In season five of Bojack Horseman, an animated show that follows a self-loathing humanoid horse and 90s TV star BoJack, the producers devote an episode to Vietnam.
When Chef Matt Venzke was growing up near downtown Los Angeles, his mom would often take him to a neighborhood café on her way to work. “She was a nurse director, and when she threw me into this little café the first thing that popped into my head was chilaquiles,” Venzke tells Saigoneer in the kitchen of East West Brewing.
Fight or flight: to ball fists, rally rag-tag villagers clutching canes, shovels, sampan oars and bamboo staffs to ward off the bayonet-wielding officers invading your home intending to ransack your cabinets and storerooms, aiming to whisk you off to prison based on the scantest of evidence; or, to scoop up your ceramic pot of illegal alcohol, slip out the back door and flee far into the rice fields, where you hide for hours until the rising moon signals a safe passage home, hunched deep in the cold muck, shaded by growing stalks and comforted by cricket song.
As the sun drifts down towards the horizon streaking clouds with a dazzling dappling of pink, purple, orange and red, the pristine beach is a frenzy of activity.
Saigon slips away in the rearview mirror and streetside stores become increasingly humble as we approach a vast industrial park in Long An Province. Tucked between light industrial factories that manufacture everything from eyeglasses to essential oils, the impressive Winking Seal Beer Co. brewery is in full swing. The facility is a creative playground where the team concocts new recipes, collaborates with local partners and cans a wide variety of styles.
After news broke that supermarket chain Co.opmart will shut down its Dinh Tien Hoang outlet, Saigon’s cybersphere witnessed an outpouring of grief and nostalgia over the impending closure.
Last Wednesday, the couple talked about their declaration of love during a live stream Facebook interview with the reality show centered around straight relationships.
Forever at the top of the “Best Bars in Saigon” lists, Chill Skybar is a modern club that offers both entertainment nightlife and event venue.
Tucked just below the Mekong's main aquiferous arteries, Bac Lieu Province serves as an interesting case study of how humans can thrive in swampy, steamy surroundings.
Before modern roads and bridges connected the Mekong Delta with Saigon, its tangled network of rivers, canals and swamps isolated it from the rest of Vietnam and a vibrant cuisine reliant on the area’s bountiful seafood, fruit and vegetables arose.
The southern edge of Binh Thanh is one of Saigon’s most fascinating areas. More cosmopolitan than the district would have you believe, its maze-like streets hold a heady mix of different influences. Wet market stalls and quiet cafés, tucked-away Japanese eateries and quaint low-rise apartment blocks.
Offering fresh, traditional Vietnamese fare since September 2015, Ngoc Chau Garden ( 116 Ho Tung Mau, D1) is centrally located in District 1 just off Nguyen Hue.
![[Photos] In Guangxi, Life Goes on as if Urbanization Never Happened](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/10/Oct15/gz/gz11s.jpg "[Photos] In Guangxi, Life Goes on as if Urbanization Never Happened")
![[Illustrations] A Series of Colorful Depictions of Quy Nhon's Charismatic Coastal Cuisine](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/10/Oct12/QuyNhon0s.png "[Illustrations] A Series of Colorful Depictions of Quy Nhon's Charismatic Coastal Cuisine")
![[Illustrations] Stylized Postcards Showcase Vietnam's Architectural Icons](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/10/Oct8/VNLandmarks_FBs.jpg "[Illustrations] Stylized Postcards Showcase Vietnam's Architectural Icons")
![[Photos] From Mui Ne to Can Tho: A Visual Exploration of Life in Southern Vietnam](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/10/Oct9/southern-vietnam/SebastiaGalbany_South_Vietnam_Gallery-04s.jpg "[Photos] From Mui Ne to Can Tho: A Visual Exploration of Life in Southern Vietnam")
![[Photos] 27 Snapshots of Saigon in 1970 by Carl Nielsen](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/10/Oct15/carl-nielsen/Saigon1970-CarlNielsen-19s.jpg "[Photos] 27 Snapshots of Saigon in 1970 by Carl Nielsen")
![[Photos] A Visual Excursion to Past Bac Lieu, Home of Cải Lương Master Cao Van Lau](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/10/Oct4/BacLieu_SGRs.jpg "[Photos] A Visual Excursion to Past Bac Lieu, Home of Cải Lương Master Cao Van Lau")
![[Photos] On the Sidewalks of 1979 Saigon: Books, Knick-Knacks and a Multitude of Bicycles](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/09/Sep25/Saigon1979/Saigon1979-5s.jpg "[Photos] On the Sidewalks of 1979 Saigon: Books, Knick-Knacks and a Multitude of Bicycles")
![[Photos] 20 Black-and-White Snapshots of 1920 Saigon by Ludovic Crespin](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/09/Sep17/Saigon1920BW_SGRs.jpg "[Photos] 20 Black-and-White Snapshots of 1920 Saigon by Ludovic Crespin")
![[Photos] Walk the Streets of 1965 Da Nang](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/09/Sep12/old/16s.jpg "[Photos] Walk the Streets of 1965 Da Nang")
![[Photos] Saigon Then & Now: Rue Catinat, Tu Do and Dong Khoi Street](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/08/Aug31/thennow/4s.png "[Photos] Saigon Then & Now: Rue Catinat, Tu Do and Dong Khoi Street")
![[Photos] 20 Snapshots of Saigon in 1969 by George Lane](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/08/Aug29/georgelane/GeorgeLane-3s.jpg "[Photos] 20 Snapshots of Saigon in 1969 by George Lane")
![[Photos] On the Road to Nha Trang in the 1960s, a Medley of Spartan Fields](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/08/Aug21/phan-rang/PhanRang-30s.jpg "[Photos] On the Road to Nha Trang in the 1960s, a Medley of Spartan Fields")
Vietnam Airlines Launches In-Town Check-In Service in Hanoi, Da Nang
In-town check-in service allows passengers to drop off their luggage before heading to the airport.
