Mot To - Review
That Grilled Cheese tho…
On a recent trip to Calgary the temperatures dipped to sweater weather. So for the lunch of choice decided to hit up Mot To. Mot To translates to “one bowl” which to us felt like a challenge because we got so many damn dishes here to try and was happy with most of em.
Design wise, this entire restaurant is the modern Vietnamese restaurant you’re absolutely comfortable being in. I just wanted to settle in and warm up to some soup. But first, we got some drinks. Ordered the Coconut Coffee which was an ice coffee concoction with a healthy portion of whipped cream and toasted coconut shavings on top. It hit the goddamn spot. The spot that is my belly that needed some drank.
First dish was the roasted bone marrow with mini toasts. Technically it wasn’t toasted so it was just sliced banh mi. I loved the size of the marrow but wish the chef absolutely assaulted this marrow with more spices of some sort. Would still buy if I had a hankering for bone marrow!
The next appy were the wings which were absolutely crunchy. Carmelized in fish sauce, it was the type of wing you’d expect from a Viet restaurant. This is a must order.
Star of the show for and app was the Pho Grilled Cheese. Just wow. Where most grilled cheese feels like a gimmick, this one was executed beautifully. The grilled cheese had beef, carmelized onions, and basil inside a smushed banh mi. There was a glass of pho broth for dip and just wow. Top tier appetizer. I just wish the broth was in a more shallow bowl so I could dip every corner of this grilled cheese into it like a tomao soup/grilled cheese combo.
For mains, my friend had the Mot to’s special pho that had the standard rare beef, beef ball, chicken, tofu and veg. When I had tasted the broth it was exactly the same as the dipping broth so it was fragrant and delicious.
My main was the Crab and Pork Tomato Soup Bun Rieu. Rice noodle, pork meatballs, crab claw meatball, fried tofu, pork blood cube, and pork hock slices. Despite having all of these ingredients the broth itself felt too bland for a Bun Rieu. Was really looking for that rich flavor and umami that a Bun Rieu is known for. Definitely, a dish that needs some work.
Despite a subpar soup, I was really happy with everything else. It’s actually a well-executed and modern take on Vietnamese food. There are lots to appreciate here in such a vibrant space with friendly staff. Will be back and you should definitely try it.
Sal says: Just Try It (3.3/5)
