Marc L.
Yelp
7 Courses 'til Infinity!
I can't remember the last time I had 7 Courses of Beef, but it was probably back in college or high school. I could never keep track of all 7 courses but now that I'm a little more fastidious about tracking my meals, I thought I'd give it a shot and do ratings of each course on a 5 star scale, as I've seen other Yelper's do.
I present to you... Marc L.'s 7 Courses 'til Infinity!
Course 1 - Beef & Shrimp Salad - 3 Stars
Not the best Gỏi Bò Tôm I've ever had but a light and refreshing start to the beef feast.
Course 2 - Beef Tenderloin Hot Pot with Sweet Vinegar Broth - 2 Stars
A very forgettable dish with not enough fat content in the meat for me to ever want to order this a la carte.
Course 3 - Beef Marinated with Lemongrass - 3 Stars
The lemongrass actually adds a nice seasoning to the meat, although I wonder how much better this course would be if the meat was something fattier like beef belly or well-marbled brisket? Probably could've used more butter on the griddle too.
Course 4 - Charbroiled Ground Beef Sausage with Spices - 5 Stars
Oh man, I could probably eat a whole plate of these suckers by myself... so savory and delicious. I like to split each sausage meatball in half and wrap them into rolls with extra mint.
Course 5 - Ground Beef Wrapped in Wild Betel Leaf - 4 Stars
Pretty good and not dry, which is typically the issue with this dish. For flavor and texture, though, I still prefer the Bò Nướng Mỡ Chài that preceded this course.
Course 6 - Plated Steamed Minced Beef Flavored with Nuts, Mushrooms, and Spices - 5 Stars
Often translated as Vietnamese Meatloaf, this Bò Chả Đùm was the surprise of the night. I've also had very dry versions of this dish, but the meat was so moist and full of flavor, it had all of us commenting on it.
Course 7 - Beef and Rice Soup - 4 Stars
A comforting end to the meal: beef broth, minced beef, scorched rice, crispy rice noodles, and alphabet noodles all cooked up into a soothing finish. Could've used more alphabet noodles for nostalgia's sake, but a dish I would want to order whenever I feel under the weather.
As a whole, 7 Courses of Beef is a singular dining experience best shared with friends, although Thien An and Hong An are among the few remaining restaurants in Little Saigon that still specialize in it. At $38 a person, including cold Heinekens to start, it's an hour-long beef wrap party that everyone should experience at least once. After that you can focus on specific dishes a la carte, like me, and make your own multi-course bovine feast to enjoy at home.