BOK Kitchen + Pub — Restaurant in Fountain Valley

I am so glad I came here to try before it gone viral and hard to get a table. I had a great experience at BOK Kitchen, a new restaurant in Fountain Valley that serves modern Vietnamese cuisine. The owner, Chef Thanh Nguyen, came from Philadelphia to introduce her ways of cooking and to elevate the culture. She has a lot of passion and knowledge about food, which shows in her dishes.

The food was very delicious and fresh. I ordered the beef carpaccio, which was thinly sliced red meat with a variety of toppings, such as chopped green herbs, pine nuts, and fried garlic. It was served on a light blue plate with a white rim, which made it look very elegant and appetizing. The meat was tender and flavorful, and the toppings added some crunch and aroma. It was a perfect starter for the meal.

For the main course, I had the wok-fired tenderloin, which was cubed filet mignon with cracked black pepper, beets puree, lime dressed watercress, simple roasted asparagus, and jasmine rice. It was a hearty and satisfying dish, with the beef cooked to perfection and the vegetables adding some freshness and color. The beets puree was smooth and sweet, and the lime dressing gave a nice tang to the salad. The rice was fluffy and fragrant, and complemented the beef well.

I also tried the short rib ragu, which was prime grade short rib with buttered polenta, stir-fried watercress, roasted tomatoes, and rustic potatoes. It was a rich and decadent dish, with the short rib falling apart in my mouth and the polenta creamy and buttery. The watercress added some bitterness and crunch, while the tomatoes added some acidity and sweetness. The potatoes were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It was a dish that made me feel cozy and happy.

I also had the Hanoi sampler, which was a traditional Vietnamese dish with tofu, pork, pork pattie, vermicelli, Vietnamese herbs, kumquat, fermented shrimp sauce, and blood sausage (optional). It was a fun and interactive dish, where I could wrap the ingredients in lettuce leaves and dip them in the sauce. The tofu was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the pork was tender and juicy, the pork pattie was savory and aromatic, the vermicelli was light and springy, the herbs were fresh and fragrant, the kumquat was sour and sweet, the shrimp sauce was pungent and salty, and the blood sausage was rich and earthy. It was a dish that showcased the diversity and complexity of Vietnamese flavors.

The interior of the restaurant was very nice and cozy. It had an open kitchen concept, so I could see the chef and her staff working hard to prepare the food. The decor was modern and chic, with some traditional Vietnamese elements. The service was friendly and attentive, and they made sure I had everything I needed.

I would definitely recommend BOK Kitchen to anyone who loves Vietnamese food or wants to try something new and different. It is a gem in Fountain Valley that deserves more recognition and support. I can't wait to go back and try more dishes...

We dined here once and probably won’t come back since the restaurant’s offers are not matching the price it charges.

Food: Portion is quite small. Flavor seems mediocre and not really memorable. The buttered crab ($18) came soggy and lacked seasoning. The roasted pork hock ($26) was tasty, but it did remind me of the roasted pork that can be easily found at other Chinese BBQ or Vietnamese restaurants at much cheaper price. Oysters had funky smell and flavor, so they were definitely not the freshest ones I had.

Drinks: All the cocktails are made with Soju ($12). The Saigon Smash, cocktail with tamarind, tasted more like a juice with barely any alcohol. Bottled Sapporo is reasonably priced at $5.

Service: Really slow. It seems like the host and waiters were still figuring out how to run the show. We felt like being ignored. It took 10 min since we sat down for a waiter to pass by our table to offer water/drinks but then she forgot to bring us water until we reminded her later. It then took 25 min since we put in the order for the first dish to come out and another 30 min for a second dish. Another note: The host brought the cocktail to our table and said something that I couldn’t hear well so I asked her to clarify but she unfriendly responded something and just walked away.

Atmosphere: modern decors and open kitchen concept. It was noisy and loud for the small space with music playing, loud voices/yelling from a big group of customers at another table and all the...

Had a lovely dinner with my family here. Everyone was very nice and attentive. Ambiance was nice and chic!

Overview of what we tried:

Shaken Beef (Bo luc lac) - beef was very tender and we had to order a 2nd because the portion was smaller than we thought but very delicious. Soft shell crab - this was the best soft shell crab I’ve had anywhere. It was perfectly battered and tasty. I’m still craving more of this dish!!! Roasted Pork hock - the slices of pork with the crispy skin was amazing and came with lightly dressed cucumbers which can be a dish of its own. Fried chicken w/tamarind sauce - nicely battered with hint of butter and perfect amount of tamarind. Chicken was nice and crispy as we like it! Lemongrass clams - very aromatic and tasty. Just wish the clams were larger! Lemongrass tofu - tasty but prefer the tofu be crispier

Desserts: Nutella Panna cotta - I fell in love with panna cotta since my trip to Italy and suggest anyone to try this. My kids loved this so much I ordered them a 2nd. Baked Banana cake - I didn’t think I would like this because I don’t usually like eating bananas but it was pleasantly good. The coconut ice cream really complimented the cake

Overall the food was very delicious and nicely presented! We will definitely come back to try their...