Văn Tân

in Snack Attack

Huế's Bánh Pháp Lam Turns Backyard Fruits Into a Celebration of Ngũ Hành

“Everything must be really fresh, made-to-order, colorful, and fragrant. Everything has its place, and is arranged exquisitely!” The food in the 2008 feature film Trăng nơi đáy giếng, adapted from a short story by the same name of Trần Thùy Mai, is a vivid depiction of Huế’s culinary creations — rustic, delicate, and ever-enticing. It’s evident in the tuber that Hạnh meticulously carves and then scents using pandan; in the bowl of lotus soup that she makes by wrapping in flowers the night before.

Oliver Newman

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: In the Same Hanoi Building, a Music Fan's Essentials — Vinyls and Cocktails

Sharing a building, Montauk and LP Club might initially appear to be just another cafe and another record store, but their goals are far loftier than selling drinks and vinyl.

Tâm Lê

in Ănthology

Built on Immigrant History, France's Vietnamese Food Scene Is Onto Something Special

France’s Vietnamese population is one of the largest outside Vietnam. From colonial assignments to refugee migrations, the community has grown, shifted, and evolved since its beginnings in the 1860s. Meet the new generation of French-Vietnamese creatives — chefs, authors, cultural consultants — who are reimagining and representing Vietnamese culture in Paris in fresh and deeply personal ways.

in Eat & Drink

Integrating Spanish Culinary Traditions into Local Lifestyles

Paella’s elevation of humble countryside ingredients into an extravaganza of flavors united by fluffy rice; soft and creamy Torta del Casar sheep’s milk cheese; intense Pimentón de la Vera paprika made with smoked peppers, and nutty, earthy iberico ham sliced whisper thin: Spanish culinary treasures are becoming increasingly common in Vietnam. As more Spanish restaurants open and Spanish products occupy more space on grocery store shelves, people here are also discovering how Spaniards like to eat.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Bánh Đa Cua Hải Phòng, a Rare Northern Treat in D10

On the way to Phú Thọ Indoor Sports Stadium in District 11, make a turn off 666/74 Ba Tháng Hai, go all the way to the far corner, and you’ll discover Triển Chiêu Quán’s bright yellow sign. Park underneath the canopy, walk up the ramp, and you’ll notice something stands out, but you might not know why — bunches of caramel-colored noodles in the kitchen area waiting to be enjoyed.

in Food Culture

Pizza 4P's to Expand to the US With First Flagship Location in New York

If you’re roaming around New York but suddenly hanker for a bite of familiar salmon miso pizza taste, you might be in luck this year.

in Dishcovery

A Culinary Celebration of the Watermelon That Would Make Mai An Tiêm Proud

I never imagined there could be more than one way to eat a watermelon. Yet here it was, transformed beyond recognition, via a bold experiment and a deeply personal story, challenging everything I thought I knew about such a simple fruit. Only later did I realize it was part of Sonó’s new tasting menu, “Tales & Tastes.”

Khôi Phạm

in Snack Attack

Bimbim, Snack and Oishi: A Brief History of Vietnam's Regional Terms for Packaged Snacks

The differences between regional dialects across Vietnam is a fascinating field of research that can spawn days of discussion, but no other pairs of words has the power to mystify the internet like the dichotomy between bimbim and snack, both used in the Vietnamese language to describe bags of crackers made of rice, corn, or wheat flours. In today’s Snack Attack feature, Saigoneer is digging into the surprisingly recent history of why northern Vietnamese use the term “bimbim” while it has always been “snack” in Saigon and southern provinces.

Back Eat & Drink

Oliver Newman

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: A Ngõ Cafe Houses Big Dreams for Buôn Ma Thuột Beans

A well-known singer from the Central Highlands city of Buôn Ma Thuột, Mai Trang is taking an extended break from show business to focus on her other passion: coffee.

in Eat & Drink

Every Half - Vietnam Specialty Coffee Roasters Exemplifies Vietnam’s Evolving Coffee Industry

Despite being the world’s second-largest coffee exporter with cafes and vendors filling its streets, Vietnam is rarely recognized for the quality of its coffee. But anyone who has strolled around Saig...

in Dishcovery

A Cinnamon Whisky Sour to Pair with a Skyline Sunset

With over 30,000 tons produced a year, Vietnam is the world’s third-largest cinnamon supplier. Native to Central and Northern Vietnam, the dried tree bark adds a complex layer of flavor to traditional...

