In Defense of Vietnam's Iced Beer and Why, in My Beer, I Want Ice Ice Baby
The snobby beer connoisseur may scoff at those who drink beer with ice. But in Vietnam, as much as 75% of drinkers enjoy t...
Hẻm Gems: The Izakaya Where Happiness Is Wrapped in Pork Belly and Grilled
It took a few visits before I noticed that the music at Sakaba Sasuke was always the same.
Ngõ Nooks: On Hàng Bài, Golden Bún Cá Thái Bình in a Hole in the Wall
When a friend of mine returned home after living abroad last year, he longed for a bowl of bún cá. I suggested the classic Hanoi dish, with satisfyingly oily deep-fried fish, but he had other ideas — a fresh feast originally from Thai Binh, located almost 100 kilometers from the capital.
From Fine Dining to Comfort Food: Why Chef Thierry Mounon Followed up La Villa with La Fontaine
“Beyond awards or recognition, a restaurant is about welcoming people, creating memories and bringing joy around a table,” explains Chef Thierry Mounon of his decision to expand from French fine dining into comfort food.
What Cooking Bún Chả for My Birthday Abroad Taught Me About Vietnameseness
“Hot summer night, mid-July, when you and I were forever wild,” Lana Del Rey croons every July 15 to celebrate my birthday. Those melodramatic words consistently evoke three specific elements in my mind: Heineken or Tiger beer cans on the floor; the sweet smoky smell of bún chả and nem enlaced with the rainy air of a darkening Saigon sky; and my friends and family under the LED-lit roof of an iCool karaoke room. Such pillars uphold what I consider the quintessential Vietnamese birthday experience.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Where Fish Sauce and Soy Sauce Are Not Condiments, but Gelato Flavors
Living in central Saigon as a diehard fan of ice cream and all frozen sweets, I fondly remember the late 2010s–early 2020s as the age of abundance. Back in the day, across downtown, there was always a little something for ice cream fans of all preferences.
Govi Snell in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: At Phở Chay Như, a Banquet of Vegetarian Versions of Iconic Viet Dishes
A bowl full of noodles is one of the things that make me feel lucky to be alive, and alive in Saigon in particular.
The Unifying Presence of Cái Mâm, Vietnam’s Ubiquitous, Familial Food Tray
An authentic Vietnamese meal cannot be complete without cái mâm. Mâm, a humble, circular food tray, has conducted generations of Vietnamese into a familial ritual for centuries. Once a mâm is set as the centerpiece, knees begin touching knees until the whole family sits cross-legged in a circle. One person pairs up chopsticks from the bundle and distributes them to fellow diners, while another scoops rice into bowls.
US Eatery Targeted by Angry Reviewers for Providing Raw Beef With Takeaway Phở Tái
Customers ordering phở tái to go were confused to receive raw beef, not understanding they were expected to cook it, and responded with cruel reviews.
A Feast for Your Eyes, Ears and Soul in Culinary Frank's ASMR Cooking
Based in Melbourne, a Vietnamese chef-turned-YouTuber has been cooking up a delicious storm of homey dishes and global cuisines imbued with ASMR, inspiring home cooks to go on culinary adventures in t...
Ngõ Nooks: A Salted Coffee in Gạt Tàn Is Not What It Sounds Like
Is it not just the weirdest combination ever, coffee and salt?
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
How a Vietnamese Food Stylist Puts 'the Bling Bling' on Bánh Chưng
“When people know what they are doing, they bring food to life,” says Thu Pham Buser, a New York-based food stylist of her profession.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: One Bowl, Two Noodle Dishes, and Heaps of Hometown Glory
On the slope connecting Binh Thanh and Phu Nhuan districts lives a small pocket of Quang Nam culinary spirits — in the form of “two-in-one” noodles.
Tam Le in Ănthology
The Vietnamese Man Who Makes America's Most Sought-After Tofu
Twenty years ago in America, tofu was considered, at best, a bland, tasteless, hippie meat replacement, and at worst, a dangerous, highly processed food product that would allegedly cause men to grow ...
Ngõ Nooks: Kosmos Serves Carefully Made Drinks With a Side of Human Connection
“Do you know the difference between ‘Universe’ and ‘Cosmos’?” Linh, Kosmos' owner and barista, asks me.
Paul Christiansen in Snack Attack
What's the Deal With Cơm Tấm-Flavored Potato Chips?
A quirky legend surrounds the invention of the potato chip, and its identity has only gotten odder over the years.
Ngõ Nooks: At Đống Đa's Gác Miên Cafe, a Midsummer's Dream
“Gác" means attic, but “Miên,” on the other hand, is something almost untranslatable, simply because there is no word in English that can fully encapsulate its essence.
Hanoi Allows Restaurants, Cafes to Reopen at 50% Capacity
Starting today, patrons can visit their favorite restaurants and cafes again.
5 Hanoi Eateries to Try Today, the Saigoneer List
During the recent stretch of social distancing restrictions, we at Urbanist Hanoi felt like real adults because most of our money went to kitchen appliances, instead of eating out like before. Still, ...
Michael Tatarski in Food Culture
'Đùm Bọc' Uses Vietnamese Food to Raise Funds for Covid-19 Relief in Vietnam
Residents of New York City are in for a treat.
Tam Le in Ănthology
A New Generation of Vietnamese Chefs Is Shaking Things up in Prague
“Our parents met here in the Czech Republic after being invited by the government to work in [their] factories around 1983. They were one of the first Vietnamese here,” says Giang Ta, the front-of-house and fraternal half of Taro Group, a fine-dining restaurant group that currently consists of three concepts: Gao Den, Taro and Dian.
Europe Recalls Batches of Hảo Hảo Noodles Found to Contain Banned Substance
Vietnam's supply is said to be free of the pesticide that warranted the ban.
Triệu Thị Chơi, Cookbook Author Extraordinaire, Passes Away Due to Covid-19
Growing up in the 1990s, many Saigoneers must have gotten used to the sight of Triệu Thị Chơi’s name embossed in the author position of many cookbooks.
Covid-19 Outbreak Dampens Saigon's Trung Thu Spirits as Bakeries Forgo Moon Cakes
It will be a Trung Thu like no other this year in Saigon, as the city undergoes the strictest movement curbs yet.
Tam Le in Ănthology
From Saigon to Texas: The BBQ Pop-ups That Embrace Asian Flavors
If Crush the sea turtle from Finding Nemo took the form of a Vietnamese guy in his early thirties, he’d sound just like Andrew Ho, the co-founder and co-owner of Pinch Boil House andCurry Boys BBQ
For Her Graduation Project, a Local Designer Turns Street Food Into Mobile Game
The game project, with its lusciously illustrated noodles and spring rolls, is tormenting us as we’re secluded at home not knowing when we’ll be able to feast on cơm tấm again.
Phuc Long Coffee and Tea to Open First US Store in California in July
A Saigon youth staple is venturing beyond Vietnam with an ambitious expansion to the United States.
5 Eateries Doing Takeaway to Try Today, as Recommended by Saigoneer Staff
Starting from this week, Saigon officially enters another two weeks of social distancing orders. While staying at home, what do you miss?
