BackEat & Drink » Saigon Hẻm Gems

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Cô Thủy and 25 Years of Breakfast Bò Né in D4

Historically, District 4 has been known for snail and barbecue restaurants. As a long-term resident, I suggest it should also be famous for having the most delicious bò né place as Bò Né Thanh Tuyền d...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In Warmth and Good Drinks, an Amiable Cafe's Spirit Lives On

How would you feel if everything about your favorite spot suddenly changed one day? Would the same attachment still stand? Those were the questions that popped into my head the afternoon I paid my vis...

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Curry Shika and 12 Years of Making Memories in Saigon

Unlike a normal human, there is a chance that my body is not 70% water, but 70% curry; and a good 50% of that might actually be Japanese curry.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In Saigon, Go Mô Rứa for a Well-Crafted Huế Culinary Feast?

In the Huế dialect, mô rứa is a phrase one might encounter often in daily conversation. When a Huế resident asks “Mi đi mô rứa?” they might be wondering where you’re heading.

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In D6, Oyster Omelette, Porridge and Bột Chiên for the Soul

“He was a bold man that first ate an oyster,” satirist Jonathan Swift wrote in the 1700s. Famously fearful of the now-prized bivalves, Swift eventually grew to appreciate their briny, ocean-forward es...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In the Mood for Lẩu? A Ngưu Offers Hong Kong Vibes and Tasty Bites.

I visit Tiệm Lẩu A Ngưu on a rare wintry Saturday evening in Saigon, the perfect occasion to fill one’s stomach with warm broth, noodles, and a host of other tasty accouterments.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: One Bowl, Two Noodle Dishes, and Heaps of Hometown Glory

On the slope connecting Binh Thanh and Phu Nhuan districts lives a small pocket of Quang Nam culinary spirits — in the form of “two-in-one” noodles.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In a Converted Classroom Lives the Unique Open Space of Nhà Phạm

Having ventured into Saigon's food scene for a while, I have one guiding principle: the best spots are always the ones circulating via word of mouth. Quiet corners, culinary rarities and communities t...

Michael Tatarski

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: The Pandemic Kept Her in Vietnam, so She Opened a Thai Eatery

One of the joys of Saigon's F&B scene recently has been the expansion of international cuisine beyond the city center.

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: A Nasi Lemak in Saigon That Evokes Memories of Hawker Centers

As I gaze at the glorious eight-dish Malaysian banquet on our table at Makiucha, perfectly spaced by our photographer, popping with colors and wafting off aromas of rich spices, it becomes apparent to...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Xôi Khâu Nhục, the Cantonese Breakfast for Pork Belly Lovers

I first found out about khâu nhục where I find all my Saigon information: Facebook.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: The Oldest Hủ Tiếu Bò Viên in Town

With only three dishes on the menu, this hủ tiếu spot has been running for more than five decades.

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: From Ohio to D7, the Serendipitous Story of Saigon's Lamb Phở

A highlight of my last visit to Phở Lạc Việt was a special moment when I reached out and the tips of my fingers touched a warm bowl inside the heating cabinet.

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: D6's Hot and Sour Suan La Fen Is the Noodle Dish to Conquer

Every time I lap up a spoonful of searing broth that’s so spicy I could almost count the number of times my face pulses, I feel grateful for taste buds.

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Saigon's Hakka Culture Lives in D5's Khổ Qua Cà Ớt

Stuffing food inside other food is an ingenious human invention on par with refrigeration, chopsticks, and Gmail’s “undo” button.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Thời Thanh Xuân, the Special Saigon Cafe Run by Deaf Staff

Quán của Thời Thanh Xuân not only encompasses the youth of its founder, Võ Thành Luân, it’s also where hard-of-hearing Vietnamese can write their own story, learn, focus on self-development, and be a ...

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: A Vietnamese Curry That Makes the Case for Coconut Milk

If you’re not usually a fan of Vietnamese curry, Cà Ri Gà 3T’s signature dish is a surprisingly well-balanced offering. And If you are indeed a fan, then you’re in luck.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Sipping Cocktails on Plastic Stools Is a Special Saigon Street Treat

Is there anything more synonymous with Saigon than the humble street cart? With stalls citywide on every corner, it’s our version of the public house — places where people come together and connect, a...

Paul Christiansen

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: A Home for Live Music and Quietude Inside an Old French Villa

If Vừng Ơi Mở Ra Cafe were a person, it would be your older, more sophisticated and welcoming friend.

Michael Tatarski

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Korean Comfort Food in Binh Thanh for Hungover Heads

One of the great joys of dining out is coming across the unexpected.