One of Saigon's Oldest Supermarkets Closes This Month. Saigoneers Are Heartbroken.
After news broke that supermarket chain Co.opmart will shut down its Dinh Tien Hoang outlet, Saigon’s cybersphere witnes...
In Nha Trang, a Pristine Beach Is Ruined by Sludge Discarded Directly From Storm Drains
Some Nha Trang residents have connected their home sewage systems to a storm drain, spilling filth directly into the sha...
Morning Stories Roundup: Vietnamese Painting to Be Sold at Auction in Paris
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram and like us on Facebook .
Each morning, we select some of the most impor...
The Bachelor's Happy Queer Romance Is the Positive Representation That Vietnam's LGBT Community Needs
Last Wednesday, the couple talked about their declaration of love during a live stream Facebook interview with the reali...
![[Illustrations] Vietnam's Childhood Toys Through the Harrowing Lens of Adulthood](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/10/Oct17/areyouready/CaoLeDieuPhucIllust2_SGRs.jpg)
[Illustrations] Vietnam's Childhood Toys Through the Harrowing Lens of Adulthood
If it seems like Saigon’s creative industry is running on nostalgia right now, it’s because it is. The crop of young Sai...
Vietnam Approves 2-Year Extension of E-Visa Pilot Program for 46 Countries
For another two years, tourists from a range of countries will be able to enter Vietnam for 30 days with an electronic v...
Upcoming Events
Today
02:01
Happy Women's Day @ L'Usine
11:00
Women's Day @ Pasteur Street
11:00
Vietnamese Women’s Day @ 'NAMO
17:00
BEER & BBQ On The Lawn @ Q.itchen Factory
17:30
Love, ROSÉ @ QUI Cuisine Mixology
18:00
BBQ Fest @ Le Meridien
20:00
All About Ladies @ Air 360 Sky Lounge
20:00
Drink Factory Open Bar @ InterContinental Saigon
21:00
HRBR meets SBIRE - Isolated Lines & Gaspard de la Montagne @ The Lighthouse
21:30
Ladies First @ Chill Skybar
Tomorrow
10:00
Thao Dien Farmer's Market @ Soma Art Cafe
12:00
Sunday Brunch @ Market 39
13:00
Basic Leathercraft - 3 Day Workshop @ The Hive
17:00
The Gringa Sundays @ Machotaco
18:00
Wild Cherry Night @ Sky XX - Garden & Lounge
Full Events Calendar
Arts & Culture
[Video] Revitalizing Traditional Khmer Arts With Cambodia's First Queer Dance Company
![[Video] Revitalizing Traditional Khmer Arts With Cambodia's First Queer Dance Company](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/10/Oct6/KhmerDanceCo_SGRs.jpg)
When the Khmer Rouge took power in Cambodia, their assault on the elite included murdering 90% of the country's traditional dancers. Therefo...
[Video] With Minimalist Music Video, Ca Hoi Hoang Tells Story of Post-Breakup Longing
![[Video] With Minimalist Music Video, Ca Hoi Hoang Tells Story of Post-Breakup Longing](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/10/Oct6/4s_1s.jpg)
In the latest music video, local indie band Ca Hoi Hoang attempts to answer the age-old question: After a relationship was severed, what to ...
Ha Long Bay Will Open New Harbor to Welcome Luxury Cruise Ships This Month
Hon Gai International Harbour will allow the world's largest cruise ships to dock in the UNESCO heritage site.