Uyên Đỗ

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In Bàn Cờ Market, Cô Vân's Cút Lộn Sốt Me Offers Fortune and Flavor

It would be a grave sin to discuss Saigon’s street food scene without a proper mention of vịt lột.

in Dishcovery

920k VND Landmark Pho Aims for the Clouds

If you lived in Hanoi, is there a breakfast you would fly down to Saigon for the day to enjoy? Le Trung, the Executive Chef at Vinpearl Landmark 81, Autograph Collection told Saigoneer that one family...

Uyên Đỗ

in Snack Attack

Cà Rem Cây, Kem Chuối and the Frozen Tickets to Our Childhood

Sometimes, when I hear the distant sound of a tinkling bell, fond memories of summer days from my wonder years come flooding back to me.

in Dishcovery

Fresh Lobster Served with Salted Egg Cream Sauce

Seafood buffets in Saigon are all about the lobster. Anyone who has visited an upscale buffet here knows that the fresh crustaceans are the star attraction and often the first item guests place on the...

Linh Phạm

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: What a Tea Ceremony Taught Me About Our Lotus Tea Traditions

“The lotus is our national flower, and lotus tea is regarded as the national tea.”

Uyên Đỗ

in Dishcovery

Fruity, Creamy, Icy: A Bingsu Corner in D7 for Those With a Sweet Tooth

As summer draws closer, bringing with it a sweltering sun and drenched T-shirts, one's mind can't help but drift to the incomparable delight of a snowy treat that can ward off the season's heat.

Khôi Phạm

in Snack Attack

For the Love of Our Cooling, Affordable and Ubiquitous Trà Đá

In Saigon, trà đá vendors don’t exist, simply because every single eatery is in itself a trà đá vendor.

Paul Christiansen

in Dishcovery

Nem Cuốn Is the Refreshing Rolls We Need in Saigon’s Sweltering Summers

Even during the summer, when the sun bares its teeth and snarls at passing clouds, one must eat. But lugging a belly stuffed with hot, heavy soup, rice and meat through days devoid of shade sounds hor...

in Dishcovery

A Creative Caramel Pork Lunch at BARSON

From cơm tấm to thịt kho to giò thủ to bún chả, Vietnamese cuisine has perfected pork preparations. Saigon’s pork enthusiasts thus enjoy many options when deciding where to enjoy the protein for lunch...

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: At a Corner of Nguyễn Văn Linh, Saigon's Best Korean Cold Noodles

Much like a stereotypical meet-cute in a romantic comedy, the majority of my most memorable food experiences often involve a faux pas of varying degrees of humiliation.

Uyên Đỗ

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In a Saigon Hẻm Lives a House for Rare Regional Delights

One fine day a few months ago, I embarked on a search for the flavors of faraway lands across Vietnam, all of which are present in a hẻm in the middle of Saigon.

in Dishcovery

Okra Food Bar’s Pork Chop Finds Unexpectedly Bold Flavors in Familiar Ingredients

Widely available and inexpensive, okra may not immediately come to mind when listing vegetables frequently found in memorable dishes. Yet, with enough skill and creativity, okra can anchor tastebud-ti...

in Dishcovery

Society Cafe's Cơm Xá Xíu Fine-Tunes a Cantonese Classic With New Techniques

Inspired by a Cantonese classic, Society Cafe & Dining’s char siu pork is carefully seasoned and prepared over two days, while the accompanying daikon and radish were pickled from scratch. Put togethe...

in Food Culture

At Culinary Frank's Cozy Saigon Cafe, YouTube Food Comes to Life on the Plate

“Every restaurant is a miniature society,” says Phương Phạm (Frank Phạm), a Melbourne-based Vietnamese chef and famous YouTube food blogger who recently returned to Saigon to open his passion project,...

in Eat & Drink

Saigon’s Vibrant Charm and Energy Captured at RBar and Viet Kitchen

Can one long for Saigon, even when in Saigon? The metropolis’ international influences and connections mean one can find cuisines, products and aesthetics from just about everywhere in the world here....

in Dishcovery

A Mojito Made with Saigon’s Steamy Summer in Mind

Born in Cuba, mojitos have spread throughout the world and are particularly popular in tropical regions where the cocktail’s mint, lime juice, simple sugar and white rum prove particularly refreshing....

in Snack Attack

The Good, the Fresh and the Crispy: Quy Nhơn's Wondrous Cuisine in 3 Dishes

A beautiful coastline, stunning rolling mountainscapes, and multiple historic vestiges are not the only merits of Quy Nhơn City.