Paul Christiansen in Dishcovery
Huế's Palm-Sized Bánh Mì Chuột Is the Perfect Snack for Nibbling While Walking
Huế's culinary landscape is designed for snacking. From bánh khoái to bánh bèo to chè bột lọc heo quay , many of the...
Residence Eleven: A Cantonese Culinary Journey Above Saigon
Floating high above the city on the 39th floor of Hilton Saigon, Residence Eleven is a narrative in space, taste, and memory. As the first Chinese fine-dining venue in a five-star hotel to offer direct, panoramic views of the Saigon River, it brings a singular perspective, both literally and metaphorically, on Cantonese cuisine in Vietnam.
Hẻm Gems: 3 Hào, a Retro Industrial Cafe in D7 for Night Owls on Deadlines
What do you think of when imagining a cafe? For me, it's plants in every corner, small and cute paintings that adorn the walls, or a light- and neutral-colored space that brings a sense of peace to customers. What would happen if a coffee shop attempted to subvert most of these elements? This is the case of 3 Hào Cafe, a combination of vintage industrial ambiance and, of course, good drinks.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
5 Saigon Coffee Shops Based in Buildings With Southern Modernist Architecture
Saigon is a cafe enthusiast’s paradise. A decades-old coffee culture fostered by previous generations is still alive and well, in addition to the latest global trends brought over by the younger generation of baristas. When it comes to interior styles and vibes, there’s a little something for everyone, from gritty industrial to spartan Japandi chic to Saigon’s very own southern modernist architecture.
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: A Bún Bò in Huế That Rivals Even Saigon's Best Bún Bò Huế
Plastic stools circling low metal tables. Staff wearing pajamas and street clothes that match patrons welcomed from all walks of life. Meagre and/or mismatched decor. Views of street traffic with motorbike engines as soundtrack. Brief menus sometimes consisting of a single dish. A strict cash-only policy (until recent years, at least). Minimal concern for health-safety regulations. No artifice of chef as artist or meal as a masterpiece. While we can quibble over a specific, all-encompassing definition for streetfood restaurant, there are many qualities most will agree they share.
Hẻm Gems: Chè Lâm Vinh Mậu Anchors the Last Remaining Hoa Vestiges of D1
Whenever I come back to Vietnam, it is a personal ritual of mine to visit locales of the past. As clichéd as it sounds, as I have been abroad in Singapore for six years, returning to Vietnam is almost synonymous with returning to places that once shaped my past selves, whose presence has been fading in my mind.
Khôi Phạm in Dishcovery
A Tale of Three Chè Bột Lọc Heo Quay, Central Vietnam's Unique Savory Dessert
Why am I so obsessed with chè bột lọc heo quay?
Xuân Phương in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: Bodacious Bún Riêu Ốc Bò at Hanoi's 25-Year-Old Bún Bình Huyền
On the transient days when Hanoi’s weather morphs from winter to summer, the monsoon winds carry with them the drizzles of an in-between time. This cool climate evokes within me a yearning for some warm steam from boiling vats of soup stock, so on a rare chilly morning, I wandered around and stopped by Triệu Việt Vương Street for a distinctly morning treat in Hanoi.
Okra Food Bar’s Pork Chop Finds Unexpectedly Bold Flavors in Familiar Ingredients
Widely available and inexpensive, okra may not immediately come to mind when listing vegetables frequently found in memorable dishes. Yet, with enough skill and creativity, okra can anchor tastebud-ti...
Society Cafe's Cơm Xá Xíu Fine-Tunes a Cantonese Classic With New Techniques
Inspired by a Cantonese classic, Society Cafe & Dining’s char siu pork is carefully seasoned and prepared over two days, while the accompanying daikon and radish were pickled from scratch. Put togethe...
At Culinary Frank's Cozy Saigon Cafe, YouTube Food Comes to Life on the Plate
“Every restaurant is a miniature society,” says Phương Phạm (Frank Phạm), a Melbourne-based Vietnamese chef and famous YouTube food blogger who recently returned to Saigon to open his passion project,...
Saigon’s Vibrant Charm and Energy Captured at RBar and Viet Kitchen
Can one long for Saigon, even when in Saigon? The metropolis’ international influences and connections mean one can find cuisines, products and aesthetics from just about everywhere in the world here....
