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
[Video] The Story of Japan's Only Sushi Restaurant Run by All Female Chefs
A group of intrepid female chefs has been defying the laws of tradition to combat sexism in Japan’s sushi community.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Food Culture
Tracing the Lineage of Da Lat's Delicious Bánh Mì Xíu Mại
Every morning, the corner of Da Lat’s Hoang Dieu and Tran Nhat Duat streets is a mess of plastic tables and rubbish bins, bánh mì crumbs and bodies hunched over small bowls. This particular patch of s...
Saigoneer in Food Culture
A Street Food Stall in Bangkok Was Recently Awarded a Michelin Star
Bangkok chef Jay Fai has become Thailand's first street food vendor to earn a prestigious Michelin star.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Bars & Cafes
Hẻm Gems: Cocktails and Conversation at Saigon’s Classiest Sidewalk Spot
Editor's note: This review from 2017 was of City Beer Station's first location on Pham Ngoc Thach Street, which has since closed. Over the past years, the cocktail bar has moved numerous times. Recent...
Saigoneer in Food Culture
[Video] Ain't No Sunshine When Sai'Gon: The Cake Inspired by Saigon's Rainy Days
The Saigon skyline has been the muse for many an illustration project, and now you can also enjoy the towering Bitexco Financial Tower, but in fondant form.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Street Food
From the Bottom of the Barrel to the Top of the Heap: The Rise of Cơm Tấm
Swing by chị Hien’s street cart for dinner on any given day and you’ll find a cross-section of Saigon that covers all demographics: middle-class residents from the apartment blocks up the street,...
Khoi Pham in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: In Hẻm 284, O Thu Brings a Touch of Hue to Saigon With Cơm Hến
As the sun went down and Saigon’s throngs of workers ventured out of their office nests to fill local streets, I was perched on a red plastic stool in a hẻm in District 3 weeping and snorting like an ...
Saigoneer in Food Culture
Vietnam Slurped Down Nearly 5bn Packets of Instant Noodles in 2016: Report
Is Vietnam's addiction to instant noodles on the way out?
Dana Filek-Gibson in Food Culture
Sủi Dìn’s Journey From Imperial China to the Streets of Hai Phong
The first time I stumbled upon cô Ut’s nightly sidewalk ritual, the performance was already well under way. Perched on the low steps of what serves as a VietinBank branch by day, the young woman sat r...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Chinese-Malaysian Noodles and Saigon's New Generation of Street Food
When it comes to Saigon’s culinary landscape, the southern hub is pretty progressive. In addition to an array of Vietnamese dishes from every corner of the country, the city has also acquired a cosmop...
Saigoneer in Food Culture
A Food Folk Tale: How a Poor Farmer Traded Starfruit for Gold
In Vietnam, fruits, especially those of the oddly shaped variety, come with a story. From pineapple to watermelon, there’s not a snack in this country that doesn’t come with a lesson attached. The jui...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: The Ingenuity of 24-Way Grilled Oysters in D4
Innovation is important. With a healthy imagination and a bit of gusto, humans have the ability to create everything from DIY submarines to all-terrain wheelchairs to helmets specifically for married ...
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
A Food Folk Tale: The Savage Clapback That Turned a Girl Into a Pineapple
Growing up in Vietnam, it seems that everything – from common household objects to fruits – has an origin story. Some of these local folk tales have a decidedly romantic angle, but others – like the l...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: The Green Delight of Phu Yen's Bánh Canh Hẹ
In the age of the internet, we go back and forth about everything, including whether or not the most important meal of the day is, in fact, important. While members of the medical profession continue ...
Vuong Thao Nguyen in Food Culture
Viet Nam Mien Ngon: A Journey in Watercolor Through Vietnam's Diverse Cuisine
Vietnam has long been an enthralling destination for foodies near and far – just ask Anthony Bourdain, the globetrotting New York chef who has repeatedly professed his love for the Southeast Asian cou...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Food Culture
Watch out for These 5 Vietnamese Food-Related Superstitions
Every culture has its own customs, superstitions and traditions, some of which are so time-honored that even their strictest followers aren’t really clear on where the etiquette comes from. Vietnam ce...
Saigoneer in Food Culture
Taiwan Struggles to Combat Locals' Addiction to Cancer-Causing Betel Nuts
The Taiwanese government continues to wage a war against betel nut addiction, but considering the cultural ties to the native plant, it is proving incredibly difficult.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: The Sumptuous Street Snacks of Ha Cao Ban Co
Whether we’re talking about the packaged foods aisle at Circle K or the lady whipping up bánh tráng trộn on the street corner, snack foods often meet two distinct criteria: they are both delicious and...
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
Bánh Cuốn, Chee Cheong Fun and Pork Intestine Rice Rolls: A Sprawling Family Tree
One of Vietnam’s most common breakfast foods, bánh cuốn, might not save a life – not in the way that a bowl of hearty phở can – but the silky rice rolls sure do make living easier.
Saigoneer in Food Culture
[Video] A Day in the Life of Vietnam's Bánh Tráng Artisans
Rice paper has been a mainstay of Vietnam cuisine, with consumers often preferring homemade versions over industrial made ones, which has created a thriving cottage industry in the Mekong Delta.
