Where's The Beef?

I was excited to see a twitter post about 7 local chefs banding together to create a 7 course meal with wine pairings at Cowbell this past Monday. This was the 4th such endeavour and this time around, it's all about beef dishes. The $145 price (plus tax and tip) gave me a big pause. I decided to pass on a rather expensive meal. Monday night, the 7 courses with description and photos were posted on twitter: 1st course, 2nd course, 3rd course, 4th course, 5th course, 6th course, 7th course.

They all looked rather disappointing especially for that price. Maybe I've been watching too much Top Chef Canada but I don't think they would pass muster in competition. Certainly, they don't seem to compare to the dinner I had at Susur when he had his farewell, best-of-Susur, month a few years. However, inspired by the menu's theme, on Wednesday I decided to go for a Vietnamese specialty of "Bo Bay Mon". That's also 7 beef courses, but it would be a lot cheaper. It's not available at every Vietnamese restaurants, so check ahead.

Mam nem

I ended up at Kim Bo at the corner of Bathurst and Dundas. I've known of this place for years now, but the wood-paneled pub-like exterior never encouraged me to enter. But I've heard from various friends that Bo Bay Mon was its specialty.

Vinegar Fondue

Not surprisingly, Bo Bay Mon $25 (or as I like to think of it: Beef 7 Ways) was the first item on their menu. They also have other less common Vietnamese dishes as well as the ubiquitous pho. Instead of nuoc mam (fish sauce), I opted for mam nem. This dipping sauce, although it is also made from fermented anchovies, has a much thicker consistency and stronger taste, though not as strong as shrimp paste. It is mixed with pineapple to juice to give it a tangy flavour. Also, the first 4 dishes are meant to be wrapped in rice paper with mint, basil, and other greens.

Bo Nhung Dam

First up was Bo Nhung Dam (beef fondue). The beef came in raw slices with a little fondue pot. The liquid is a mixture of vinegar (dam), chili oil, etc. It was a tasty start to the meal.

Bo La Lot, Bo Mo Chai, Bo Sa Te

The next 3 dishes came out together: Bo La Lot (beef wrapped in betel leaf), Bo Mo Chai (BBQ beef), and Bo Sa Te (grilled satay beef). The flavour of the betel leaf would be nicely stronger if it was grilled longer. The BBQ beef was average, I prefer mine a little sweeter. The onions added a nice crunch to the satay beef.

Bo Luc Lac, Cha Bo Dum

Next came Bo Luc Lac (shaky beef!). No, it wasn't made from mad cows. The "shaky" is the process of sauteeing the beef cubes. It's supposed to be quite spicy, so I was disappointed with the mildness here. The 6th dish has always been my least favourite: Cha Bo Dum (steamed beef ball). This giant meatball, mixed with vermicelli and mushrooms, was typically bland.

Chao Bo

Finally, a bowl of Chao Bo (beef congee) finished off the meal.

Did Kim Bo lived up to my friends' recommendation? Not really. It wasn't a bad meal but the quality was average. Your calling card dish has to be more than run-of-the-mill. On the other hand, I only paid about 1/6th what the other meal would have cost.