Bo Kantina

It's fair to say I had high hopes for this place and equally fair to say I was not disappointed.

Situated where BMB used to be, the space will be familiar although it's had some nice alterations, but the vibe is the same. A laid back, friendly place to enjoy some top quality nosh.

I wasn't sure how the Korean/Mexican fusion idea would play out but I can assure you it works!

I started with Bó Spiced Chicken Tacos, which were lovely. A good size as a starter or as a 'street food' dish, the chicken was tender and the sauce had a subtle aromatic kick to it which was a lot milder than I'd expected.

I polished those of pretty quickly and soon my rice bowl arrived. I'd gone for the Indonesian Beef topped with Pickled Shiitake and Yuzu Crème Fraîche. Each component was wonderful, the beef was tender, the pickled shiitake something of a relegation and it all worked really well together. Again, it was fragrantly spiced but not hot, wonderful!! I also managed to snag a mouthful of the Bulgogi Pork which had a little more heat to it, and would probably be my choice next time.

After that a sneaky little Buffalo chicken wing (Buffalo & Sriracha sauces) which has a nice chilli heat to it and it was on to cocktails and dessert!

Dessert came in the form of the BÓ Bar - Peanut Butter Crunch, Sriracha Ganache, Denjang Caramel, Caramelised Peanuts - which was rich, dark and luxurious with a nice warming heat from the ganache, all washed down with a floral Seoul Sling (the ingredients of which escape me as I'd partaken of a few beers during the meal!).

Round the table there were murmurs of approval from all the courses, and I have to admit I'm delighted to be able to go somewhere a little bit different next time I'm in the city centre.

I've not doubt this will become a regular haunt of mine, and I urge you to check it out and see what all the fuss is about!

Top tip: The food really isn't spicy at all, so if you were worried about that, don't be!!

While I think this place has potential, there's still some work to be done to get it there. We were in for dinner early on a weeknight and were seated right away.

They haven't labeled vegetarian or gluten free options, so my partner and I both had to ask all the questions. He settled on kimchi nachos and aubergine stew tostadas. I went for a modified burrito bowl with rice, black beans and chicken.

When he received his nachos, he took one taste of the kimchi and said he thought it had something fishy (and not vegetarian) in it. We located a member of staff and sure enough, there is fish sauce in the kimchi. He assured us that he'd speak with the waitress who'd recommended the dish.

I created a special order, because I wanted the burrito ingredients without the wrap (beans and cheese vs cabbage). I didn't get the cheese in the end, but the beans, rice and chicken were nice, topped with pico de gallo and spicy sriracha sauce.

I convinced my partner to order the Bo Bar based on the other reviews here. It's not gluten free (the crunchy base if the problem) but I sampled the top layers of sriracha ganache and caramel. It was nice, but clearly missing the base to bring it together. My partner didn't care for it at all.

To improve their star rating with me, they need to get better offerings for vegetarians. Right now, the veggie option for burrito fillings is broccoli - just no!! If they brought in a tofu option and some optional avocado across the menu, I think they'd have it. And please, label the menu with veg and gluten free information!

*Obligatory disclaimer due to my previous fangirly love for Burger Meats Bun*
Although in some ways that could mean I needed even more convincing than others about this new establishment taking the place of what was my favourite restaurant in Glasgow. I wasn't sure about this change and I also wasn't sure how it could ever live up to my one true love, Burger Meats Bun.
But it really was pretty damn good!

A mix of Korean and Mexican cuisine does sound slightly out-there, but I promise you it totally works. Given the type of food, I was a bit worried I'd be limited as to what I could eat given my patheticness when it comes to spice, but I was assured by my main man Ben that the food wasn't actually too spicy at all! (Except the Bó Bar and the Kimchi wings in particular, so I made sure to stay well clear of them.)

I tried the duck tostadas (amazing) the nachos with Indonesian beef chilli (oh my God) and the pork belly bao - without Sriracha which did take a second attempt to get it without the devil's sauce - which was so fluffy and lovely I genuinely hugged it to my face. (Their food seems to have that effect on me, Paul S just rolls with it now.) I also had the Bó Sandwich which was just yummy - mango parfait and coconut shortbread, aw yeah. The flavour combinations were, as ever, totally incredible and I felt bad for ever doubting these guys. James is an actual flipping culinary genius and you'd think I'd know that by now!

