Bo Laksa King
4910 Joyce Street
Vancouver, BC
There has been times where I visit a restaurant, take good pictures, eat the food yet I am not certain if I should blog about it. It is not that they are good or bad; rather it is because there is something. That is what happened to me when I visited Bo Laksa King a couple of months ago: I chose not to put that post live (key details were written already). Heck, I even showed Mijune (her post on Bo Laksa King here) about this place for her thoughts, since it was a part of town I knew it was unlikely she will be visiting on her own. But, in the end, I thought, why not… So, finally, my post about this hole-in-the-wall.
Unlike a lot of people, this area of town is an area I am actually well aware of. After all, it is there were you can find Panaderia Latina Bakery, one of the few Latin American bakeries in town. And, on one afternoon, after visiting them for a big bag of chicharrón, aka, pork rind, I decided to pick some lunch takeout from Bo Laksa King…
Back when I visited them, their menu was limited, i.e., only things they could prepare in a portable griddle and some hot boxes right behind it. They currently have also a delivery menu but that is delivery only, not for eat in. With that in mind, I started with roti canai. These were quite flaky and had also a slight chewy texture. However, it was extremely oily, as well. My hands were full of oil by the time it was done. The fact the curry dipping sauce was also oily didn’t really help. I mean, it was actually good and fat tastes good; but it got to the point of being a case of too much of a good thing.
Since their name includes laksa, I guess I should order laksa as well, right? Well, here it is, in their take out container (the third container wasn’t part of the laksa, rather it was the container with the curry dipping sauce for the roti canai). I really appreciated the fact they sealed their containers very well. I was quite afraid the broth would leak out and make a literal mess while on my way back home.
Rather trying to eat it in their take out container, I transfer the contents into a bowl. That is where it exposes their content: a boiled egg, some fish ball, tofu, shrimp, chicken, some herbs and, of course, noodles. Talking about noodles, I had option between wheat noodle or vermicelli. I asked how *they* would have it and make it accordingly.
The broth wasn’t that hot but I will give it some slack as I could have been responsible for it. After all there was a transit time between grabbing my takeout and taking it home!
I will have to say I have mixed feelings about it. The broth was quite tasty with some coconut hints. I had a hard time telling apart the spices in it but I could still “feel” that complex mix. The rest… Well, that is where my mixed feelings kick in. The noodles were pre-cooked and reheated (in the broth, I must add) before it was placed in the bowl. This process makes sure the noodles catch all the flavour from the broth and keep a bite to it but they ended up tangle which was messy to eat. Herbs and onions aside, I wasn’t really impressed with rest of the meats, except for the chicken which seemed to be either grilled or cooked in the griddle and then tossed along. It it just that the rest of the contents of the bowl was average at best, if not partially uninspiring in the case of the fish ball. I know that this is part of a regular bowl of laksa but the version they served could have been easily removed and most people won’t have missed it at all.
In the end, I feel the product is quite good for the place where it is served and given its limitations yet, at the same time, I believe it is over-hyped. Don’t get me wrong, I have several of such places under my belt (literally and figuratively) including, but not limited to, Hawker’s Delight, Thai Basil (pending) and so on. Yet, while I believe these other places are good for what it is, there is no such claim of they being *extremely good* in the grand scheme of things. In the case of Bo Laksa King, if I were to compare them heads up, it might end up being slightly above average at best. Now, if they were to open an actual sit-down restaurant, improve some small details and so on… Well, at that point a re-evaluation might be required. As for me, I might come back after I grab another bag of chicharrón but won’t make a trip solely for them.
{ 20 comments… read them below or add one }
Everyone seems to love this place. And I still haven’t tried it! Yah, I guess the reason for it’s popularity is the unique location, the cost and possibly the food is decent. I will try sometime…
For me, their laksa is a good value but the real stand outs are their tea leaf salad (not available anywhere else in the GVRD because they import their tea leaves from Burma) and their burmese tea. For $1.50, the tea is cheaper than a HK tea and much more flavourful. I often run in just to pick up a tea, but be careful, as it’s piping hot.
My sister says their wraps are pretty good too. You can’t go wrong with a laksa/wrap combo which is a good deal (under $10) and a lot of food for one person. I think this place makes authentic Burmese food as the owner has informed me that Burmese from San Francisco come to enjoy his food.
