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.
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.
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.
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.
Hẻm Gems: The Life-Changing Beauty of Bánh Cuốn Trứng
If I have to drive eight kilometers across the city to get breakfast, it’d better be damn good.
Hẻm Gems: Pasteur Street's Well-Hidden Cơm Trưa Mother Lode
Every once in a while, you come across a simple Vietnamese restaurant that absolutely blows you away.
Hẻm Gems: D5's Bò Xào Sa Tế, a Feast for All the Senses
Saigon is changing at a dizzying rate, and so is its food scene: forget about your favorite café or restaurant for a few months and you can come back one day to find it replaced by a convenience store...
[Photos] Sushi Chef Fuses Sneakers and Sushi to Create 'Shoe-Shi'
An artist and chef based in Italy has elevated the art of sushi to a new level by creating "shoe-shi."
Hẻm Gems: Quan 249’s Wondrous Cơm Chiên Emporium
It’s 6pm on a Thursday, and I’m up to my eyeballs in cơm chiên. Page after page, Quan 249’s excessively handled menu features a laundry list of fried rice combinations, some you’ve heard of, some you ...
Hẻm Gems: To Chan's Noodle Soup Offers Comfort in a Bowl
If you turn up to a hủ tiếu spot anywhere in this city and there is not a hand-painted, wooden noodle cart taking up one corner of the venue, you may want to think twice about sitting down.
Australian Chain Gloria Jean's Coffees Exits Vietnam After 11 Years
On the heels of homegrown restaurant chain The KAfe’s exit from the local market, Australian coffee franchise Gloria Jean’s Coffees is the next to go.
Hẻm Gems: D5's Glorious Com Tam Is the Perfect Drunk Food
Saigon is a city of a million cơm tấm carts, meaning it is easy to pick one at random and chow down. But some stand out from the crowd.
Vietnam Has the Third-Most Expensive Starbucks Drinks in the World: Survey
While getting a drink from Starbucks in the US might not be a big deal, in Vietnam, it’s something of a luxury.
Homegrown Startup The KAfe Disappears From Saigon, Hanoi
Just a year after making national headlines for successfully attracting US$5.5 million in foreign investment, Hanoi-based fusion food chain The KAfe has ended its operations in both the capital and Sa...
Hẻm Gems: Anh Tư's Dreamy Grilled Chicken in Binh Thanh
Around the Saigoneer office I've become the go-to scribe when it comes to chicken-related Hẻm Gems. Therefore, when a friend described a Binh Thanh-based restaurant with dozens of chickens hanging abo...
Bangkok to Remove All Sidewalk Vendors by End of Year
While Saigon debates the future of street vendors in the city, officials in nearby Thailand are working to remove all vendors from Bangkok's pavements by the end of the year.
Hẻm Gems: An Excursion to Tan Dinh's Secret Bún Hideout
Life is slow in the jungle of hẻms that branches out from Dinh Cong Trang Street. Here, a bún establishment offers noodles of northern heritage using recipes handed down through generations of family....
Tokyo Restaurant Dishes Out Insect Ramen
Saigon's recent In-N-Out pop-up has nothing on a ramen restaurant in Tokyo which served up an unorthodox version of the popular dish last Sunday.
America's Favorite Condiment, Sriracha, Is Not So Hot in Vietnam
After making its name in the United States, the rooster-branded hot sauce is trying its luck in Vietnam.
Hẻm Gems: The Balanced Beauty of Bacon and Fried Rice
Our dining experience at A Lung was remarkably simple: there was no turning back when we saw bacon on the menu.
Popularity of Coffee Fuels Strong Profits and Rapid Expansion for Coffee Chains in Vietnam
It’s a good time to be a coffee chain owner in Vietnam as the country’s appetite for a cup of Joe has never been more intense.
Vietnamese-American Chef Andrea Nguyen Creates Eclectic Pho Cookbook
Vietnamese-American chef Andrea Nguyen's latest book, The Pho Cookbook, is an ode to Vietnam's national comfort food: phở.
Hẻm Gems: Chicken Noodles in Phu Nhuan's Flower Neighborhood
Located deep in the heart of Phu Nhuan District’s “flower” neighborhood, Mi Ga Lua Hong offers up a solid addition to Saigon’s host of chicken-centric dishes: a fried chicken drumstick with dry, green...
In-N-Out Burger Pop-Up Hits Saigon for One Day
A few lucky Saigoneers were able to enjoy some coveted In-N-Out munchies this afternoon as the American regional burger chain opened a pop-up shop in District 1.