While it is in no way Burger Meats Bun, that's a good thing as the whole point was to launch something different and in that, they have definitely succeeded. Obviously I'm waiting impatiently to hear when BMB will reopen and I'm still genuinely really sad that it's gone for a bit, but I'm happy that its replacement lives up to the standards I've become used to, and I'll be back for sure!

The new baby of Burger Meats Bun creators Ben & James (BMB is moving to a new, as-yet-unannounced location), Bo Kantina was a bit of a surprise to me. It's Korean-Mexican fusion (although I'd say more Korean than Mexican) and I wasn't sure how it was all going to pan out til I tried it.

I was lucky enough to visit for their soft launch and then return on opening day for a second visit - what can I say, I'm dedicated to eating. Firstly, don't compare this place to BMB as the dining style and menu are completely different, it's best going in and treating this place as a whole new restaurant. The decor has changed too but not so much that you won't recognise the place - it has really awesome teal accents around the place.

The menu is pretty long and you could easily graze from just the street food menu. There's also bowl and borrito options which sound like they're better suited to lunch time, and mains for dinner. There are two sharing platters as well - beef and pork between two people. There's also an epic drinks menu and I love how there is a special "Bo Cocktails" section as well as your more traditional cocktails - essentially the Bo Cocktails are a little pricier and with a Korean twist.

Food wise, I tried:

- Beetroot & Soju Cured Salmon, Citrus Crème Fraiche, Fennel tostadas (2 for £4.50). These are already a favourite of mine and I ordered them both nights. The salmon is so delicious and brightly coloured from the cure, as well as being lovely and fresh.

- Crispy King Prawns, Gochujang, Mayo, Corriander bao (one for £4). The bao is really big and actually pretty easy to share between two. Ours had two crispy prawns on it and it definitely had a spicy kick to it as well.

- Gartmorn Chicken, fried Chicken Leg & Wing, Grilled Corn, 'Octo' Vinaigrette (£11.50 for main). Holy shiz. This was AMAZING. Words cannot express just how much I enjoyed this dish. It wasn't what I was expecting as it's really lightly fried, so doesn't have a batter on it. It's a super flavoursome dish which really packed a punch with the marinade which had a nice amount of sweetnes to it. I rarely order chicken dishes when I eat out as I think the tend to be pretty standard, but this was a dish I would return to eat again, without a doubt.

- Steak Ssäm - classic Korean Style Sharing Platter Consisting of Ssämjang,
Kimchi, Brown Rice, Pickles and Seasonal Leaves (£28). This is a sharing dish between two and I love how everything is present in its own little bowl. The idea is to wrap your steak with some rice and toppings in a lettuce leaf but I scrapped that idea and just ate it with the rice and sides with my cutlery. For a sharing steak I thought the portion size was bang-on and the steak was so delicious and flavoursome. It's cooked for 10 hours and came out lovely and pink.

- Bo Bar - Peanut Butter Crunch, Sriracha Ganache, Denjang Caramel, Caramelised Peanuts (£6). We got this to share for dessert but it had too much of a spicy kick for me (what a wimp). It's a very rich dessert and is really lovely, but there is no way I could finish this on my own, even without the spice!

I also had a couple of cocktails - the Seoul Sling was a little on the bitter side for me but the Hibiscus Bojito was lovely, especially if you like a sweeter drink! Cocktail prices range from £5.50 - £10.

I was really impressed with the food - nothing I tried hit a bum note for me and I thought they executed the food to a really high level. Overall, the pace of Bo Kantina is slower so don't go in expecting to be out within 45 minutes like you could be at BMB. As Gordon M said, the impression might be that the food is spicy but I don't think that's the case, and the staff will be able to help you out if you have any questions.

On each visit, our bill was around £65 between two people, but that's only because we ordered so much stuff and were having cocktails too. I'm going to go back to try the make your meal section as I love having a burrito bowl and the combinations sound well tasty.

