A head-to-head comparison of the ultimate beef extravaganza
Bò 7 món (literally 7 courses of beef) doesn’t come up often in Vietnamese menus. It’s a splurge and it takes a lot of kitchen prep work. I only know of 5 specialists in Toronto in the last decade. Only 2 remain today: Bo 7 Mon Restaurant and Phở Cửu Long Miền Tây. If there are other good ones, please let me know!
Since there are so few contenders, it’s easy to do a head-to-head battle to determine who makes the best bò 7 món.
What goes in a bò 7 món
Bò 7 món is associated with Southern Vietnam, which is more affluent than the rest of the country. In fact, the oldest specialist in Vietnam, Au Pagolac, is located in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). There isn’t a prescription about what the 7 courses are, but there is usually one sausage dish, a beef hot pot (bò nhúng dấm), and beef congee (cháo bò).
The contenders
Bo 7 Mon Restaurant
The name says it all. It’s a weird name if you think about it, like a burger restaurant naming themselves “Burger Restaurant”. Although they can’t trademark the name, it does make it clear what they sell.
This restaurant is in a plaza dominated by Vietnamese restaurants. They’re all better than average and have carved out their own niche to avoid direct competition. Although Bo 7 Mon Restaurant’s specialty is obvious, they also have regular noodles and rice meals for those who want something simpler.
Phở Cửu Long Miền Tây
This restaurant sits at a junction that has a cluster of Vietnamese restaurants. Đà Nẵng Restaurant is a few minutes walk away and also has bò 7 món, though they are better known for their Central Vietnamese dishes.
It’s a modest-sized space with functional decor.
Course 1: Beef salad (gỏi bò)
B0 7 Mon Restaurant
This was like a non-spicy Thai papaya salad. The ingredients were raw and basic: mint, bell peppers, and cabbage. Unfortunately, they did not pack the shrimp chips separately so they became soft. There wasn’t a lot of beef either. The first few bites were ok but it became more dreary with the abundance of fibrous vegetables. 5.5/10.
Phở Cửu Long Miền Tây
This salad was cucumber-forward. The thin slices of beef were like a garnish. Points for packing the shrimp chips and peanut crumbs separately. They were able to retain their crunch. Sadly, the crackers were bland. The sauce was floral and herby but got plain the more I ate it. 6.5/10.
Course 2: Stir-fried beef
Bo 7 Mon Restaurant
This was a colourful dish with celery, onions, carrots, and bell peppers. Classic combination of a mirepoix (French base of aromatics). The beef had an enjoyable chew to it. The only downside was the unsightly amount of oil used. Otherwise, it’s a respectable stir-fry. 7.5/10.
Phở Cửu Long Miền Tây
This was a simple dish and the beef taste was dominant. I found it sinewy and greasy. There was some onions and peppers but it could have used more brightness. 6.5/10.
Course 3: Beef hot pot (bò nhúng dấm)
The soup for this mini hot-pot is based on vinegar. Obviously, this dish was the most complicated to set up for takeout. I brought the soup to a boil at home and blanched the ingredients in it. It came with typical sides like bánh tráng (rice paper used to make rolls), mắm nêm (fermented shrimp sauce), and chilli sauce. Both restaurants didn’t give enough soup for dipping all the fixings.
B0 7 Mon Restaurant
The soup was reminiscent of tom yum. It was strong, sour, and pungent. There were large, medium-thin beef rounds. The mắm nêm was fruity, tangy, and pretty pungent as it should be. It could be less watery though. The chilli sauce was ok: medium spicy and vinegary. 7/10.
Phở Cửu Long Miền Tây
The soup was intense, sweet, and tangy, with a hint of fish sauce. The beef was sliced thinly and had good mouthfeel. I liked that the mắm nêm was slightly chunky. It was also more complex than the one from Bo 7 Mon Restaurant, perhaps with more tamarind and garlic. The chilli sauce was based on habanero peppers and was potent. Just a few drops was enough to make my tongue tingle.
As a bonus, there was also nước mắm (fish sauce dip). It tasted of crab and garlic; an all-rounded mix of sweet, sour, and savoury. Overall, the sauces here are a step up from the average Vietnamese restaurant. 8/10.
