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.
Xu Xoa, the Sweet, Gingery Dessert Soothing the Heat of Central Vietnam Summers
If Saigoneers often turn to sương sâm (leaf jelly) or sương sáo (grass jelly) as refreshments on hot days, the choice of residents of provinces along the central coast is xu xoa. Chunks of translucent, lightly umami jelly swim in the sweetness of a ginger-flavored sugar syrup — a perfect snack that cools the body.
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 o...
Govi Snell in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: In One of Hanoi's Tiniest Shopfronts, a Phở Chay With Big Flavors
Tree-lined Lò Đúc street is home to Phở Chay: a restaurant so small it could fit in the palm of your hand.
Bánh Ú Tro Wraps the Childhood Joy of Tết Đoan Ngọ Within Its Green Leaves
Since the beginning of our festive history, Vietnam’s special occasions have always been closely associated with traditional dishes. Lunar New Year is the time to enjoy bánh chưng and bánh tét, while the arrival of Trung Thu is foretold by the appearance of moon cakes and bánh pía. In the case of Tết Đoan Ngọ, revelers eat bánh bá trạng and bánh ú tro to get a taste of festivity.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Cleopatra Restaurant Adds Egyptian Flairs to Saigon's Dynamic Food Scene
As of 2024, Saigon remains Vietnam’s most densely populated metropolis, playing host to 9.5 million residents . In the qua...
These 5 Uncommon Bánh Canh Bowls Celebrate Vietnam's Regional Diversity
Bánh canh is a quintessential Vietnamese dish. Its chewy rice noodle strands and light broth full of umami thanks to simmered pork, beef, chicken and seafood have stolen the hearts of generations of Vietnamese.
Nguyễn Thị Thành, Saigon's Beloved 'Lunch Lady,' Passes Away at 59
Nguyễn Thị Thành, one of Saigon’s rare internationally renowned food icons known as the “Lunch Lady,” passed away earlier this week.
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...
Linh Pham in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: Quán Nhạc Cầm Nurtures the Soul Like a Love Song
Albeit ostensibly a coffee shop, Cầm’s specialty is actually old Vietnamese music.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
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 Saigon Hẻm Gems
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 ...
Ngõ Nooks: Hidden Gem, the Cafe that Recycled Knick-Knacks Built
It is difficult to describe Hidden Gem Café without paraphrasing its name, but I have not found a better way to characterize this wonderful establishment.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
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.
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."
Hẻm Gems: 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, a...
Ngõ Nooks: Sonder Cafe, a Home for Whimsical Drinks and Cool Beans
sonder (n): the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon Hẻm Gems
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.
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Korean Comfort Food in Binh Thanh for Hungover Heads
One of the great joys of dining out is coming across the unexpected.
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
When in Da Lat, All Roads Lead to Bánh Mì Xíu Mại
Which rendition of bánh mì xíu mại you prefer may say more about you than it does Da Lat’s beloved meatballs.
Michael Tatarski in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: Come for the Dim Sum, Stay for the Dim Sum
As the old saying goes, when in Hanoi, do as your colleagues do.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Spice up Your Study Session With a Warm Ginger Coffee at An Miên
”The flower was never meant to survive the fruit's triumph.”
KFC Remains Vietnam's Most Popular Fast Food Chain, New Survey Shows
Colonel Sanders' fast food remains the top choice of Vietnamese palates.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Best Fried Chicken Rice in Saigon Is in District 8
The success story of Cơm Gà 142 epitomizes the impressive marriage between technology and word of mouth in Vietnam’s golden age of food delivery startups.
Elise Luong in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: A Stylish Urban Brew at the Effortlessly Hip Cà Thiều
Occupying a few meters of the sidewalk on Pho Nguyen Gia Thieu, a lovely leafy lane in the residential south of the French Quarter, Cà Thiều is nestled at the entrance of a dusty, unassuming apartment...
Starbucks Unleashes Pumpkin Spice Latte on Vietnam for the First Time
Frequently mocked as an essential item alongside Ugg boots, yoga pants, scented candles and gender reveal parties in a "basic" starter pack, the popular fall beverage has arrived in Vietnamese St...
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Case of the Twin Bánh Mì Chảo Switcheroo
In the land of copycat businesses, it always pays to double-check that you're at the right one.
Ngõ Nooks: Head to This Vegan Bánh Mì Cart for a Cheap and Cheerful Snack
There is no shortage of delicious and affordable vegan restaurants throughout Hanoi, but Chay Snack Cart safely reigns supreme on my list. This family-run business welcomes you into their home with si...
