BT To Go
4 out of 5 stars
3215 S. MacDill Ave., Tampa. Under $16. 813-559-1094; restaurantbt.com.
Bistro BT
4 out of 5 stars
4267 Henderson Blvd., Tampa. Appetizers: $6-$10; entrees: $11-$32; desserts: $5-$10; wines by the glass: $9-$14. 813-513-8402; restaurantbt.com.
BT Nguyen reigns. In South Tampa, she has a three-pronged empire of excellence to meet any taste and budget. Her long-acclaimed flagship's "luxurious and seductive dining experience" made my 10 Best list in June's Food Issue. And now she's got two new locations where her mashup of French technique and native Vietnam's flavors gives diners distinct choices depending on your mood.
Opened last year down the street from Restaurant BT right past the Selmon Expressway, BT To Go offers a wonderful range of largely Vietnamese treats, while the newer Bistro BT, launched last month a mere two miles west with its sleek warm wood-toned modern interior, emphasizes the French side plus Vietnam's greatest hits.
In all cases, chef-owner Nguyen's skillful balance of flavors, fragrances, textures and colors is a wonder to behold and an even greater treat for the palate. Ever dedicated to her loyal customers, BT To Go will bring your order out to the car.
I took some friends with almost no exposure to this cuisine, and they flipped out. Why? The answer is simple. Great food is not rocket science — it just requires tenacious focus on the best ingredients and impeccable technique. This is most eloquently expressed by my non-food hero, Broadway genius Stephen Sondheim, whose mantra is "god is in the details." However, getting it right is hard, exhausting work.
Shrimp (or chicken or tofu) fresh rolls wrap steamed rice paper around bits of shellfish, fresh rice noodles and crisp leaf lettuce, as well as bean sprouts with mixed herbs. One dip into a complex peanut sauce featuring the right amount of heat yields a mouthful of taste and texture where the sum is greater than the parts. Details.
Vegetarian pumpkin soup is not the purée you might expect. Instead, it's cubes of the tenderest pumpkin so soft that they fall into shreds in a coconut milk-infused vegetable broth. The soup is subtly flavored with galangal, an Asian cousin to ginger, and topped with peanuts and scallions.
Both sites carry banh mi, Vietnam's version of a sub. A freshly baked French baguette is stuffed with crisp cucumber, shallots, pickled daikon radish and carrot, cilantro, onions, soy sauce aioli, and a protein of choice. The Decadent's filling of truffled foie gras mousse is over the top.
Bistro BT presents quintessentially French duck rillettes, escargots, ratatouille, beef tartare, duck confit and steak frites. Nguyen's treatment of a croque-monsieur provençal shows how she elevates each element to spectacular effect. It's not humdrum hot ham and cheese. Rich brioche is the base, with gourmet Bayonne ham, Gruyere cheese and Dijon mustard grilled till everything showcases peak flavor. A salad of assorted baby heirloom tomatoes is expertly balanced, and its basil makes each ingredient soar. Details.
The Vietnamese stalwarts burst with flavor. From pho (soup) to bun (noodles), stews to balanced takeout meals, the magic of BT is pervasive.
The pho broth is a complex wonder. When you take hours to coax maximum flavor from more than 20 ingredients, it shows. Bun pairs rice noodles with grilled protein and crunchy veggies with a chili-garlic vinaigrette that brightens up the whole. Details.
Organic chicken curry stews root veggies with a coconut milk sauce fragrant with madras curry, tumeric, lemongrass and basil that pairs hand-in-glove with coconut black rice. Florida gulf shrimp sautéed with a kale vegetable blend of Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, chicory and ginger also go smashingly with her black rice. Again, details.
Chocolate mousse is a dense, ultra-rich flavor bomb. It has the thick consistency of peanut butter, packing more explosive flavor per spoonful than seems possible. When my table was ready for sweets, one companion remarked at the tiny serving. But after one bite each, with half the container left, we really had to concentrate to finish it off. Order the large at your peril.
Though when you pop the plastic top on the to-go banana tapioca pudding it resembles (in the words of one tablemate) "congealed KFC gravy," it's delicious. Chunks of sweet banana, coconut milk, creamy tapioca, some roasted peanuts for crunch and a hit of toasted coconut flakes make this a nice alternative. The bistro serves the same flawless ginger crème brûlée that anchors the spectacular trio available at Restaurant BT. There's punch and cream and crunch.
Nguyen's attention to detail even extends to drinks that are ordinary at other places. The green tea limeade is a balanced mix of organic matcha sweetened with honey and an edge of tartness from lime juice. Ginger iced tea at the Bistro sings with fresh ginger, honey and lime; it's beautifully garnished with a perfect, round slice of lime and a spring of fresh basil. Details, details, details.
Cold-brew Vietnamese coffee with sweetened condensed milk is a wonderful way to pass the time while you wait for your to-go order. Grab a jar from the display and revel in strong coffee flavor that highlights the perfect touch of creamy goodness. Just yummy.
BT To Go promises fresh, healthy, authentic cuisine, and Bistro BT celebrates cuisine, culture and community. Both deliver as advertised. It's all about the details.
Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system.
This article appears in Nov 10-17, 2016.