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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.

in Eat & Drink

From Delta Winds to Highland Soil: A Plant-Based Odyssey

A restaurant where vegetables speak of home.

in Snack Attack

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.

in Eat & Drink

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.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

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.

Back Eat & Drink

in Food Culture

[Photos] South Korea's Top 10 Spiciest Dishes

From a sprinkle of freshly sliced chilis to a dash of flaming hot sauce, many cuisines around the world share a penchant for spicy food.

in Food Culture

[Video] Everyone Is Ordering Suất Obama at Hanoi's Bun Cha Huong Lien

As you might have expected, business is booming at Hanoi's Bun Cha Huong Lien.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

[Video] Hẻm Gems: The Long but Worthwhile Wait for Xôi Chiên

They say the best things in life are worth waiting for. In the case of the elusive xôi chiên, they're right.

in Food Culture

An Abridged History of Phở

Phở is serious business.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Binh Thanh's Delectable Bánh Căn

Located on a busy street in Binh Thanh District, Hai Ton Quan is a small, family-run restaurant that serves up Phan Rang-style cuisine, that glorious mixture of tasty, golden-brown rice cakes and fres...

in Eat & Drink

Vietnamese Cocoa Receives Fine Flavor Recognition

Vietnam officially earned a fancy new title this week at the 2016 World Cocoa Conference.

in Food Culture

[Video] President Obama and Anthony Bourdain Bond Over Bún Chả in Hanoi

After just 24 hours in Vietnam, the internet is jam-packed with thousands of photos and videos documenting American president Barack Obama's trip so far. Though there are plenty of gems from whic...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

[Video] Hẻm Gems: D5’s Glorious Goat Curry

One of the benefits or writing this column is that it allows us to sample some of Saigon’s best local eateries. We may be well versed in the ways of street noshing, but once in a blue moon, we come ac...

in Eat & Drink

Why MSG Isn't Actually Bad for You

For decades, much of the western world has been skeptical of monosodium glutamate (MSG), better known as Ajinomoto to Vietnamese. However, as research has suggested time and again, there is actually n...

in Food Culture

KFC Releases Chicken-Flavored Edible Nailpolish

At long last, KFC has answered the call of your mid-afternoon snack cravings.

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Saigon's Sủi Cảo Street

Saigon is, in essence, a giant food court. From District 1 to Binh Chanh, the city streets are pretty much a macro version of the cooked food section at your local market, spread out over miles of une...

in Food Culture

[Video] Korea's Foodporn Obsession Now Involves Cats

By now, you've probably heard tell of South Korea's considerable muk bang viewership. This unusual online craze, in which nationally famous foodporn stars can earn thousands of dollars a month by stuf...

in Food Culture

[Video] American Celebrities Try Durian on Live TV

Durian is a pretty polarizing topic. Either you have grown to love the thick, garbage-scented flesh of this Asian delight or you are nauseated by the thick, garbage-scented flesh of this Asian delight...

in Food Culture

Phở: The Next Great International Dish?

As Vietnam's culinary ambassador to the world, phở is a soup which needs no introduction. Some of us grew up with it, slurping the noodles for breakfast or breathing in its steamy aromas whe...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Saigon's Street Food Unicorn

Not only are unicorns real, they are edible. In fact, these beauties are an animal of such mythic deliciousness that you should count yourself lucky to even catch a glimpse of one, much less feast on ...

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

[Video] Hẻm Gems: D5's Drop-Dead Delicious Xôi Mặn

Saigon street food tastes best when the whole experience feels like a secret. Head to some of the city's most successful street carts and there are no place names or proper business hours, no phone nu...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Eat Your Way Through Nguyen Hue's Secret Street Food Alley

Nguyen Hue's heritage has been badly degraded over the years. Thanks to the city's neverending development, its older buildings have either been torn down, used as air-conditioning unit pedestals or t...

in Food Culture

South Korea Just Opened Its First Insect Restaurant

Next time you're craving a healthy, protein-rich meal, don't reach for the read meat. Instead, curb you hunger with a helping of bugs.

in Food Culture

[Video] The True Story of 3 Bros and a Bánh Xèo Taco

For all the magic involved in Vietnamese cuisine, it's surprising how few of the country's dishes have made it abroad. Of course, you'll have no trouble finding foreigners who love phở or appreciate t...

in Food Culture

Chinese Restaurants Fire Incompetent Robot Staff

While human waitstaff are sometimes a disappointment – they forget your order, they punch in late, they expect a tip – three restaurants in China are finding out that our machine friends aren't necess...