Creativity and Quality Surprise at Mai House’s Affordable Seafood Buffet
Unripe mangosteen chicken salad has been all over Vietnamese social media during the past few weeks, though we didn’t expect to find it at an upscale hotel dinner buffet. But across from the sushi and beside a spread of European cheeses at Mai House, there it was: the newest trend ready for tasting. The semi-sweet fruit generously spread amongst moist chicken and fresh vegetables was an interesting item indeed, but the biggest surprise was finding it at a style of dining one typically associates with conventional recipes. The dish thus exemplifies Mai House’s creativity and responsiveness.
Hẻm Gems: In Bàn Cờ Market, Cô Vân's Cút Lộn Sốt Me Offers Fortune and Flavor
It would be a grave sin to discuss Saigon’s street food scene without a proper mention of vịt lột.
Cà Rem Cây, Kem Chuối and the Frozen Tickets to Our Childhood
Sometimes, when I hear the distant sound of a tinkling bell, fond memories of summer days from my wonder years come flooding back to me.
Ngõ Nooks: What a Tea Ceremony Taught Me About Our Lotus Tea Traditions
“The lotus is our national flower, and lotus tea is regarded as the national tea.”
Just a Love Letter to Saigon's Tropical Fruits
How lovely to have taste buds and to have tasty things to eat.
Fruity, Creamy, Icy: A Bingsu Corner in D7 for Those With a Sweet Tooth
As summer draws closer, bringing with it a sweltering sun and drenched T-shirts, one's mind can't help but drift to the incomparable delight of a snowy treat that can ward off the season's heat.
Khôi Phạm in Snack Attack
For the Love of Our Cooling, Affordable and Ubiquitous Trà Đá
In Saigon, trà đá vendors don’t exist, simply because every single eatery is in itself a trà đá vendor.
Paul Christiansen in Dishcovery
Nem Cuốn Is the Refreshing Rolls We Need in Saigon’s Sweltering Summers
Even during the summer, when the sun bares its teeth and snarls at passing clouds, one must eat. But lugging a belly stuffed with hot, heavy soup, rice and meat through days devoid of shade sounds horrible. So I often settle for lighter fare. Fruit, salads, cold noodles. One of my favorite items for supplying nutrients without overburdening the little thermal factory that is my metabolism is rice paper rolls.
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Crispy Duck Noodles for When You're Feeling Fancy
Right in the middle of frenetic hospital crowds, imposing pharmacies and peak-hour traffic, Hue Ky Mi Gia stands out, its indoor dining area seemingly unaffected by the commotion that’s going on just ...
Ngõ Nooks: A Secret Garden Leads to a Haven for Hanoi's Young Creatives
Immediately after strolling through the gates of Café Tu Luc, a leafy new reality helps one feel at ease.
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Khoai Bistro Serves up a Mother Lode of Ribs and Breakfast Skillet
Praise be to those who bring the hearty wholesomeness of the breakfast skillet to every hour of the day.
Hẻm Gems: A Japanese-American Time-Warp on Binh Thanh’s Backstreets
Imagine a world where the 1950s never ended. Where Daddy-O’s race muscle cars all day and Peggy Sue’s dance the night away. Where it’s all one big small town of neon-lit diners and all-night gas stati...
Ngõ Nooks: Pandan Jelly and Tapioca Pearls in a Little Bowl of Chè
Chè, the mercurial Vietnamese dessert soup, is appreciated by Hanoians both young and old. Whether wheeled around narrow streets in the Old Quarter, carried on shoulder poles or served in shop fronts ...
Netizens Call for Boycott of 'Racist' Hoi An Cafe for Refusing to Serve Vietnamese
Many netizens are calling for a boycott of a coffee shop in Hoi An after anecdotes emerged online accusing the place of discriminatory service.
Ngõ Nooks: Nourishment for the Soul at Canh Bun Nguyen Sieu
Eating canh bún is akin to going for a walk on a clear day as sunset melts over the city; it costs almost nothing yet nourishes the soul.
KFC Malaysia Launches Fashion Collection for Fried Chicken Fans
A collaboration between KFC Malaysia and local streetwear company Pestle & Mortar Clothing (PMC) puts familiar logos, slogans and images from the iconic fried chicken brand on shirts, hoodies, ha...
Ngõ Nooks: Cháo Sườn Proves Sometimes the Simplest Snacks Are the Most Satisfying
Hanoi’s summer days are unforgiving. On the most intense days, a bullish sun forms thick layers of heat between cement roads and tall, oppressive buildings. Yet here I was, standing in the epicenter o...
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Unbearable Lightness of Eating Bò Lá Lốt Alone
There are certain activities that are best not undertaken alone: karaoke, barbeque, watching football and feasting on ốc. The consensus, however, is still out on bò nướng lá lốt mỡ chài, so I decided ...
Ngõ Nooks: Slurping Thick Noodles and Seafood at Banh Canh Ghe Ut Coi
A whiff of the ocean hits you before you even step foot onto the street. In this curious corner between Quang Trung and Nha Chung, a new form of restaurant exemplifies the vitality and variety of Hano...
Hẻm Gems: Tasty Char Kway Teow and Sisig Where You Least Expect It
"They have bak kut teh. And what do you call that...Singaporean Hokkien fried noodles? The Korean businessmen go there for gatherings too," a friend told me during a casual chat at a craft beer joint ...
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: A Delicious Journey on the Caribbean Clipper at Jamaica Jamaica
By this stage of my life in Saigon, I'm not particularly surprised when an outpost of some unexpected cuisine appears in the unlikeliest of places.
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: At Sara Ethiopian, a Chicken Stew for the Soul
Before the existence of Sara Ethiopian Restaurant in Saigon, my knowledge about the African country could fit squarely in a child’s palm: its capital, Addis Ababa; the tragic Ethiopian Airlines crash ...
Vandalized by Loan Sharks, Pho Hoa Pasteur Announces Temporary Closure
The shop owner's brother-in-law is suspected of racking up the debts that attracted the vandalism.
Hẻm Gems: An Ancient Chinese Meat Sandwich, 3,000km Away From Home
In the landlocked Chinese city of Xian, the legendary Terracotta Army of more than 8,000 soldiers with distinct facial features, weapons, chariots and horses finds their eternal home. This article, ho...
In Taiwan, a Vietnamese Baker Creates Bánh Mì Thịt From Scratch
“We’re going to Taipei on VietJet Air,” an acquaintance said to me. An international flight on Vietnam’s notoriously delayed airline didn’t sound like the best idea ever. But who would expect that I w...
Hẻm Gems: Hiding From Influencers in an Old-School Saigon Cafe
"Saigon in its golden age was a time to be remembered and passed down to younger generations. The vintage aesthetic trend in Vietnam has been around for a couple of years now and for me, it is a cause...
Hẻm Gems: The Greasy Extravaganza of Deep-Fried Bột Chiên and Egg
Bột chiên is a familiar comfort food for many Vietnamese people.
Hẻm Gems: It's a Pagoda, It's a Restaurant, It's Superb Vegetarian Food
The revered 92-year-old Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh sums up his teachings on food and the first meal of the day like this: “I asked some children, 'What is the purpose of eating breakfast...