Eat & Drink
A Saigon Pop-Up Fuses Mexican and Vietnamese Fares, One Pun at a Time
More romantic than the season's first snow dusting a trampled field of post-harvest corn husks; more inspiring than stars strewn across a cl...
Hẻm Gems: On the Road to Ruin, From Budapest to Binh Thanh
The southern edge of Binh Thanh is one of Saigon’s most fascinating areas. More cosmopolitan than the district would have you believe, its m...
Hẻm Gems: At Madam Oyster, Two Brothers Prove that Taiwanese Food Is More Than Just Milk Tea
Arguably one of the most underrated cuisines in Asia, Taiwanese fare has remained under the radar in Saigon for a long time, even though Tai...
Partner Content
From Ciao to Xin Chao: An Italian Gastronomic Experience with a Touch of Phu Quoc at Casa Italiana Restaurant
Because the waters surrounding Phu Quoc teem with exotic life, many visitors to the island look forward to indulging in a vast array of seaf...
Novotel Blends Work and Pleasure with Sun and Sand on Phu Quoc
As the sun drifts down towards the horizon streaking clouds with a dazzling dappling of pink, purple, orange and red, the pristine beach is ...
Pasteur Street Brewing Company Tells Its Story Through Art
There is no shortage of colorful walls in Saigon. Countless photo essay and Instagram posts have depicted these facades, some weather-worn a...
From Cans to Collaboration: How Winking Seal Beer Co. Sets Itself Apart
Saigon slips away in the rearview mirror and streetside stores become increasingly humble as we approach a vast industrial park in Long An P...
East West Brewing Changes the Saigon Brunch Game with Kegs N Eggs
When Chef Matt Venzke was growing up near downtown Los Angeles, his mom would often take him to a neighborhood café on her way to work. “She...
Same as it Never Was: Di Mai Offers an Old Saigon Vibe and Modern Takes on Classic Dishes
Like a bundle of bamboo rising out of a patch of grass, Landmark 81 towers triumphantly above Saigon’s skyline.
With Fashion App Phleek as Showcase, Conceptual Studio Aims to Empower Vietnamese Startups
Despite being only 20 years old, when Nghi Dao Kinh took the stage at Vietnam’s Shark Tank, she made an instant impression.
Saigon’s Modernist Apartment Units Get Sleek Makeovers
Through a dark alley off Pasteur Street, a set of scuffed stairs leads up a cramped corridor, past a restaurant's food-strewn kitchen and th...
Exploring Authentic Delta Cuisine at Mekong Kitchen
Before modern roads and bridges connected the Mekong Delta with Saigon, its tangled network of rivers, canals and swamps isolated it from the ...
Stories
One of Saigon's Oldest Supermarkets Closes This Month. Saigoneers Are Heartbroken.
After news broke that supermarket chain Co.opmart will shut down its Dinh Tien Hoang outlet, Saigon’s cybersphere witnessed an outpouring of...
Vietnam Airlines Launches In-Town Check-In Service in Hanoi, Da Nang
In-town check-in service allows passengers to drop off their luggage before heading to the airport.
Better Pay, Lower Costs in Vietnam Entice Taiwanese Workers Away From Home
Destinations such as Vietnam and India are enticing Taiwanese companies and workers to settle down.
Old Saigon
Old Saigon Building of the Week: The Glitz and Glam of Tu Do Nightclub
While today’s Dong Khoi Street is peppered with tourist-centric shops and restaurants, just half a century ago, the downtown street was the ...
[Photos] Tet Trung Thu Celebrations in Old Hanoi
![[Photos] Tet Trung Thu Celebrations in Old Hanoi](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/A7lN3g0s.jpg)
As this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, more than a few Saigoneers have shown a renewed interest in the holiday’s traditions.
A Brief History of Saigon's Now-Defunct Thu Thiem Ferry Service
While the Thu Thiem Bridge and Thu Thiem Tunnel allow easy access to the District 2 peninsula from nearby districts, for decades past Saigon...
Event Coverage
Friday Night @ Lush
Perto the 16 year-old EDM Boy Wonder brought the house with his high-energy set at Lush.
Society
[Photos] Hanoi Architects Unveil Low-Cost House for Vulnerable Communities
![[Photos] Hanoi Architects Unveil Low-Cost House for Vulnerable Communities](http://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/2018/10/Oct8/agrinesture/agrinesture0s.jpg)
In Vietnam’s rural regions, local homesteads are constantly facing threats of natural disasters like flooding and soil erosion. An architect...
Apple Suppliers Consider Moving Operation to Vietnam to Escape US-China Trade War
Several major Apple equipment suppliers are considering moving production outside of China amidst the US-China trade war.
Vietnam Launches Mobile Bus With Free Breast Cancer Screening for 8,000 Women Nationwide
A positive note to kickstart the Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the anniversary of the Vietnam's Women Union.
