Vietnamese Beef Stew: Bò Kho

Bò Kho Võ Văn Tần: Beef Stew

  • Address: Hẻm (alley) 194 Võ Văn Tần, Q. 3, Hồ Chí Minh: (Map)
  • Hours: 3pm – 8pm
  • Dish and Cost:
    • Bò Kho (Beef Stew) with bread or noodles: 35,000 Dong ~ $1.60 USD

Bò Kho (Beef Stew)  with egg noodles
Bò Kho (Beef Stew) with egg noodles

I know it’s hot, but that doesn’t stop me from enjoying a nice bowl of beef stew. Bò Kho (beef stew) has a deep-reddish color and it’s rich and hardy. The soup is made from beef tendons, oxtails, and other connective tissues. It has aromatics such as carrots, onions, ginger, and lemongrass stalks along with spices like star anise, cinnamon, and Chinese five spice powder. All of these things bathing together in a pot only means one thing: amazing sweetness and flavors. You have a choice of carbs to accompany the stew: egg noodles (Mì), rice noodles (Hủ Tiếu) or a loaf of French bread (Bánh Mì). I grew up eating it with a French bread, but if you are hungry, opt for the noodles. The typical dipping sauce for this dish is lime and chili salt. The citrus and salt combination brightens the stew and I usually dip the super tender beef and bread in it.

bo kho 3
Super tender beef
Store front (in an alley)
Store front (in an alley – left side)

[box type=”info” ]Of all of the restaurants I recommended, this is a true, true local eatery because she sets up in an alley and there’s no “restaurant” for you to sit in. There are small plastic tables and stools for you to sit along side the alley. This is a little daunting, but, trust me, it’s good and worth it! [/box]