Hẻm Gems: At Bún Thang 50, Unexpected Hanoi Flavors in a Phú Nhuận Corner
When I was growing up in California, every couple of months, plastic containers of sliced fried egg, chicken, and chả lụa would line the kitchen counter. This medley of ingredients would usually mean bún thang for dinner — which, in turn, signaled that the dinner was a special occasion.
Paul Christiansen in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: At Vietnam's Only Palestinian Eatery, Eating Maqluba and Dreaming of Peace
“If you have a heart and you have a mind, you must support Palestine,” Saleem Hammad emphasized as we sipped sweet tea overlooking Hanoi’s Old Quarter from the balcony of his restaurant, Oliva. The dinner we had just finished was delicious, but the visit to Vietnam’s only Palestinian restaurant felt more significant than a simple meal. Learning about Saleem’s journey, his personal relationship with Vietnam, and his efforts to deepen ties between Palestine and Vietnam underscored how cuisine can foster cultural exchange and understanding towards peace.
Hẻm Gems: Atop a Beef Bowl Eatery, the Hidden Cozy World of Shochu Bar Mitsuboshi
Looking back at my days in Japan, I cherish most the moments I decided to get lost in yokochos — small and narrow alleys filled with shops, often bars — and push on a random door, not knowing what could await me behind it. It could be a wooden stall illuminated by blinding lights, its noisy customers showered with beer; or a 19th-century-style Manhattan bar, where the only movements come from trails of smoke off the customers’ cigarettes and streams of light going through bottles of whisky behind the counter.
When Rush Hour Hits, The Straits Offers a Singaporean Alternative
Saigon’s streets snarl with hot, sticky knots of traffic every evening. As people finish their workdays and look ahead to quality time with families at home, precious hours pursuing hobbies and meeting with friends around the city, they must first contend with horrific congestion. This rush hour period, when movement is slow and frustrating, coincides with peak skyline beauty.
Hẻm Gems: Tokyo Moon Cafe Introduces Homey Korean Flavors to Japan Town
Stepping into Tokyo Moon is like venturing into a world of wonders, neatly packed within a mere 35-square-meter space.
Văn Tân in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Inside a Modernist Abode, O Phương’s Bún Bò Harks Back to Huế Flavors
“O” is the affectionate way central Vietnamese call their sisters and aunties. For children of Central Vietnam like me, it has taken root in me like the most natural anchor of home. Sometimes when I’m out and about, glimpses of the accent of my hometown would pull me back home.
Hẻm Gems: Bánh Canh Hẹ Is Phú Yên's Homage to Chives and the Sea
Ever since I was a kid, I have had a general dislike towards vegetables, but green onion has always been an exception. I regard green onion as a garnish that can lighten up the whole dish, and it seems like whenever it’s absent from my cơm tấm or xôi mặn, I will instantly lose my enthusiasm to eat. But during my teenage years, my affection for scallion was challenged for the first time, when I encountered a photo of Phú Yên’s bánh canh hẹ online.
Khôi Phạm in Food Culture
Welcome to the New Age of Mass-Produced, Enshittified Plastic Bánh Giò
Do you always remember the first time you tried a new food? With common staples like hủ tiếu, bún riêu or cơm tấm, that might be difficult, but I can recall exactly the first time I had bánh giò: it was from a bike vendor with a very distinctive northern-accented street call of “chưng, gai, bánh giò.”
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Cô Nhi and Chú Den's Humble Nui Xào Bò Cart
At this point in our Hẻm Gem journey, I’ve stopped thinking of us – a two-person team consisting of me and my photographer colleague Brandon – as mere food reviewers, but rather food hunters from hunt...
A Brief History of Curry in Vietnam
It is well documented that southern Vietnam’s cuisine has been influenced by the French, but it is also undeniable that the fare has been influenced by another of France’s former colonial hubs: the po...
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Praise Be to Cheap, Tender, Delicious Chicken by the Mosque
Thanks to central Saigon's blistering pace of development and the short-lived sidewalk-clearing campaign of 2017's early months, the downtown area can be something of a street food desert.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Chef Badeh Brings Syrian Cuisine to Saigon
In the small covered area outside the front door, Chef Badeh brings together two of my favorite things: bread and fire.
[Video] A Virtual Tour of Malaysia's Top-Notch Durian Plantation
Most people around here are familiar with the durian fruit and its unique smell; however, not many have actually been to a durian plantation.
Vietnam's Expanding Beer Market an Attractive Target for Foreign Brewers
Competition among foreign brewers is intensifying as Vietnam is poised to become the biggest beer market in Southeast Asia this year.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Kickin' It at Kim Thao's Hột Vịt Lộn Hangout
In the thick of rainy season, afternoon snack spots are hard to come by. Street vendors make do with cement-weighted umbrellas and heavily used tarpaulin, carving out (relatively) dry patches on the s...
A Melbourne Restaurant Has Created Alcoholic Phở, Because Why Not
Phở-loving alcoholics, rejoice!
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: In Search of Saigon's Best Home-Cooked Char Kway Teow
Saigon’s street vendors are a special bunch. They come in various shapes, sizes and backgrounds, but all have one raison d'être: creating the most enticing and memorable dishes that leave patrons year...
Hẻm Gems: The Bowl of Cao Lầu Worth a Run Across the City
Hoi An's cuisine makes a modest appearance in District 7's food paradise.
In Northern Thailand, Cancer-Causing Local Delicacy Poses Health Risk
Northeastern Thailand's famed Isaan cuisine is bursting with flavor and is well-known throughout the country, but one beloved local delicacy poses a dangerous health risk to people who eat it.
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The D5 Beefsteak Joint That Means Business
There is no shortage of restaurants slinging beef-based dishes in Saigon, but every now and then one comes along and stands out from the pack.
[Video] Taiwan's Stinky Tofu Is Not a Dish for the Faint-Hearted
Like Southeast Asia’s slew of durian desserts, Taiwan’s stinky tofu dishes are an acquired taste.
Bia Hơi, Modern Vietnamese Fare Headline ANAN’s New Happy Hour
Among Saigon’s plethora of rooftop bars, many of which aim to create an international vibe high atop their perches on some of the city’s tallest buildings, there is a distinct lack of Vietnamese-ness....
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Co Huoi and Her West-of-the-Border Delights
One of my favorite Saigon pastimes is wandering around strange neighborhoods. If you’re feeling lost or bored or lonely or just a little too comfortable, have someone drop you off in a district you do...
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
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.
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
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.
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
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."
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
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 ...
