seen Butcher offer its beef stew as a special during this winter season. WTF?!?!

Vietnamese restaurants serve their own version of beef stew, and it's called bo kho. While bo kho includes both beef and carrots just like your momma uses, the beef stock and tomato base is augmented with Vietnamese spices like clove, anise, and ginger. The starch component of bo kho comes in the form of either noodles in the bottom of the bowl or a couple of toasted loaves of banh mi to be dunked into the stew. The finest exemplar of bo kho that I have tasted comes from Tan Dinh, which uses multiple curries to create an intoxicating and delicious gravy. I used to be high on Pho Tau Bay's version, but I was served a tepid and watered down bowl on my last visit.


Unfortunately, the stew meat in Tan Dinh's bo kho is frustratingly tough and served in large chunks which cannot be pulled or bitten off into more manageable pieces. If the gravy was not so delicious, I wouldn't bother. Your best solution is to not be shy and take advantage of the fork and knife graciously brought out by your server.

I have requested a substitution of duck for beef in the past, but the waitress shot me down. One augmentation I have been allowed though is to add beef tendon to the stew, which may have been the greatest idea since Al Gore invented the internet.

7 comments:

RBPoBoy said...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Gore_and_information_technology

Becky said...

Oh come on, Bo Kho is just pho + potatoes - noodles + carrots + tomatoes + stew meat - brisket. Hipster.

Rene said...

Becky,

That so far is the greatest comment ever posted on this blog. You may claim your prize behind door 3.

Awren said...

Is door 3 the door to the Emergency Intelligence Incinerator?

I figure it is. If you were Vietnamese you would know that Bo Kho is much more complex than what you've stated. Numpty.

Lorin said...

Bo Kho smackdown...I say Pho Hoa makes the best. The meat is super tender.

Mary Sonnier said...

Pho Hoa makes a fine Bo Kho - also my favorite place for straight up Pho. The best Bo Kho I've had comes from Kim Anh's Noodle House on Jefferson Hwy. Delicious broth, veg and tender beef, served with a choice of warm crusty bread from Dong Phuong Bakery, rice or noodles. Get the bread!!

Anonymous said...

Correct, Mary. Came to the comment section immediately to make sure someone had posted this. Tan Dinh's is downright terrible.