Linh Phạm in Food Culture
This Tết, Learn to Wrap Bánh Chưng in One of Hanoi's Oldest Villages
Much like the peach blossom or the lucky money envelope, bánh chưng is a staple part of Tết.
Hẻm Gems: In Đà Nẵng, Góc Nhà Tụi Mình Is Where Tea Time Feels Like Home
As a Đà Nẵng native, I often get asked where and what to eat and drink by friends who are in town. The tried-and-true list of places in my mind always includes Góc Nhà Tụi Mình, which I’ve frequented nearly constantly for the past six years.
Bánh Thuẫn Anchors Central Vietnam Kids' Tết Anticipation and Childhood Joy
Bánh chưng and bánh tét are the two reigning monarchs of Tết food, representing the north and south of Vietnam. Still, no...
The Year of the Horse Gallops into The Grand Ho Tram
Inspired by the spirit of the horse, The Grand Ho Tram encourages you to have a year of success, confidence, and new horizons. Traditional Tết performances and activities alongside special feasts and opportunities for revelry will usher in a year of remarkable achievements and memorable moments.
Hẻm Gems: Beloved in Korea, Dwaeji-Gukbap Is a Hearty Soup for Saigon's Cold Days
When the owner of a popular restaurant in South Korea specializing in dwaeji-gukbap, a dish widely beloved in Korea but little known outside, visited Vietnam for vacation for the first time around a decade ago, he saw a real possibility of bringing and introducing this special Korean dish to Vietnam. Fast forward to today, his vision has materialized into the quite remarkable scene of a restaurant in Thảo Điền bustling with Vietnamese customers who come to enjoy the humble dish.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
5 Cozy Saigon Coffee Shops With Outstanding Cat Residents to Befriend
I almost never remember the faces of the employees at cafes that I’ve been to, but I am strangely attuned to the existence of their cats. I remember the textures of their fur when I gave them pets, the little squeaks when they jumped up and down the furniture, and the subtle ways they expressed their personality during our fleeting but memorable encounters.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Woko Brings the Comfort of American Chinese Food to Saigon
When a dish travels far from its homeland to take root somewhere else, one common yardstick for judging it is “authenticity.” Is the seasoning true to form? How closely do the ingredients match the original? Has the cook stuck to tradition, or wandered too far into improvisation? But what if an entire cuisine was born and shaped in defiance of that very idea?
From Abroad to My Favorite Bún Riêu: A Brief History of Trứng Vịt Lộn
I pride myself on being a child of Hanoi, but only after nearly 20 years, did I realize that trứng vịt lộn is not exactly an authentic topping in Hanoi-style bún riêu.
Vietnamese Cafes Take on Global Giants, Emerge Victorious
When Starbucks first opened its doors in Vietnam in 2013, a slight panic was in the air. From abroad, news outlets wondered whether the global coffee giant could adapt to Vietnam's unique coffee ...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: For Good Phở in Saigon, a Dollar Is All You Need
You can really stretch a dollar in this country. That's two cà phê sữa đá or two bánh mì, a couple liters of bia hơi, a xe ôm ride, a well-bargained souvenir, enough snacks to constitute a meal or a s...
[Video] Americans Fail at Eating Vietnamese Food, Love It Anyway
There are a handful of universal truths in life. For instance:
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Best Bún Chả in Hanoi…in Saigon
The weather was truly Hanoian earlier this week. Outside, rain fell in sheets, flooding the pockmarked alley outside our office door. The sun had disappeared. Though a few particularly photo-obsessed ...
Brian Letwin in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Maison Marou: The House That Chocolate Built
Across from Ben Thanh Market sits a massive, open pit that will eventually serve as the base for a set of gleaming, modern towers housing the likes of a six-star Ritz-Carlton Hotel. But just beyond th...
Hanoi World’s Greatest City for Food: Telegraph
While the international press has been fawning over Vietnamese cuisine long before US President Barack Obama shared a few bowls of bún chả with Anthony Bourdain in Hanoi a few weeks back, the visit ma...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Legend of Baby African
You'll have to clear an afternoon to get to Baby African.
[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.
[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.
[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.
An Abridged History of Phở
Phở is serious business.
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...
Vietnamese Cocoa Receives Fine Flavor Recognition
Vietnam officially earned a fancy new title this week at the 2016 World Cocoa Conference.
[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...
[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...
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...
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...
[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...
[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...
