Uyên Đỗ in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: In the Mood for Lẩu? A Ngưu Offers Hong Kong Vibes and Tasty Bites.
I visit Tiệm Lẩu A Ngưu on a rare wintry Saturday evening in Saigon, the perfect occasion to fill one’s stomach with warm broth, noodles, and a host of other tasty accouterments.
From Delta Winds to Highland Soil: A Plant-Based Odyssey
A restaurant where vegetables speak of home.
Nem Chả Diên Khánh, a Match Made in Khánh Hòa's Coastal Heaven
During my journey to explore the culinary specialties of Khánh Hòa, I was delighted to discover the nem chua and chả lụa from Diên Khánh, a centuries-old ancient town that’s just 10 kilometers from downtown Nha Trang.
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.
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.
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.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Food Culture
Sủi Dìn’s Journey From Imperial China to the Streets of Hai Phong
The first time I stumbled upon cô Ut’s nightly sidewalk ritual, the performance was already well under way. Perched on the low steps of what serves as a VietinBank branch by day, the young woman sat r...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Chinese-Malaysian Noodles and Saigon's New Generation of Street Food
When it comes to Saigon’s culinary landscape, the southern hub is pretty progressive. In addition to an array of Vietnamese dishes from every corner of the country, the city has also acquired a cosmop...
A Food Folk Tale: How a Poor Farmer Traded Starfruit for Gold
In Vietnam, fruits, especially those of the oddly shaped variety, come with a story. From pineapple to watermelon, there’s not a snack in this country that doesn’t come with a lesson attached. The jui...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Ingenuity of 24-Way Grilled Oysters in D4
Innovation is important. With a healthy imagination and a bit of gusto, humans have the ability to create everything from DIY submarines to all-terrain wheelchairs to helmets specifically for married ...
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
A Food Folk Tale: The Savage Clapback That Turned a Girl Into a Pineapple
Growing up in Vietnam, it seems that everything – from common household objects to fruits – has an origin story. Some of these local folk tales have a decidedly romantic angle, but others – like the l...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Green Delight of Phu Yen's Bánh Canh Hẹ
In the age of the internet, we go back and forth about everything, including whether or not the most important meal of the day is, in fact, important. While members of the medical profession continue ...
Viet Nam Mien Ngon: A Journey in Watercolor Through Vietnam's Diverse Cuisine
Vietnam has long been an enthralling destination for foodies near and far – just ask Anthony Bourdain, the globetrotting New York chef who has repeatedly professed his love for the Southeast Asian cou...
Bosgaurus Awakens Vietnam’s Coffee Culture with Arabica Beans
Bosgaurus is the scientific name of a rare, revered wild gaur indigenous to Vietnam in need of protection and advocacy.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Food Culture
Watch out for These 5 Vietnamese Food-Related Superstitions
Every culture has its own customs, superstitions and traditions, some of which are so time-honored that even their strictest followers aren’t really clear on where the etiquette comes from. Vietnam ce...
Taiwan Struggles to Combat Locals' Addiction to Cancer-Causing Betel Nuts
The Taiwanese government continues to wage a war against betel nut addiction, but considering the cultural ties to the native plant, it is proving incredibly difficult.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Sumptuous Street Snacks of Ha Cao Ban Co
Whether we’re talking about the packaged foods aisle at Circle K or the lady whipping up bánh tráng trộn on the street corner, snack foods often meet two distinct criteria: they are both delicious and...
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
Bánh Cuốn, Chee Cheong Fun and Pork Intestine Rice Rolls: A Sprawling Family Tree
One of Vietnam’s most common breakfast foods, bánh cuốn, might not save a life – not in the way that a bowl of hearty phở can – but the silky rice rolls sure do make living easier.
[Video] A Day in the Life of Vietnam's Bánh Tráng Artisans
Rice paper has been a mainstay of Vietnam cuisine, with consumers often preferring homemade versions over industrial made ones, which has created a thriving cottage industry in the Mekong Delta.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: An Evening of Bánh Xèo Phan Rang and People-Watching by the Canal
There are certain foods in life that take time to love. Mắm tôm, for instance, or mắm chưng. Any of the mắms, really. Durian, I’m told, is a wonderful fruit on the fourth or fifth try. And while some ...
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
A Food Folk Tale: Mai An Tiêm, CEO of Vietnam’s First Watermelon Startup
If you’ve been around a traditional Vietnamese household during Tet, you have probably noticed the presence of gargantuan, child-sized, dark green watermelons on the altar.
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: A Quick, Delicious, No-Nonsense Lunch at Quan Com Ga Hai Nam
Now that I'm on my fourth chicken-centric Hẻm Gem, I guess I might as well start carrying out these assignments dressed as a chicken.
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
Bò Bía: A Piece of Saigon's Hokkien Heritage in a Simple Street Food Roll
Historically Saigon has been a busy trading hub that attracts merchants from all over the region, and the city's culinary repertoire is a smorgasbord of eclectic cultural influences. In the latest ins...
Meet Linh Nguyen, the Fulbright Scholar Spreading Vietnamese Culture Through Food
Linh Nguyen is a Fulbright scholar, blogger and writer whose first book, Lemongrass, Ginger and Mint Vietnamese Cookbook: Classic Vietnamese Street Food Made at Home, became an Amazon bestseller after...
Saigon’s Craft Beer Scene Strikes a Balance Between Foreign Brews and Vietnamese Tastes
“It’s bitter,” says De, a resident of Go Vap District, after taking a sip of a locally brewed India Pale Ale at Quan Ut Ut. “I’m not sure I’m ready for it,” he adds sincerely.
Saigon’s First Designated Food Street to Open on Monday
Earlier this year, as District 1 People’s Committee Vice Chairman Doan Ngoc Hai ramped up his sidewalk-clearing campaign, Saigoneers wondered about the fate of the city’s street food vendors. Now, jus...