If you're looking for interesting, adventurous food I'd definitely recommend paying Bo Kantina a visit.

I was so intrigued to try Bo Kantina with its unusual menu and the great reputation of BMB behind it. I'm glad I did as my boyfriend and I had a great evening there and the food was lovely. There were a few issues that could be worked out but it's still very early doors and they seem very open to suggestions so I'm sure it will only get better with time.

As usual, we were late for our reservation -_-, but the manager greeted us at the door and had no problem with it whatsoever. There were a few tables in but it wasn't overly busy or crowded. Now, confession time, I never actually made it to BMB back when it was open, so I can't comment on any changes in decor, but it's a really nice funky space and I like the colour scheme and the wallpaper a lot.

We were seated at a lovely corner table which was actually a bit sticky but I think that's to do with the kind of finish on the table rather than any sticky food residue. We ordered a couple of beers, they were trying out a new West pilsner on draught (I can't quite remember the name). They only have one tap so it's bottles otherwise and not an enormous selection of those. The beers came in REALLY frosty glasses, I mean a layer of ice all around the glass, which I thought was great until they started melting all over the table, and there were no coasters about so we just had to mop them up with tissues. The beer was lovely though! They gave us just enough time to order and the service was very friendly. The manager even took the time to explain how much food we might need and how the menu worked.

They have a wee wine list ranging from £17-£27 for a bottle of red, and they do prossecco as well. Their cocktail list is extensive, but oh my god the prices! I'm sorry, but in what world are people happy paying the same price for a main as they would for a cocktail!? A TENNER for some of them? And the cheapest standard vodka/whatever at £4? Maybe I'm overreacting because I never get cocktails anyway, but I would definitely have tried them if they were a pound or two cheaper.

Their food menu is divided up into small bites/appetizer type dishes, make-your-own burrito/bowls, 'mains' which don't come with sides, and then sharing platters and sides. We went for 3 starters and 2 mains with 1 side, it was more than enough!

To start we had both types of Bao (steamed buns), pork/hoisin, and prawn/siracha, and they were soooo delicious! I really liked the texture of the bao even though it got a bit stuck to my teeth haha. We also got some kimchi wings and they were AMAZING. Really nice spicy tart kick to them. TBH I would have been happy with 2 baos and some wings just for myself!

The for mains I got the fried chicken with corn and Morgan got the beef shoulder. My chicken was nice, but not the most amazing thing i've tasted. I liked the garlicky sauce it was in. Maybe it's because the wings were so good but the main seemed to pale in comparison and wasn't very big either (only slightly more chicken in the main!). I also wanted to try some kimchi so ordered a side of that, but it was SO fishsaucey I couldn't eat it. Like a mouthful of fish sauce. I like fish sauce but there is a limit. I'd imagine it'd be nice with a bit less fish sauce, but maybe that's just the way it's meant to taste? I've said fish sauce a lot of times now. Sish Fauce.

Morgan's beef main was this towering slab about 4 inches high, on the bone and covered in sticky dark sauce. The only issue was that when he cut into it, 3 inches of that were pure fat! He likes a bit of fat on his steak and always tries to tell me 'that's where the flavor is!' but even he couldn't stomach most of it. I mentioned this when we got the bill and they said they were switching to Beef Cheek next week so hopefully that'll make a difference.

To finish off we had some coffees and I was delighted to see that they did them with condensed milk, but when they came out there was the teeeeeeeniest little dribble of it in the bottom of the glass. I was expecting at least 1/2cm of creamy sweet goodness! We did eventually get more but it took ages to get the waitress' attention. We were the last table in at 10pm even though they close at 12, but the staff got a bit distracted towards the end (understandable as it was nearing home time!)

The bill came to 62.50 which I thought wasn't bad for 2 beers and all that food, I'd definitely be back again, maybe even to have a couple Bao's for a light lunch or to try some cocktails if I'm feeling flush!

