in Dishcovery

The Unbearable Lightness of An Giang's Bánh Bò Thốt Nốt Chảo

Some simple delights can capture the flavor of an entire region.

Thi Nguyễn

in Snack Attack

In Bánh Củ Cải, a Curious Slice of Bạc Liêu's Teochew Heritage

You know a dish is special when it can spark conversation with a stranger on a bus. Halfway through the scrumptious bánh củ cải (radish cake) from our last-minute trip to the market, I shared the other half with my mom. "You're full?" asked a lady in the bunk next to us, which was then followed by a long discussion. I came home with several handy tips on how to recreate and elevate the already flavorful treat.

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: This Modern Co-op Serves up One of Hanoi's Best Skewer Bánh Mì

Hợp Tác Xã Thịt Xiên is more than just a bánh mì eatery, it’s a place to rekindle your childhood nostalgia and take in the ambiance of the street.

Paul Christiansen

in Dishcovery

Saigon's Most Famous Cua Rang Me Is a Tangy Tamarind Party

It started with tamarind, and ended with crab.

in Food Culture

This Charming Northern-Style Country House Is Made Entirely of Mooncake

Another Trung Thu season is just around the corner, and bakeries across Vietnam are busy at work churning out thousands of mooncakes to be given out as gifts or relish at home with family and friends. One meticulous local baker, however, had a different idea.

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: An Alternative Cao Lầu in Saigon for Full-Topping Eaters

If I have to use one word to describe the food philosophy of Saigoneers, it would be maximalist. Those who have had the gluttonous joy of hunkering down on a plastic chair on the sidewalk and demolishing a giant tumbler of full-topping bubble tea will know what I’m talking about.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: A Long-Anticipated Bowl of D10's Pre-Eminent Mì Vịt Tiềm

Rarely have I gone into a meal with such anticipation.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Mơ Đi Hội, When Florists Dream of Opening a Cafe

When book lovers open a café, we are blessed with book cafes; when animal lovers open a café, we are given a myriad of animal cafes; what happens when florists open a café? This is the case of Mơ Đi Hội, the physical manifestation of passions for plants and beverages.

Back Eat & Drink

in Food Culture

5 Of Saigon’s Best Markets

When people think of Saigon, the iconic Bến Thành Market usually comes to mind. But while it’s rich in history, for locals, it’s little more than a tourist attraction. Vietnam Coracle recently took to...

in Food Culture

YouTuber Racks up 18m Views Teaching the World How to Cook Vietnamese Food

YouTube sensation, Le Ha Huyen (aka Helen), has been making awesome Vietnamese cooking tutorials for the past 3 years. Over that time, she’s attracted over 130,000 subscribers to her channel (Helen’s ...

in Food Culture

A Guide To Ordering Phở In Vietnamese

Due to popular demand, we’ve created this guide to help those who haven’t mastered Vietnamese order a bowl of phở exactly the way they want it. 

in Food Culture

Coffee Styles in Saigon Then and Now

Photo via truyenthongtuonglai. In Saigon, coffee can be consumed on the sidewalk or in a fancy coffee shop, out of a plastic cup or one made of fine porcelain. Regardless of location or vessel, this ...

in Food Culture

[Photos] Lychee Season Causes Huge Traffic Jams in Luc Ngan

During lychee season, the normally empty Highway 31 becomes inundated with farmers, bringing their crops to market, creating major traffic jams.

in Food Culture

A Short History Of Phở

Phở is everywhere. Vietnam’s most famous cuisine has made its way onto souvenir t-shirts, into the Merriam Webster dictionary and the world’s culinary consciousness. A group of YouTube celebrities eve...

Brian Letwin

in Food Culture

Which Type Of Coffee Gives You The Most Energy?

Beyond being one of the world’s leading exporters of the magic beans, coffee culture runs deep in Vietnam's veins. But while city streets are lined with cafés, the quality and strength of the drink wi...

in Food Culture

Choco Pie Sales in Vietnam Hit 2 Billion

On June 8, Orion, the maker of the addictive Choco Pie, announced that since 2006, the company has sold over 2 billion of their cakes in Vietnam, according to Business Korea. That’s 22 ...

in Food Culture

Why Vietnamese Wine Gets a Bad Reputation - Part II

Why Vietnamese Wine Gets a Bad Reputation - Part I The rainfall in the Northern grape growing regions is much higher than that of Ninh Thuan (where many vines have been planted). Annual rainfall in t...

in Food Culture

Why Vietnamese Wine Gets a Bad Reputation: Part 1

Most people know that Vietnam is a global leader in the production of rice, coffee, tea and even cashew nuts, but what about wine?

in Food Culture

Students Make Giant Pizza to Protest Chinese Oil Rig

More than 20 students from HCMC’s Hoa Sen University made a giant, map-shaped pizza of Vietnam to support the country’s sovereignty in the backdrop of the dispute with China over their controversial o...

Brian Letwin

in Food Culture

“Pho” added to Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Well, it’s about time. Our beloved “pho” has finally gotten the recognition it deserves, recently being added along with 150 other terms to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, according to CBS News.

in Food Culture

Marques de Caceres Wines Arrive in Saigon

Marques de Caceres, another of the top Spanish wineries based in Rioja, working together with the Wine Warehouse, recently chose La Closerie d’Elisa to organise and deliver a fantastic wine dinner, pa...

in Food Culture

Green Roofed Kindergarten in Dong Nai Teaches Children How to Save the World

Vietnam’s rock star Vo Trong Nghia Architects took a break from designing award-winning homes to build something infinitely more special - a large kindergarden which allows children to understand the ...

in Food Culture

[Video] Asians Eat Weird Things

There are many Vietnamese foods that are easy on the Western palate - gà chiến, phở and gỏi cuốn, to name a few, but there are plenty - hột vịt lộn, chân gà and quả sầu riêng - that are...

in Food Culture

Bar None: A Look at Vietnam's Growing Chocolate Industry

The cacao industry started in Vietnam ten years ago when cacao seeds were planted through a public private partnership led by non-profit ACDI-VOCA and partners including USAID, USDA and Mars Inc. The ...

in Food Culture

Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro Winery Makes its Vietnam Debut

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Ignacio Arzuaga, from Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro, who came to Vietnam to share information about his winery and wines which are now available locally.

in Food Culture

[Infographic] Vietnamese Diners Rank as SE Asia’s Lowest Tippers

We all know that tipping isn’t really a thing in Vietnam and a recent study by Mastercard published in the Wall Street Journal backs this up with hard numbers.

in Eat & Drink

15 of Saigon's Best Hidden Coffee Shops

Saigon, known for its coffee culture, offers many different environments where one can grab a cup of joe. However, sometimes we crave something a bit more comfortable than plastic stools but don’t wan...

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.