As far as ambience there isn’t any (2 tiny tables in a grocery store), but the owner will be having chairs and tables outside when the weather improves. Maybe he should join the other hawkers out in Richmond. That would be awesome.
Kim,
One reason that i love your blog is that you’re critical of the food you eat and you let it be known. I also enjoy Sherman’s blog as well. neither of you make any assumptions of what it should be, but more of what you enjoy or not. People have to realize that a blog is your own critique and that the audience has no right to beat someone up for it, the only thing an audience should do is recommend a second chance and perhaps another dish to try (referring to Sherman’s Salumi post).
Don’t believe the hype as they say
You are right on the money, Bo Laksa King’s laksa was above average, I’ve only had it once, at their location, I enjoyed it but because I’ve actually eaten laksa in Singapore and Malaysia, I kinda have earned the right to say its ‘ok’ laksa but not really worthy of all the raves. Still I want Bo to succeed as he is such an awesome chap! I went that one time due to many food blogs praising this place to high heavens! For a place that serves laksa its good but since its out of the way, if I crave laksa, I would still be satisfied with laksa from say Cafe D’Lite or Tropika or Hawkers Delight. My friend had their curry roti and said it was better than most also but not the kinda place we would make special trip to get to. However, that Burmese tea leaf salad, that I have to try one day..
Sherman, *ahem* everybody minus one…
If it was a combination of such reasons, there are places I can think of that should be more popular yet they are not. For example, Thai Basil mentioned in my post… Or Burger Burger (which seems that only die hard people like us go to).
Holly, actually, when I took Mijune, we were tempted to order that tea leaf salad but we ended up not doing so. Not necessarily in a hurry to go back. But, agreed, they have good options but, still, by themselve, there is not enough enticement for me.
Koji, thanks!
sgtoca, as with every business owner, I want them to be successful. However, I still stand by what I mentioned. Now, should I be scared our thoughts have certain degree of similarity?
It’s interesting because a friend of mine from Singapore took her mom there and they both did not like the laksa either! After hearing her comments, I wasn’t as motivated to go despite all the other praise I’ve been hearing about this place. However, I’m intrigued by the tea and the salad…perhaps I’ll swing by when I’m in the neighborhood.
Ditto what Gigi said, my cousin was on the hunt for the best Singaporean laksa in the lower mainland, and crossed Bo Laksa King off the list as it wasn’t what she was accustomed to.
Gigi, laksa might be one something on the same lines as curry, i.e., everybody might make it differently and, as a result, everybody will develop different tastes.
Jessica, well, it wasn’t bad; just that I thought it wasn’t as good as what most people thought it was.
Singapore Laksa is adapted version of the original Laksa from Penang. The latter has a distinct smell and taste of lemongrass, lengkuas (nam keong), candlenuts, shallots, dry shrimps, +fresh red chili+young ginger+tumeric. And fresh cilantro (leaves/stalks/roots). The former, anything goes.
They also add tamarind water or juice of sour fruits like belimbing or assam or limau kasturi. Anyways, I can’t remember it off my head right now.
Despite the fact that their signature specialties are the Laksa and their wraps, these are not what I (and many other people) actually order there. I’ve had the Laksa a couple of times (once at the store and once in takeout – and it does not hold up well as a takeout item – the noodles get clumpy and the toppings dry out).
Bo is attempting a Singapore style Curry Laksa (I mention that because there are so many different indigenous styles).
Hawker’s does do a pretty good Laksa and as does Tropika…but they are more like a HK style Curry Laksa. Both of them use commercially prepared curry powder and you can taste it. Bo makes his own which is why it is more complex and not as one-note as the Laksa from places like Hawker’s and Tropika. We can’t really compare any Laksa in town to ones you can get in Singapore and Malaysia where the competition and sheer number of Laksa stalls drives up the quality. We can’t even get a couple of the common ingredients here (Ginger Flower and Cockles). (I do notice Bo didn’t add laksa leaf to your laksa like he did with mine…perhaps he longer does this?)
All that said, Bo is Burmese and as such I tend stick to his Burmese specialties. The Tea Leaf Salad is very good and unique here in town. The closest other place you can get it is San Francisco. His Mohinga is also good and authentic as is his Ginger Salad and Samosa Salad.
