Govi Snell in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: It Doesn't Get More Coconut Than This Streetside Ice Cream
Head to Tân Bình District if the idea of coconut ice cream served in a coconut with a crunchy coconut topping excites you.
Michael Tatarski in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Head to the Airport to Relieve Your Hankering for Thai Food
Insert cliché about this strange year here.
Michael Tatarski in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: A Haven for Rescued Dogs, Healthy Eats, and Adoption Opportunities
For dogs, dog owners and general fans of man's best friend, living in Saigon can be tough.
Khoi Pham in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Can Deep-Fried Hột Vịt Lộn Dethrone the Classic?
Has your luck taken a turn for the worse lately? Perhaps it’s high-time for a hột vịt lộn (or three) to reverse your fortune.
Govi Snell and Khoi Pham in Bars & Cafes
In Search of Charming Cafes Along Saigon's Train Alleys
Compared to Hanoi’s now-restricted Phung Hung “Train Street,” the neighborhoods bordering the railway in Saigon have neither the romanticism nor goosebumps-inducing adrenaline rush that turned the former into a world-renowned tourist attraction.
Khoi Pham in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: Lower Your Voice, the Hidden Elephant Is Reading
In Saigon’s indie cafe scene, there are household names and well-kept secrets ; and then there are secrets that one might th...
Alexi Demetriadi in Food Culture
Remembering Anthony Bourdain and His Passion for Southeast Asian Food
Anthony Bourdain meant many things to many people.
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
The Delectable Desserts to Satisfy Your Craving This Durian Season
If I were ever to believe in a generous god, the existence of durian would be the first piece of evidence I cite.
Saigoneer in Food Culture
[Illustrations] From Street Snacks To Homecooked Meals, Vietnam's Diverse Cuisine Illustrated
While bánh mì or cơm tấm are considered quintessential Vietnamese dishes, bowls of homecooked cà ri gà (Vietnamese chicken curry) or thịt kho tàu (caramelized pork and eggs) are also central...
Saigoneer in Food Culture
Polish-Vietnamese Student Becomes Latest Winner of MasterChef Poland
Following in the footstep of the previous winner of MasterChef US Christine Ha, a Polish-Vietnamese student recently won the top prize of Poland’s version of the cooking show.
Saigoneer in Food Culture
Vietnam Officially Designates December 12 the Day of Pho
Vietnam has officially marked every December 12 the Day of Pho in celebration of the nation's most well-known dish.
Pavan Shamdasani in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Mexican Simplicity and Zen-Like Tacos in D3
Tacos, and the many meat-and-tortilla variations we often categorize as ‘Mexican cuisine,’ are having a bit of a renaissance in Saigon.
Khoi Pham in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: At Thương Library, a Shrine to Leonard Cohen and How the Light Gets In
At the risk of appearing like a pretentious prig, I will begin this Hẻm Gem review with the introduction of a foreign word: the weirdly specific concept of smultronstället.
Khoi Pham in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Hear Us Out, Coconut Milk and Fish Sauce Are Actually Great Together
There are few problems and little mediocrity that can’t be improved with an unctuous ladle of coconut milk.
An Dang in Street Food
Hẻm Gem: In D5, Spicy Phá Lấu Skewers Worth Suffering Traffic For
Saigon has a wonderful tropical climate with two seasons: dry and wet. As the cold weather approaches, chasing the blazing heat away, we all crave for some hot and steamy dishes to keep warm.
Saigoneer in Food Culture
What We Talk About When We Talk About Bánh Mì
Bánh mì is without a doubt a Vietnamese staple. Versatile, convenient and affordable, the sandwich has gotten so popular in recent years in Vietnam and elsewhere that phở shouldn’t be complacent, as i...
Michael Tatarski in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: Come for the Architecture, Stay for the Architecture
In an age when seemingly every building in Saigon has been knocked down for redevelopment at least once, it's rare to be able to spend time in a truly unique architectural gem.
Mervin Lee in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: In a D1 Corner, a Heated Battle Between Yellow Noodles and Red Noodles
At the northernmost end of Saigon’s bustling District 1, the end of Hai Ba Trung Street leading to Phu Nhuan District is known best for heavy rush hour traffic. But a curious textbook case of an Asian...
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
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 cloudless night sky; more alluring than fragrant pollen drifti...
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
A History of Rice Wine, Part 1: Family Stills, Prohibition and Colonial Bloodshed
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 c...
Saigoneer in Food Culture
Japan to Release Pringles-Flavored Instant Noodles and Ramen-Flavored Chips
Have you ever been ridiculed for dipping chips in ramen broth? Do your friends scrunch up their nose when you sprinkle instant noodles seasonings on your Pringles? Well, you can tell them to suck it b...
Pavan Shamdasani in Bars & Cafes
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 maze-like streets hold a heady mix of different influences. W...
Mervin Lee in Street Food
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 Taiwanese business owners were among the first foreign business...
Khoi Pham in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: Cam Cam Kafe and the Fujian Pagoda That Inspired Its Name
I wish I could claim that I discovered Cam Cam Kafe by myself. Tucked away in a corner unit up the second floor of a nondescript apartment in District 5, the coffee shop seems mostly undetectable from...
Thi Nguyen in Food Culture
Bánh Pía: The Dreamy Mooncake Alternative With a Side of Teochew History
From sweet treats such as yam paste, chè bạch quả (ginkgo soup) and bite-size pastries to savory staples such as lotus root soup, bánh củ cải (radish cake), cốn xại (pickles) and xá pấu (salted radish...
Saigoneer in Food Culture
Foreign Fast Food Chains Report Consecutive Financial Losses in Vietnam
Are foreign fast food brands falling out of favor among locals, or are there other reasons behind their losses?
Michael Tatarski in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: On Eating Greek With Chopsticks
Who says excellent Greek food can't be served on the same menu as Korean tofu along the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal?
Nancy Nguyen in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: A Canal Cafe and Bar as Rustic as Its Name Promises
Driving leisurely along Hoang Sa Street, I stopped in front of a small coffee shop called Lao Hac — a retro-style cafe that's hidden behind the perennial flowering vines within sight of Nhieu Loc...