Oh hey a new Korean fusion place! Decided to try Bo Kantina with the Italian today, because he refused to have western food and I needed a break from Asian food. What a good balance this was! Also, finally, Glaswegians are embracing the awesomeness that is Korean cuisine! Ive been waiting for more Korean influences to pop up since I moved to Glasgow :)

This space used to be BMB but they've moved somewhere else (is this correct? Where have they gone? Someone enlighten me!). The interior hasn't really changed much, other than there being less cows, the colour red and a wee bit more brightness to the atmosphere. I prefer it now to be honest

The menu is pretty colourful. A fusion of Korean, Indonesian and ... Mexican? Ok haha

I had the £13 for 3 courses lunch deal and Gian had the £10 for 2 courses. I ordered the salmon taco for starters, the bulgogi as a main and the Bo Bar for dessert, while Gian had the terong (aubergine in Malay/Indonesian) taco and made his own burrito for his main (he had the chicken, noodle and purée kimchi if I'm not mistaken).

For the starters, I didn't expect to like it so much! My salmon taco was very refreshing and tangy (because of the citrus crime fraiche). Pleasant surprise! And my bulgogi was unexpectedly filling and very good albeit it being a completely different bulgogi than from what I'm used to eating! The pulled pork in the dish was the best part because it was slow roasted and so VERY soft, tender and not fatty! I hate it when pork fat is like jelly when you eat it. That texture is so cringeworthy.

Let's not forget the Bo Bar! It's nutty and chocolatey mmmm yes but then ... What? It's spicy too? Yes! There's a bit of a spicy kick to it after you're done chewing! Super nice!! Absolutely loved that!

The Italian was also very happy with his meal. We came into the restaurant not expecting much but left it feeling satisfied and impressed! The lunch deal is very affordable too.

Staff members were friendly as ever! And were very accommodating to gian's "no-dairy" diet - constantly shared suggestions on how they could try to make his meal better and dairy free. That's nice of them!

Give it a go when you can! The next time I go, imma test drive the cocktails! Curious to try their concoctions :)

Everybody has been raving about this place. I finally came here on a Monday evening with my friend who herself said that she "would happily eat this food for the rest of [her] life".
Unfortunately, I have to disagree. It was good, but not good enough for me to turn my back on other foods.

The food is good - don't get me wrong. Hands down, I have a foodie crush on the crispy prawn bao, and I will definitely absolutely only order this from now on. I loved the fluffy, almost sweet texture of the bun and the crispiness of the prawn and everything else. I also adored my salmon toastada (although mine in no way tasted of fennel, which is a shame because fennel rules). The crème fraiche was wonderfully citrusy and just for the colour the salmon is a work of art. Bonus points for not being messy to eat. Furthermore, we shared almost sweet and sour chicken wings, and they were refreshing and tasty.

The mistake I believe I made (purely arising from my aversion of messy foods) is ordering the Indonesian chilli tacos. Gosh, what a mess. Tasty, but not tasty enough to distract from the mess. They had a bit of a kick, but (thankfully) not strong enough to knock your socks off.

I enjoyed that the water was iced, as well as coming with a cucumber slice and being cold. The staff was friendly and one of them even chatted about Tods shoes with us for a while.
Not to mention the décor - although the seats are low and kinda uncomfortable, on the whole, I enjoyed it (next time I also know to order a little less because with the amounts of food I had, it was just a little too much).

I would myself be convinced to come back to try one of the burritos or bowls (but what are they doing on a menu next to Korean and Indonesian food - who knows. Who am I to judge if they're tasty, but I don't know that yet). Maybe I anticipated a little more Mexican on the menu, who knows.

That old nostalgic feeling washed over me as I tiptoed down the steps to the familiar door. No more cows in the window and no more delicious scents of burgers piled high with bacon! I could have cried.
There was no need to shed a single tear however, as all was well with this new endeavour and this became very obvious as I walked through the door. I had booked a table for the Friday night & was glad I did- it was busy! My other half and I ordered some drinks, he had a beer, I had the best drink ever- the Hibiscus Mojito. I am not sure quite how to describe this except to say YUM BUY ONE IMMEDIATELY. Sigh- it was bloomin' fantastic! We ordered a selection of dishes as we wanted to try a variety. We enjoyed: Bó Spiced Chicken Tacos, Seoul wings, Crispy King Prawn Bao, Indonesian Beef Rice Bowl and a Chicken Bowl. There are no words to describe the variety of flavours here- we could barely speak it was so good! My favourite was Bó Spiced Chicken Tacos and the Crispy King Prawn Bao. I could have eaten those two all day!
Now I know what you're thinking: 'Roisin, how on earth did you fit a pudding in after that large meal?' The answer is that I didn't. I must return and attempt a sweet treat next time. Get your loosest troosers on and get to Bo Kantina! 5 stars!