Intermission: Vermicelli (bún) and vegetables
While not part of a particular course, herbs and vegetables are integral to bò 7 món. There is also some form of carbohydrates, like rice or bún (very thin rice noodles).
There wasn’t much difference in quality between the two restaurants. But Phở Cửu Long Miền Tây was the clear winner on variety.
B0 7 Mon Restaurant
The vegetable mix was lettuce, carrot, cucumber, bean sprouts, mint, and betel leaves.
Phở Cửu Long Miền Tây
The vegetable mix was lettuce, carrot, cucumber, bean sprouts, mint, shiso leaf, culantro, and banana flower.
The bún came with a sprinkling of ground peanuts, which was absent in Bo 7 Mon Restaurant.
Course 4, 5, 6: Beef sausage, beef wrap, grilled beef
This is a bit of a cheat as 3 different preparations are placed on one plate rather than having 3 distinct courses. Both restaurants gave bò nướng mỡ chài (beef sausage wrapped in caul fat) and bò nướng lá lốt (beef sausage wrapped in betel leaf).
B0 7 Mon Restaurant
It was a pleasant surprise to find some strands of bún in the bò nướng mỡ chài. It gave some textural interest. Flavour-wise, there wasn’t any pop. I’d recommend eating it with some dips. 6.5/10.
The bò nướng lá lốt was the best of the three, thanks to the betel leaf. It brightened up the sausage. 7/10.
The wildcard was the bò nướng cuộn hành. This consisted of a slice of beef wrapped around a stalk of scallion and then grilled. This should work in theory but the scallion was still raw and tough, making chewing difficult. But the flavour was good, obviously helped by the fresh scallion. 6/10.
Phở Cửu Long Miền Tây
The grilled meats were laid on top a sheet of rice paper, which I thought was a fine touch. Lemongrass was discernible in the bò nướng mỡ chài. The only thing lacking was some caramelization. 7.5/10.
The betel leaf kept the meat in the bò nướng lá lốt moist. It wasn’t overcooked and the herb still retained its strong clove-like flavours. 8/10.
The last preparation were some fried beef slices. The spices were indistinct. It had garlic and some chilli flakes so it could be bò sa tế. The beef was also on the tough side. 6/10.
Course 7: Beef congee (cháo bò)
B0 7 Mon Restaurant
The congee was watery and had minuscule bits of ground beef. Although there were some fried shallots, it could have used more aromatics and toppings. 6/10.
Phở Cửu Long Miền Tây
The congee was smooth, savoury, and spiked with ginger. The thin beef slices melted in the mouth. It was good enough to be a standalone item on the menu. It was also my favourite course. 8/10.
Other places to try bò 7 món
It’s best to go to a restaurant that specializes in bò 7 món. A high turnover ensures freshness. If you don’t mind going to a generalist, Đà Nẵng Restaurant and Pho Tién Phát have it on their menu.
Further afield, I Love Pho in Mississauga is also known for bò 7 món.
Verdict
Phở Cửu Long Miền Tây is the runaway winner, beating Bo 7 Mon Restaurant in all but one course. Although it’s more expensive at $44.35 compared to $39.55, it’s worth it for more premium ingredients.
Overall, I’d rate Phở Cửu Long Miền Tây 7.5/10 and B0 7 Mon Restaurant 6.5/10.
Practical information
Bo 7 Mon Restaurant
- Rating
- 6.5/10
- Prices
- Bo 7 mon: $39.55 ($35.00 excluding tax)
- Address
- 2437 Finch Avenue West, Unit 9 and 10
- Hours
- Monday to Thursday 1100h – 2130h
Friday 1100h – 2230h
Saturday 1000h – 2230h
Sunday 1000h – 2130h - Date of visit
- November 2021
Phở Cửu Long Miền Tây
- Rating
- 7.5/10
- Prices
- Bo 7 mon: $44.35 (39.25 excluding tax)
- Address
- 2522 Jane Street
- Hours
- Tuesday to Sunday 1100h – 2200h
- Date of visit
- October 2021