Ngõ Nooks: On Hàng Bài, Golden Bún Cá Thái Bình in a Hole in the Wall
When a friend of mine returned home after living abroad last year, he longed for a bowl of bún cá. I suggested the classic Hanoi dish, with satisfyingly oily deep-fried fish, but he had other ideas — a fresh feast originally from Thai Binh, located almost 100 kilometers from the capital.
From Fine Dining to Comfort Food: Why Chef Thierry Mounon Followed up La Villa with La Fontaine
“Beyond awards or recognition, a restaurant is about welcoming people, creating memories and bringing joy around a table,” explains Chef Thierry Mounon of his decision to expand from French fine dining into comfort food.
What Cooking Bún Chả for My Birthday Abroad Taught Me About Vietnameseness
“Hot summer night, mid-July, when you and I were forever wild,” Lana Del Rey croons every July 15 to celebrate my birthday. Those melodramatic words consistently evoke three specific elements in my mind: Heineken or Tiger beer cans on the floor; the sweet smoky smell of bún chả and nem enlaced with the rainy air of a darkening Saigon sky; and my friends and family under the LED-lit roof of an iCool karaoke room. Such pillars uphold what I consider the quintessential Vietnamese birthday experience.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Where Fish Sauce and Soy Sauce Are Not Condiments, but Gelato Flavors
Living in central Saigon as a diehard fan of ice cream and all frozen sweets, I fondly remember the late 2010s–early 2020s as the age of abundance. Back in the day, across downtown, there was always a little something for ice cream fans of all preferences.
Govi Snell in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: At Phở Chay Như, a Banquet of Vegetarian Versions of Iconic Viet Dishes
A bowl full of noodles is one of the things that make me feel lucky to be alive, and alive in Saigon in particular.
The Unifying Presence of Cái Mâm, Vietnam’s Ubiquitous, Familial Food Tray
An authentic Vietnamese meal cannot be complete without cái mâm. Mâm, a humble, circular food tray, has conducted generations of Vietnamese into a familial ritual for centuries. Once a mâm is set as the centerpiece, knees begin touching knees until the whole family sits cross-legged in a circle. One person pairs up chopsticks from the bundle and distributes them to fellow diners, while another scoops rice into bowls.
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.
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...
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...
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.
[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...
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...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: A Perfect Saigon Breakfast
Most days, I roll out of bed 15 minutes after my alarm has stopped ringing, stumble downstairs, brush my teeth and leave the house just in time to grab my morning dose of caffeine before heading to th...
Cup Noodle to Release 'Luxury' Shark Fin, Softshell Turtle Flavors in Japan
For only the classiest of junk food consumers, Cup Noodle is rolling out a “premium” line of instant noodles.
Hẻm Gems: On Eating (Chicken) Ass
Let’s play a game. I tell you a word and you tell me the first thing that comes to mind. Here goes: chicken.
Brian Letwin in Saigon Hẻm Gems
[Video] Hẻm Gems: D4’s Supreme Street Sushi
There’s no shortage of solid international fare in Saigon. From Italian to Japanese, Indian to Korean, local diners are well covered. However, since most options in this category are relegated to indo...
The Shitty Reality Behind Civet-Poop Coffee
We love a good cup of civet-poop coffee just as much as the next person, but maybe it's time to let go.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
[Video] Hẻm Gems: D1's Not-So-Secret Snail-Grilling Operation
At first glance, Oc Dao looks like a factory. A giant, secret snail-grilling operation tucked behind several twists and turns along a narrow downtown alley, where plates of fresh crustaceans are churn...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
[Video] Hẻm Gems: The Merits of Chè Dim Sum
If we're being real, I would not break an appointment for chè.
Pizza Huts in China Now Serving Durian Pizza
China has a unique interpretation of western fast food. From the dry pork and seaweed donut at a Chinese Dunkin Donuts to a pizza featuring – wait for it – shrimp tempura, wasabi mayonnaise, squi...
This Vietnamese-Australian Is Raking in $19m a Year Serving Vietnamese Food
When Vietnamese-Australian Bao Hoang opened the very first branch of Rolld, a store specializing in street food-inspired Vietnamese cuisine, the former physiotherapist had high hopes for his newest bu...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
[Video] Hẻm Gems: The Lazy Man's Bánh Xèo
I have a confession to make: my spring roll game is embarrassing.
Marou Chocolatiers Get a New York Times Shout-Out
If you've ever splurged on a good bar of chocolate in this city, chances are you've heard of Marou. The independent Saigon-based chocolatier is responsible for a series of hand-picked, single-origin a...
Phở Tacos: When Vietnamese and Latin Food Meet
When he moved from Vietnam to the United States as a child, Kenneth Nguyen and his family settled in Los Angeles' Koreatown, a rough-and-tumble neighborhood in which he grew up around a variety of dif...
Hẻm Gems: Heavenly Hủ Tiếu on Co Giang
Many count Co Giang Street among their favorite Saigon street food corridors. Featuring a long stretch of stalls, which serve everything from chè and bún riêu to magical bowls of Chinese-style hủ tiếu...
[Photos] Yangon's Must-Have Street Snacks
Like any major city, Yangon borrows from Myanmar's many ethnic groups, not to mention its neighbors, to create a mosaic of the country's cuisine.