A Mojito Made with Saigon’s Steamy Summer in Mind
Born in Cuba, mojitos have spread throughout the world and are particularly popular in tropical regions where the cocktail’s mint, lime juice, simple sugar and white rum prove particularly refreshing....
The Good, the Fresh and the Crispy: Quy Nhơn's Wondrous Cuisine in 3 Dishes
A beautiful coastline, stunning rolling mountainscapes, and multiple historic vestiges are not the only merits of Quy Nhơn City.
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Quy Nhơn's Unique Take on Bánh Khọt and Peanut Sauce
You’ve probably never had bánh khọt like this before.
Experience Elevated Dining with Le Méridien Saigon's A La Carte Brunch and Set Lunch
Many variables determine what you want to find on your lunch plate. While you certainly must eat something, the particulars of how long you have free in your schedule, the company you are with, the mo...
Classic Foie Gras with a Saigon Street Food Twist at Latest Recipe
“I like making the foie gras best; it's famous,” said Latest Recipe's executive chef Phi Công in regard to the new a la carte menu items featured at the esteemed restaurant’s Sunday Brunch. Indeed, fo...
Ngõ Nooks: In a 95-Year-Old House, Mết Coffee Sells Drinks, Cozy Conversations
It was a drizzly day. The chilliness and the weepy mood of Hanoi weather drenched me in an unnamed melancholy. I was ambling aimlessly on the street when I came across Mết, a coffee shop in ngõ Yên Th...
Đồng Thanh Thủy in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: Hanoi's Phố Vũ Thạnh Offers a Nice Egg in This Trying Time
“Is there any food we can eat for breakfast, afternoon snack and supper?”
Ngõ Nooks: Xóm Hạ Hồi's 30-Year-Old Bún Thang Stands the Test of Time
If you peel through the peaceful residential areas around the Quang Trung and Trần Hưng Đạo crossroads, you might just chance upon Bún Thang 11 Hạ Hồi, a humble, household noodle spot.
Ngõ Nooks: Căng Tin Cafe, a Gateway to the Past for the City's New Youth
Hanoi’s café scene is saturated with cafés selling a vision of the past.
Linh Phạm in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: Blue Crab and Beer for a Bodacious Snack on the Hanoi Sidewalk
Of all seafood in Vietnam, ghẹ (blue crab) is among the most expensive. Even at wholesale markets, these crustaceans can fetch from VND300,000 to 400,000 a kilogram and any buffet deal that boasts the...
Ngõ Nooks: A Blissful Fish Feast at Bún Cá Sâm Cây Si
As hot as it gets, Hanoi’s scorching summer is no match for delightful fish rolls and refreshing sour soup.
Oliver Newman in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: Cozy up at Ẩn Cà Phê With Morning Coffees and Night Cocktails
In the Mood for Love, Wong Kar-wai’s elegantly restrained movie about married lovers resisting adultery, offers up a delicious cocktail of emotions. At least, that is the concept behind the drinks men...
Paul Christiansen in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Cà Phê Sữa and Cơm Tấm With a Side of Espionage History
Kimchi is not a common cơm tấm accouterment. The extra helping of chili pepper heat, palate-cleansing bitterness and cabbage leaf crunch doesn't taste out of place beside a fully loaded plate of broke...
Hẻm Gems: The Midnight Hủ Tiếu Only for Saigon's Most Patient Night Owls
As a Saigonese who has lived abroad for half of her life, I have a huge craving for hủ tiếu khô (dry noodles), my go-to breakfast meal and a dish my family always made sure to get on our way to my mot...
Hẻm Gems: Tiệm Cơm Ninh Giang, a 'Secret' Hakka Feast Only for Those in the Know
I first heard about Tiệm Cơm Ninh Giang 寧江客家飯店 from some Hoa friends in the city.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: From a Historic D5 Shophouse, An Duyên Serves up Tasty Chợ Lớn Classics
An Duyên Chợ Lớn transcends Chợ Lớn quán stereotypes of rustic mom-and-pops with rickety amenities to provide a comfortable dining experience, made memorable thanks to aesthetically pleasing décor and...
