in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Trứng's Divine Flan Is What Happens When Saigon Dreams of Japanese Desserts

My slight obsession with Japanese-style flan started in Tokyo, but it’s taken on a new life here in Saigon.

in Food Culture

Hội An Reports 91 Food Poisoning Cases Linked to Famous Bánh Mì Phượng

Bánh Mì Phượng, Hội An’s most famous bánh mì eatery, recently made national headlines again, but for unfortunate reasons.

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: The Quiet Intimacy of Tree Bar, Where Strangers Become Fast Friends

A group of patrons gossip in thick, fast Japanese. They might all know each other or they might just speak to anyone at the bar as if they already know them. The wizened “master” joins in from his perch beneath the liquor shelves, as salarymen shuffle in and out of back rooms.

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: Hanoi's Long Waits Jazz Club Dreams a Little Dream of Jazz

Long Waits, a self-proclaimed “modest jazz club,” is the culmination of many dreams that merged and shifted before finally giving Hanoi a modern yet quaint jazz experience.

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: Nourishment for the Soul at Canh Bún Nguyễn Siêu

Eating canh bún is akin to going for a walk on a clear day as sunset melts over the city; it costs almost nothing yet nourishes the soul.

in Vietnam Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Đà Lạt's Nomadic 'Cafe' Has No Menu, No Store, and One Table

During a recent trip to Đà Lạt, a friend invited me for coffee at 5:30am. The frosty climate of the Central Highlands mornings concerned me, but upon hearing the pitch about a whimsical cafe that operates on a “now you see me, now you don’t” basis, I immediately said yes.

in Ănthology

In Massachusetts' Cicada Cafe, a Marriage Between New England and Vietnamese Flavors

“I don’t like the term ‘fusion,’” Vinh Lê, the chef of Cicada Coffee Bar, tells me. “You need to adapt. You need to adapt to the new environment, new life, when you move from Vietnam to the US. And to do that, food is one of the important elements.”

in Eat & Drink

In Search of Quy Nhơn’s New and Traditional Delicacies

When asked what one should do when visiting, Quy Nhơn, one of Saigoneer’s favorite cities, the answer is simple: eat!

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in Food Culture

[Video] Sewer Fishing in District 5

If you though fishing in Saigon’s polluted waterways was a risky proposition, sewer fishing seems downright suicidal.

in Food Culture

Sweet Typographic Map of Vietnam and Its Food

In 2008, Jodi left her job as a lawyer to pursue goal of traveling (and eating) her way across the globe. After arriving in Vietnam, she became particularly enamored with the country’s diverse culinar...

in Food Culture

10 of Hue's Most Delicious Dishes

You probably just finished lunch but this list of 10 iconic dishes from Hue should get you appetite going again. Food Republic’s Laurie Woolever recently visited Vietnam’s imperial capital on the look...

in Food Culture

Wine in Vietnam: Domaine Roux, France

Alfredo de la Casa is a wine expert who runs the blog wineinvietnam. In order to increase awareness about wines available in Vietnam, Alfredo periodically stops by to profile some of his favourites, t...

in Food Culture

Seeking Out Saigon’s Best Banh Mi

Like other Vietnamese staples, finding the best of any one dish in a nearly impossible task. Even if one is able to find what they deem to be the best, others will surely disagree. Even so, in a recen...

in Food Culture

A Look at Some of Vietnam's Bug-Based Delicacies

Cultures around the world have included protein-rich insects as part of their diets for thousands of years. While the practice has almost disappeared in the West, insects are still as popular as ever ...

in Food Culture

Vietnamese Dishes with French Origins

Though the French occupiers are long gone, elements of their culture still exist in both Vietnamese language and society. One of the most obvious examples of this is Vietnamese cuisine which has a num...

in Food Culture

Australian Wine Dinner With The Yalumba Winery

What happens when you put together amazing food, great wines, excellent customer service and a fantastic host? Well the answer is that you feel in heaven, and that was how most, if not all, of us felt...

in Food Culture

Breadwinners: 10 of Saigon's Best Loaves

Being Filipino, I was raised eating fried rice and over easy eggs for breakfast. Pan de sal, the bread of choice for Filipinos, was something that was only sold at Goldilocks which was a good 45 minut...

in Food Culture

Free Christmas Dinner @ deciBel

I have never been a religious person, so after my ‘lovely’ older brother decided to show off his cleverness by telling me that Santa Claus did not actually exist, my magical world was shattered and I ...

in Food Culture

Sava: An Epicurean’s Paradise in District 2

Sava the Gourmet is located in a beautiful villa located in the heart of district 2. Although the company used to focus on wholesale products, it has recently extended its retail arm, bringing gourmet...

in Food Culture

How to Use Fish Sauce (Nước Mắm) in Western Dishes

While fish sauce is a staple in many Asian countries, in the West, most prefer its cousin, ketchup. To break down some culinary walls, Asian food expert, Andrea Nguyen just published a great article i...

in Food Culture

Special Delivery: Takeaway.com Acquires Vietnammm.com

Vietnammm, one of Vietnam’s most popular online delivery sites, has been acquired by Takeaway.com, a global leader in the industry. The move signals the Dutch company’s first move outside of Europe wh...

in Food Culture

Video: Local YouTuber Gives Away Free Ice Cream to Saigon Commuters

Troy Nguyen runs a YouTube channel dedicated to Vietnam. While most of his videos focus on his travels and interesting aspects of Vietnamese culture, every now and then, he sets out to help the people...

in Food Culture

The Best Pho in Vietnam?

With thousands of pho shops across Vietnam, determining the best in the country seems like an impossible task. In fact, for any Vietnamese food, we would hesitate to crown a restaurant 'best of' since...

in Food Culture

Master Chef - Gastronomy Competition @ Mc Sorley's

Food lovers and amateurs chefs with a passion for sharing their favourite food and recipes should not miss Mc Sorley's event “Master Chef.”  It is a gastronomy competition, where teams of 4 memb...

in Food Culture

Ben Thanh is One of the World's Best Food Markets: USA Today

American newspaper, USA Today, just published their list of the "Best food markets around the world" in which Saigon's own Ben Thanh Market ranked 15th. Along with fake DVDs and tourist nik naks, the ...

Brian Letwin

in Food Culture

[Video] Celebrity Chef Anthony Bourdain in Vietnam

Gordon Ramsay isn't the only celebrity chef obsessed with Vietnam. But unlike Ramsay, New York chef, Anthony Bourdain, has a surprisingly close connection to Vietnam, cultivated over many visits since...

Brian Letwin

in Food Culture

Video: The Perfect Cafe Sữa Nóng?

Yes, we know that Saigonese take their cafe sữa with đá (ice) and that the background music is from Thailand. Nonetheless, this playful video by food videographer, Eric Slatkin is well done and worth ...

in Food Culture

Free Food Tuesday 'Arancini' @ deciBel

It all started innocently enough. It was about 6 months ago when the deciBel guys and a group of friends, after complaining that it was often too complicated to match working schedules to arrange a di...