Everyone's (yes, I'm exaggerating) heard of the Bo 7 Mon (aka Beef Seven Ways) of Vietnamese cuisine by now.
Well, if you aren't interested in the way of the cow, there's another option where you can go hands on with your meal and share the experience with others.
Ca Nurong Da Gion (Seasonal)
A whole catfish oven-roasted to perfection topped with scallion oil, fried shallots, and crushed roasted peanuts. Served with rice paper, lettuce and herbs, sliced cucumber, sliced green apple, pickled carrot and daikon, rice vermicelli and dipping with our special prepared fermented anchovies sauce. Prepared soy sauce or fish sauce also offered.
By Seasonal, they generally mean expensive. After all, lobster is often labeled "seasonal" or "market price" as well. But in this case, on the evening of my visit, I was quoted a price of $12 per pound. And that fish I spied on the neighboring table being descended upon by the family of 6 weighted about 5 lb, so that's a $60 price tag on that particular fish meal.
But that night, I wasn't particularly hungry. So though enticed by the fish, I went with one of my regular Vietnamese restaurant picks - Bun Thit Nurong Cha Gio $7.95 Vermicelli topped with crispy spring rolls and a choice of grilled chicken or beef or pork.
I went with the pork. It was a big bowl of slightly thicker round noodles than I was used to, but it was good.
Despite my lack of appetite, I had a hankering for the Che Ba Mau $3.50 Tri-Colored Dessert, a mixture of red bean, mung bean, gelatin, coconut milk, syrup and ice. The mung bean clumped seriously, but I enjoyed it nontheless. So I drank/ate all that, and the spring roll and some of the noodles and veggie/meat mix of my dish, and I was full. I took the rest home and made two light lunches out of it. That says something about the portions here, I think.
I don't come out to Dorchester to eat much, but it was a real nice treat to realize that this establishment has a private parking lot located across the street on the smaller cross street of Kimball Street - just make sure you're parking in the right lot, as a neighboring Vietnamese restaurant also has a parking lot right next door to Pho Le's.
PS - the lady of the house looked familiar... anyone know where else she might have worked? Thanks!
*** 8/2016 ***
I did it. I finally made it to Pho Le for their Ca Nuong Da Gion $MP (Roasted Catfish Platter - Whole oven-roasted Catfish, topped with scallion, fried shallots and roasted peanuts. Served with vegetable platter, vermicelli, rice paper for wrapping and pineapple-anchovy sauce. Vegetable platter consists of lettuce, herbs (mint, red perilla, fish mint, and basil), sliced cucumber, sliced green apple, bean sprouts, pickled shredded carrot & daikon. Prepared soy or fish sauce can be offered in place of pineapple-anchovy sauce. (Please allow 45 minutes cooking time.) I called ahead as we were on the way, so once we were seated at the restaurant, it was only 20 minutes more before the whole lacquered fish was impressively placed before us.
The smallest fish they had was 4 lb. but our two appetites did it justice and then some. Originally, we figured it was fish enough for 4, but after we were done, we realized it was perfect for 3 lasses. Crisp skin with steamy white tender flesh beneath, this was a feast for both the eyes and the belly. Just be careful of the bones, this is a real fish after all!
At $12 a pound, this was a terrific treat for 2 for $48 before tax/tip.
*** 9/2016 ***
Have a cake? They'll be happy to store it, and to bring it out on your schedule, but BYOC! (Bring your own candles.) read more