For me, Burger Meats Bun was at it's best when it was doing one-off stuff: the specials were inventive, and the monthly special nights really showed off the skills in the kitchen. With this change from BMB to Bo Kantina it feels like they guys have had a lot of fun with one of these events and decided to run with it. On the main, this has worked really well, and this is a place that you should definitely try.

Inside, things have been given a lick of paint, rather than dramatically changed. It feels familiar, but has been changed enough that you feel like you are in a new venue. Importantly, the playlist has pretty much changed the same, so there's always the chance that a classic tune is going to get blasted out while you're there! It's still a nice place to spend some time, and you don't really feel like you're in a basement.

The menu is a decent size, and your meal here can come in a number of different sizes. You can go for a number of sharing size plates, and have tacos, tostadas, nachos, wings or Bao. For the tacos and tostadas you get 2 each, one bao if you order that, and you get a decent amount of wings (about 6?). I've had the Beetroot and Salmon tostadas, which were fantastic, as were the Kogi wings (wings were always something that BMB were good at, and this continues here). The prawn Bao was also great, although it might have done with a wee bit more filling.

If you want something more substantial, you can either make your own dish from some starting points - a burrito, rice bowl, or salad bowl, where you can add different toppings and dressings. I went for a Spiced Chicken Rice bowl, which was great (the chicken was like a fancy nugget; crispy on the outside but lovely and moist in the middle). The portion for this was pretty generous, and I was left with a bit of rice at the end - we had ordered coleslaw on the side (again,this was brilliant - try this, and the aubergine side-dish which was try brilliant) and I stuck this in with the remainders to add some sauce to what was left.

There are also plate options for mains; slightly more expensive, and less rice based, but they are something different to try. We went for one of the sharing plates, the beef one, and you get a decent amount of beef for your cash (Bri liked the amount, I could have possibly done with one or two more bits), and it looks lovely. Even though it's been cooked for ages it's still nice and pink, and it comes with a great set of accompaniments. One thing to note is that nothing was hugely spicy, so if you're afraid of heat you should still be OK.

Having only been open for couple of days it's not perfect, and it's probably a little harsh to be passing judgement this early. The timings aren't as quick as at BMB, which is probably due to the nature of the dishes, they really need to bring back the kitchen towel (things can get messy, especially with the wings!), and there are little things like being offered spicy crisps without being told that they cost you a £1 a bowl. If you're not familiar with the restaurant space the toilet signage can be a little confusing, but other than these small issues I'm pretty impressed. With time, all of these things can be easily fixed, though, and none of it is terminal.

Overall, a definite 5 star, and I woud come back regularly. It's good to try something that's different in a city centre that has become a little uniform. As a result of them doing something different, there is more of a chance of some people not clicking with it - I really enjoyed it, and I think that everyone should try it at least a couple of times to truly appreciate what's on offer. In time, as things settle down it will get better, and I think I would love to see some more of the invention that I loved as specials and one-offs.

I was eager to try the new concept from the Burger meats Bun guys especially because it's a crazy fusion of Mexican and Korean and kimchi is the next food craze waiting to happen.

We (two diners) opted for the small plates option ordering four things to start with as we didn't receive any guidance from staff as to how many to order. This was not enough. And we ended up getting another four plates.

The flavour combinations were really great and the fusion works very well. Wings were my highlight, loved the kimchi flavour and the buffalo. There was so much meat on wings and plenty of sauce.
The steamed bun was pretty huge but I felt expensive compared to other places in Glasgow serving the same dish. Would also recommend the kimchi coleslaw.

Generally I felt the small plates were all about £1 to £1.50 to expensive.

I'd go back to try some of the main meals but I don't think I'll be rushing back.