Chợ Bà Hoa Transports Central Vietnam's Universe of Crispy, Funky, Sugary Treats to Saigon
My family lives in Saigon, a long distance from our hometown in Quảng Ngãi. We only visit a few times a year, but each time is a celebration of amazing food: bánh tráng nướng with sausages, bánh gói with spicy, garlicky nước chấm, crispy fried rolls, etc. Without fail, whenever I set food in the city again, I can’t help missing it dearly.
Hẻm Gems: An Alternative Cơm Tấm From Long Xuyên for Thịt Kho Trứng Fans
When it comes to cơm tấm, most people are familiar with cơm tấm Sài Gòn, featuring grilled pork ribs as the vedette topping. But since the dish’s creation, and as it gained popularity across the Mekong delta and southern Vietnam, another cơm tấm variant emerged alongside cơm tấm Sài Gòn. This version became so cherished by the locals that it was named after its birthplace — cơm tấm Long Xuyên.
Tâm Lê in Ănthology
Christine Ha Writes New Food Stories From Her Parents' Culinary Heritage
“I was in a creative writing program for grad school at the time, and I thought, as an artist, going on MasterChef would give me something to write about.”
Hẻm Gems: CCCP Anchors Fond Memories of Soviet Cuisine for Saigoneers, Young and Old
My earliest memories of breakfast are of Omachi beef-flavored instant noodles cooked with tomatoes and ground pork. On days where noodles sounded uninspiring, my mom would offer me the same plate as my dad: rye bread, butter, and Russian caviar. Eager to follow in his footsteps, I welcomed this addition to my breakfast menu, eventually replacing my beloved noodles.
Family-Friendly Summer Vacations Made Easy at Crowne Plaza Phu Quoc Starbay
The ripening of sweet jackfruit, mangosteen and mangos; hammocks swinging gently in patches of cool shade; and evenings that stretch on with the comfort of knowing there is no alarm clock waiting the next morning: summer arrives as opportunity. When school holidays begin, families scramble to adjust schedules and secure care and activities, creating the potential to carve out some time for a vacation to savor fresh air, explore thrills, and simply bond as a family in a beautiful destination.
Bánh Ú Tro Wraps the Childhood Joy of Tết Đoan Ngọ Within Its Green Leaves
Since the beginning of our festive history, Vietnam’s special occasions have always been closely associated with traditional dishes. Lunar New Year is the time to enjoy bánh chưng and bánh tét, while the arrival of Trung Thu is foretold by the appearance of moon cakes and bánh pía. In the case of Tết Đoan Ngọ, revelers eat bánh bá trạng and bánh ú tro to get a taste of festivity.
Hẻm Gems: Om Momo Brings Stories, Tasty Dumplings From Tibet to Saigon
Though I’ve known about momos for quite some time, it was only recently when I first visited Om Momo — a cozy little Tibetan restaurant tucked deep inside a dark nook in Thảo Điền — that I finally tried momos. Inside, one finds a world with a life of its own: at its center stands a mysterious figure, thinly veiled by a cylindrical sheath of turquoise; hung on the walls are vibrantly colored photographs and artworks; and between them sit tables of diners who gaze and converse around salt-rock lamps that warmly illuminate the room.
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.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Getting Lost in D3’s Soup Bermuda Triangle
During a busy Thursday lunch hour, my coworker and I commit a soup drive-by.
Singapore's Michelin-Starred Chicken Rice to Become a Global Franchise
International fans of Singapore’s latest Michelin-starred chicken rice eatery will be glad to hear that they may no longer need to travel all the way to the island nation for their soya sauce chi...
[Video] How Obama’s Bún Chả Dinner Came to Be
When Obama visited Hanoi last May, he made a number of positive developments during his trip: lifted a 50-year-old arms embargo, witnessed the signing of a US$11.3 billion business deal, heralded...
How Farming Technology Could Improve the Quality of Vietnamese Produce
As farmers struggle to keep up with demand for fresh produce in Vietnam, safe and effective farming technologies may be the answer.
Phở Furor: American Chef Blasted for Telling People How to Eat Phở
By now you have probably heard of, or even watched, the notorious Bon Appétit (BA) phở video that has spread like wildfire on social media over the last few days.
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
Bánh Trung Thu: From Traditional Festive Fare to Asia’s Answer to Fruitcake
While Saigoneer’s previous installment in our Food History series touched on the evolution of bánh xèo, a light, airy crepe that screams summer with every bite, this week’s dish belongs to t...
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Lão Hương Thân, One of Saigon's Oldest Cơm Gà Xối Mỡ Restaurants
Is there anything quite as glorious as beautifully done fried chicken?
McDonald's Faces Stagnant Growth in Vietnam As Local Fast Food Fad Cools Down
Back in 2014, during its first month in Vietnam, McDonald’s seemed set for success, as its first location in Saigon managed to attract some 400,000 curious patrons to sample its American dishes.
Vietnamese Government to Sell All Stakes in Nation’s Biggest Brewers
The Vietnamese government announced last week that it will sell all of its shares in the country’s two biggest beer companies by the end of 2017, an unprecedented move.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Food Culture
The Evolution of Bánh Xèo: A Street Food History
While phở, bánh mì and now, occasionally, bún chả hog the spotlight in Vietnamese cuisine, everyone in Vietnam is familiar, to some degree, with bánh xèo. On street corners and in tiny, mode...
Vinacafe CEO Admits to Past Impure Coffee Products
In a surprisingly candid moment during a conference held last month, Nguyen Tan Ky, the incumbent CEO of Vinacafe, admitted to mixing soya beans into some of the company’s products in the past.
Hẻm Gems: Bún Sứa Serves Up a Jellyfish Medley Without the Sting
The menu at Bun Sua Co Hanh is geared towards diners with a hankering for seafood, and not just your regular fish and company. They serve something out of the ordinary at this slightly drab river...
Famous Civet Coffee Often the Result of Animal Abuse: Study
A study in Indonesia has found that kopi luwak, the world’s most expensive coffee, is often produced using caged civets kept under inhumane conditions.
Ice Cream Wars: Japan's Frozen Treat Makers Take on European Firms in Southeast Asia Market
Southeast Asia’s dessert market is getting some healthy competition as Japanese companies join the fray, hoping to take a piece of the pie from their European counterparts.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Slurping Mì Ốc Hến in District 4 With Công 'the Enforcer'
Shuffling along in flip-flops and a pair of baggy shorts, Công the Enforcer arrives at our table.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Food Culture
Chowing Down on Crickets: Vietnam’s First Mass-Market Edible Insect Business
Crickets look a lot different when they’re fried and doused in seasoning.
High Rent, Competition Challenge Saigon's Coffee Chains
Despite being well-received in Vietnam’s metropolises, coffee chains still encounter business problems due to high rent costs and a crowded market.
Vietnam Set to Become World's Top Pork Consumer
Before the next decade is through, Vietnam stands to become the world’s top consumer of pork.
Foreign Brewers Hope to Tap Into Myanmar Beer Culture
After decades of being closed off to the world, Myanmar’s newfound economic boom is attracting a slew of foreign breweries hoping to cash in on the country’s nascent beer culture.
[Photos] A Midnight Romp Through Saigon’s Wholesale Seafood Market
Around midnight, as most Saigoneers are heading off to bed, District 8’s Binh Dien is the place to be if you’re in search of seafood.