What I wish he would do is take the plunge and do an all-Burmese menu. But I can understand his reluctance. People here don’t know the cuisine so his delivery menu is predominantly Thai. He probably feels that he can’t afford to take the risk of an all Burmese menu.
I encourage you to try the actual food that is getting a lot of people online excited about this place – the Burmese food (not the Laksa nor the Thai for that matter.)
I agree with fmed. The laksa was good; but not the best thing I tried on the menu. My friend how is Singaporean says that no laksa in town is comparable to back home. Also, as you mentioned, so many different versions as well. It does come down to personal taste. With that being said, I do like Bo’s laksa. At least there was more flavour than most of the other ones I’ve tried in town. Not a huge fan of the one at Tropika, as you mentioned, is very Chinese (since it’s Chinese-owned and operated). For some odd reason, I remember trying a laksa in Edmonton a long time ago, it was pretty good. Totally forgot what the name of the place was.
EnbM, yes, hence my comment of everybody doing it differently!
fmed, unfortunately, I believe that if a certain dish is included in the restaurant name, you better have a good reason to include it. I mean, you don’t go to a steakhouse for chicken strips, do you?
When I went, they were about to start delivery – it wasn’t formalized yet. Also, I was there for lunch so I could only order what they had on-site, which meant roti, wraps and laksa. I ended up going for the laksa as that was others were raving about. When I went with Mijune (again, check her post here), there wasn’t much emphasis of the Burmese items until after we (actually Mijune) inquired a lot. Had they made more emphasis, probably we would have ended up ordering the tea leaf salad. Based on your suggestions, I am willing to take a second look; however, I am not that fond of delivery. It might take a while before that happens…
Sherman, nothing will ever like “home”!
I agree with you on principle, of course. But I do make a big exception for finding great food in unexpected places….often on “the other menu.” Finding Burmese food in a grocery store is a prime example. Or finding some unusual Taiwanese snack in a Bubble Tea Stall, or Chiu Chow cuisine in a Cambodian restaurant or unusual regional specialties advertised on hand-written menus posted on a wall, etc…you know where I’m going with this
Laksa is only good when you make it at home! Or rather, when mom makes it at home
Janice nails it there.
However Bo’s Laksa is still the “king” given the lack of competition and variety available here in the LML. To travel all the way to Joyce or to rely on delivery business, it just isn’t generating enough traffic to achieve economies of scale. Just a crazy shot here, perhaps “Laksa Express” outlets at ‘Metrotown’ and ‘Pacific’ similar to that of “Umi Sushi Express” might be a viable business venture.
Janice, my mom does not make laksa… Wait, are you inviting me to your place for laksa????
EnbM: Two words: Hawker’s Delight… But, your suggestion would fit quite well. Now, not necessarily Metrotown but Crystal Mall’s food court!
After finally trying the laksa at BLK, it is by far the best and tastiest laksa in Vancouver, IMO. It is a different laksa compared to the crap churned out at HK style cafes and Tropika. My wife has eaten a tonne of laksa from her time in SE Asia, and the moment she took her first bite she agreed it tasted like “real” laksa. The flavours of the laksa broth seem to go on forever–it’s a beautiful thing. I would’ve liked my broth to be served a bit hotter. But other than that, it was some damn tasty laksa!
just wanted to add my two cents. i am a big laksa fan. so have had over a dozen regional variations. some never making it out of their state or region, ie Kelantan laksa. Laksa is just a generic term used.
Bo does make a good laksa. His flavor are more dinstinct than the others in town. Most people(including Singaporeans and Malaysians) differ in their taste and have different taste pallettes. Some like more lemak, some spicier, different toppings, noodles etc etc…
Bo despite the challenges of operating from a convenience store does make the effort to do his best to deliver a good product. I think he is a very talented cook. Whilst unsure of the reason for his name. I dont blame him for using Bo Laksa, as oppose to Bo Mohinga. As laksa is better known and prob a reason why he has been more successful sooner.
If someone really like curry laksa. The should give Bo a try and decide for themselves. Bloggers are just reporting what the can see. In essence report based on our experience. I find I rarely have the same experience twice. He has other items worth trying besides the laksa.
Gary, TTC, welcome! As mentioned originally, they deliver a good product and, while I might not have as much experience as your wife in terms of laksa, I know what I like and Bo Laksa King felt a bit short.
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