Bò Né (Dodging Beef)

Funny name, incredible dish

Lunar New Year approaches this week! A great holiday with family to all my friends and readers who celebrate.

So like I mentioned in my post about cơm gà xối mỡ, some dishes have really active names when translated into English, and this one is my favorite. That steak being cooked is HOT and the ‘dodging’ referenced here is the cook getting out of the way of hot, splattering oil. Fantastic! Love it! No notes!

Personally I usually opt to get this dish for breakfast, but many places serve all day (very typical of lots of Vietnamese dishes). It’s usually served on sizzling hot cow-shaped iron dishes - a very endearing idiosyncrasy.

The most common combo here in HCMC is beef with an egg and pork liver pate. Other common ingredients are slivered white onions (yum) and mackerel in tomato sauce (…no thanks), and there’s always a simple salad and a hot & crispy baguette on the side to sop up all the delicious sauces and egg yolk.

Bò Né Thanh Tuyền

Hours: 6am-11am (VEG ONLY 1st & 15th OF LUNAR MONTHS)

Address: 20/6-7 Nguyễn Trường Tộ, Phường 12, Quận 4

https://maps.app.goo.gl/zXQo3GxV9srcJt8T7

Hands down one of my favorite breakfasts in D4 and I frequently take visitors when they come to visit. The beef is tender and hot, and they have a bunch of options for topping combinations - perfect for me, who can’t have pate.

As noted above, this is a vegetarian-only operation a couple times a month based on the lunar calendar. This is very uncommon for a space dedicated to a single dish like this, but I assume that the owners are just pretty observant buddhists - it is incredibly normal for Vietnamese of all religions to eat veg on these days (definitely avoid any vegan restaurants during mealtimes and if you’re not sure what lunar day it is, here’s a helpful site).

Quán Bò Né Ký Con

Hours: 5:30am-9pm

Address: 012 chung cư, Hẻm 154 Cư Xá Đoàn Văn Bơ, Phường 12, Quận 4

https://maps.app.goo.gl/YJSdxXtajJNbiy7w6

While the name suggests this is a one-dish shop, they actually have a few different things here including beef stew, fish, stir fried pasta (nui), and fried eggs with pate and bread. I think the beef is the real showstopper, which is typically served with onions here. Love that for us.

The space might be a bit hard to find if you’re driving because this alley is pretty narrow and hectic, but keep an eye peeled for the sign - the shop is not particularly hidden and takes up a portion of the sidewalk in an old apartment building, although there is parking in front.

If you’re interested, this is also a really great street to explore on foot in the morning - it’s absolutely nuts and there’s a lot going on. Drive over on a motorbike if you want, but walking is really the way to go for this one.

Bò Né Cô Út

Hours: 6:30am-1pm

Address: 009 Lô K chung cư Nguyễn Thiện Thuật, Phường 1, Quận 3

https://maps.app.goo.gl/GFfjvm8uJyQVmLNy5

Yet another bustling apartment complex location here, which means it’s virtually always experiencing a steady stream of customers from open to close. This is near my first apartment in Vietnam 11 years ago, and it’s a really fun area to explore in general. While the platters aren’t cow-shaped (no moo for you), the beef is quite good and there are a few more toppings than the previous two places offer, including fried onions and cilantro. However, as always, you can ask for whatever you want on yours.

This place is also a bit different in that they have a couple different cuts of beef and meatballs, all of which are pretty good. It’s also a bit more expensive, so although it’s not going to bankrupt you, be sure to take a look at the menu on google maps before you go.

Because I get this dish fairly often, the first two options I recommend are my go-to spots in my District 4, but it’s commonly available all across the city and is a pretty difficult dish to mess up, so just look for the dish name and you’ll probably be good.

Let me know your favorite bò né shops! What’s around your house?

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-Ben