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...
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...
[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...
[Video] Hẻm Gems: The Merits of Chè Dim Sum
If we're being real, I would not break an appointment for chè.
[Video] Hẻm Gems: The Lazy Man's Bánh Xèo
I have a confession to make: my spring roll game is embarrassing.
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...
Hẻm Gems: District 1's Cơm Trưa Food Court
If you've ever driven along Ton Duc Thang during rush hour, there's a strong chance you've almost run over a street food tout just north of the Le Thanh Ton-Nguyen Huu Canh intersection. While I have,...
Hẻm Gems: Cơm Tấm, Breakfast of Champions
There are three kinds of people in this world: early birds, night owls and the perpetually tired. Try as I might to adapt, I am the third.
Hẻm Gems: Saigon's 100-Year-Old Vegetarian Quán
A mellow hideaway amidst the hastening traffic near Ben Thanh Market, Tin Nghia vegetarian restaurant is a time capsule.
Hẻm Gems: Dropping the Flavor Bomb With Vietnamese Comfort Food
Given that most of the spots that show up in our Hẻm Gems series are full-on meals, we decided it was time to explore the vast world of small, snack-like Vietnamese dishes. There are plenty of great ...
Hẻm Gems: Bun Thit Nuong in a Street Foodie's Paradise
For those who don't know, Co Giang is a rugged street located in the middle of District 1's well-groomed downtown neighborhood. Despite its extremely central location, the short, narrow road manages t...
Hẻm Gems: Chị Hiền's Cơm Sườn and the Single Greatest Fish Sauce of All Time
As an accomplished eater and failed cook, I spend a lot of time scouting street food venues.
Check out the New Street Food Mecca Behind Ben Thanh Market
Barely more than a week old, Ben Thanh's brand-new street food market is already turning heads with its souped-up version of the standard roadside dining experience.
Saigoneer's 5 Best Hẻm Gems of 2015
From legendary chicken and rice to finger-licking fried buns to an unbeatable hủ tiếu served with a side of sass, Saigoneer revisits our favorite street eats from 2015. Chúc ăn ngon miệng!
Hẻm Gems: The Universal Truth of Fish Sauce Fried Chicken
There are few indisputable facts upon which good, reasonable people the world over can agree. Here are three: the sky is blue, the earth is round and fried chicken, in any form, is delicious.
[Video] The Story of Saigon's Classiest Street Food Restaurant
While the city is a cut above when it comes to delicious outdoor dining, most local streetside restaurants stick to traditional Vietnamese and opt for low-cost ingredients, passing on those savings to...
Hẻm Gems: Golden Bún Bò Huế
Walking into this temple of bún bò Huế, I was surprised the lady recognized me from my last visit from quite a while back. Even with my attempt at growing a beard for no-shave November, god has blesse...
Hẻm Gems: District 1's Delightfully Decrepit Bia Hơi
UPDATE: It is with heavy hearts that we inform our readers that the Thi Sach bia hơi has permanently closed. We will miss its regular crowd and grimy, beer-stained walls. In a city that pretty much r...
Hẻm Gems: Bánh Căn and the Elixir of Life
In the world of hẻm gems, gritty is a good thing. The more battered the tables, the more precarious the seating, the more dubious the location, the more we feel at one with the chaos of Saigon street ...
