Elise Luong in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: Cù Rú, an Old Saigon Bar That Took Root in Da Lat
Editor's note: Cù Rú Bar, the artists' solace, was born in Saigon by a tightknit group of friends and lovers, fueling creative souls with delectable homemade rượu cocktails, the group relocated to Da Lat, filling their newfound home with art events and crafting a new community of cocktail swillers.
Saigoneer in Food Culture
Year in Review: Saigoneer's Picks for Favorite Hẻm Gems, Art (and More) of 2020
In 2019, when the world was not going through a global public health disaster, dining out seemed like the most natural activity in our daily routine. We drank, we relished, we munched, and we bantered.
Khôi Phạm in Street Food
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.
Mầm in Bars & Cafes
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 part of society.
Juliet Bao Ngoc Doling in Food Culture
When Life Gives You Flavorful Vietnamese Cashews, Make Vegan Cheese
“Firstly, I had to find my calling, but in the end, it all came down to creating something and then seeing others enjoy it."
Khôi Phạm in Street Food
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.
Pavan Shamdasani in Bars & Cafes
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, as close as possible to the beating heart of the street.
Paul Christiansen in Bars & Cafes
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.
Dan Q in Food Culture
Opinion: Anthony Bourdain Made Me Proud to Be Vietnamese-American
I landed Friday night in Saigon just in time for the news of Anthony Bourdain’s passing lighting up my phone in a jumble of tweets, texts and news alerts. As details emerged about the chef-turned-trav...
Saigoneer in Food Culture
American Chef Anthony Bourdain, Who Introduced Bún Chả to Obama, Passes Away at 61
Anthony Bourdain, the chef, writer and travel show host, has passed away at 61.
Luca Powell in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: In Tan Binh, VND4,000 Is All You Need for Good Bia Hơi
Bia hơi for the people.
Saigoneer in Food Culture
A Street Food History: The Curious Encounters Behind How Ramen Got Its Name
The origin of the Japanese staple as well as how the dish got its name are still up for debate.
Mervin Lee in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: Cozy Autumn Flavors at Tokyo Moon, Japan Town's Korean Cafe
Tokyo Moon's presence is an odd-but-welcoming representation of South Korean hospitality in the heart of Le Thanh Ton's "Japan Town" with its mysterious herbal tonic, sweet potato pastry and pumpkin c...
Saigoneer in Food Culture
After Milk Tea-Flavored Water, Japan Now Has Transparent Coffee Because Why Not
So this is why scientists have been too busy to cure cancer, send a human to Mars or successfully bring Tasmanian tigers back from extinction?
Thi Nguyen in Food Culture
A Tale of Two Fruits: The Colonial History of Durian and Mangosteen
Although both durian and mangosteen are native to Southeast Asia, their reputation — especially from a western point of view — leads two very contrasting fates: the latter is considered a luscious del...
Khoi Pham in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: At Things Café, Humans, Cats and Nat King Cole Coexist in a Harmonious Ecosystem
I admit that it’s taken me great pains to write this week’s Hẻm Gem.
Mervin Lee in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Tan Dinh's All-Conquering Bánh Canh Cua
Bánh canh, at times described as Vietnamese udon or even “mouse-tail noodles,” is a great mystery on its own. Etymologically speaking, bánh canh translates to “soup-cake,” and these thick, cylindrical...
Saigoneer in Bars & Cafes
[Video] 80 Years of Cà Phê Vợt in Saigon's Oldest Cafe
Is there anything as iconically Saigon as having a cup of joe in a hẻm while watching traffic roll by?
Khoi Pham in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: The Best Bánh Căn Da Lat...in Saigon
Is there any cooking utensil that’s as magical as the bánh căn mold?
Thi Nguyen in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: Refreshing Đá Me and a Touch of Pre-1975 Tunes at 81 Cafe
Given the city’s hot weather, cold drinks are Saigon's very own specialty. While cà phê sữa đá and trà đá are timeless staples, in recent years we have also witnessed the rise of milk tea shops in alm...
Saigoneer in Eat & Drink
[Video] Japanese Competitive Eater Visits Vietnam, Eats 15 Bánh Xèo in One Sitting
Yuka Kinoshita loves a good food challenge.
Saigoneer in Food Culture
[Video] BuzzFeed Employees Try Vietnamese Noodles, Choke, Cry, Make Disgusting Phở Puns
Another day, another BuzzFeed-branded “Americans Try…” video.
Mervin Lee in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Mutahiro's Masterful Chicken Ramen
Ramen is often the preferred choice of Japanese comfort food in Southeast Asia, yet finding an impressive offering of the dish in Saigon has proven to be a challenge. The appearance of Mutahiro i...
Paul Christiansen in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Pass the Bánh Ướt on the Left-Hand Side
Thanks to Banh Uot Banh Me, you can finally put to use those rolling skills you honed back in your university days...rolling gỏi cuốn, obviously (wink).
Michael Tatarski in Food Culture
From Texas to Saigon: Viet-Cajun Cuisine's Journey Around the World
Given the size of the overseas Vietnamese diaspora, it comes as little surprise that the community has had a huge influence on the cuisines of countries around the world.
Thi Nguyen in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: The Unapologetic Simplicity of Ben Thanh's Bun Rieu Ganh
Working in the middle of a market that houses a plethora of food collectives can be a double-edged sword. It's convenient when you’re pressed for time, but after a while, you tend to get lazy and just...
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
A Brief History of Hanoi's Iconic Bia Hơi Glass
Hanoi’s iconic bia hơi glass is more than meets the eye.
Saigoneer in Food Culture
Hanoi's Bun Cha Huong Lien Enshrines Obama's Table, Meal Set in Glass Display
A part of Obama’s visit to Vietnam is now forever enshrined – literally – in a glass display in Hanoi.
