Uyên Đỗ in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: In the Mood for Lẩu? A Ngưu Offers Hong Kong Vibes and Tasty Bites.
I visit Tiệm Lẩu A Ngưu on a rare wintry Saturday evening in Saigon, the perfect occasion to fill one’s stomach with warm broth, noodles, and a host of other tasty accouterments.
From Delta Winds to Highland Soil: A Plant-Based Odyssey
A restaurant where vegetables speak of home.
Nem Chả Diên Khánh, a Match Made in Khánh Hòa's Coastal Heaven
During my journey to explore the culinary specialties of Khánh Hòa, I was delighted to discover the nem chua and chả lụa from Diên Khánh, a centuries-old ancient town that’s just 10 kilometers from downtown Nha Trang.
Văn Tân in Snack Attack
Huế's Bánh Pháp Lam Turns Backyard Fruits Into a Celebration of Ngũ Hành
“Everything must be really fresh, made-to-order, colorful, and fragrant. Everything has its place, and is arranged exquisitely!” The food in the 2008 feature film Trăng nơi đáy giếng, adapted from a short story by the same name of Trần Thùy Mai, is a vivid depiction of Huế’s culinary creations — rustic, delicate, and ever-enticing. It’s evident in the tuber that Hạnh meticulously carves and then scents using pandan; in the bowl of lotus soup that she makes by wrapping in flowers the night before.
Oliver Newman in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: In the Same Hanoi Building, a Music Fan's Essentials — Vinyls and Cocktails
Sharing a building, Montauk and LP Club might initially appear to be just another cafe and another record store, but their goals are far loftier than selling drinks and vinyl.
Tâm Lê in Ănthology
Built on Immigrant History, France's Vietnamese Food Scene Is Onto Something Special
France’s Vietnamese population is one of the largest outside Vietnam. From colonial assignments to refugee migrations, the community has grown, shifted, and evolved since its beginnings in the 1860s. Meet the new generation of French-Vietnamese creatives — chefs, authors, cultural consultants — who are reimagining and representing Vietnamese culture in Paris in fresh and deeply personal ways.
Integrating Spanish Culinary Traditions into Local Lifestyles
Paella’s elevation of humble countryside ingredients into an extravaganza of flavors united by fluffy rice; soft and creamy Torta del Casar sheep’s milk cheese; intense Pimentón de la Vera paprika made with smoked peppers, and nutty, earthy iberico ham sliced whisper thin: Spanish culinary treasures are becoming increasingly common in Vietnam. As more Spanish restaurants open and Spanish products occupy more space on grocery store shelves, people here are also discovering how Spaniards like to eat.
Hẻm Gems: Bánh Đa Cua Hải Phòng, a Rare Northern Treat in D10
On the way to Phú Thọ Indoor Sports Stadium in District 11, make a turn off 666/74 Ba Tháng Hai, go all the way to the far corner, and you’ll discover Triển Chiêu Quán’s bright yellow sign. Park underneath the canopy, walk up the ramp, and you’ll notice something stands out, but you might not know why — bunches of caramel-colored noodles in the kitchen area waiting to be enjoyed.
Ngõ Nooks: A Simple but Well-Balanced Bún Cá Thái Bình in Ba Đình
In these uncertain times when everything oscillates between “business as usual,” “total lockdown” and all shades in-between, I don’t really know when this article will be published, or if the little e...
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: From Ohio to D7, the Serendipitous Story of Saigon's Lamb Phở
A highlight of my last visit to Phở Lạc Việt was a special moment when I reached out and the tips of my fingers touched a warm bowl inside the heating cabinet.
Michael Tatarski in Food Culture
Binh Duong, a Surprising Oasis of Taiwanese Snacks and Chinese Dumplings
This is part 2 of our two-part series on Taiwanese and Chinese food in Binh Duong. Read part one here.
Ngõ Nooks: How 2 Brothers From Punjab Spread Their Love for Indian Food
Some names that immediately come to mind when the topic of Indian food is raised are the old favorites, such as Namaste on Tho Nhuom Street or Foodshop 45 in Truc Bach. But have you heard of a small r...
Michael Tatarski in Food Culture
A Journey into Binh Duong's Deep Chinese & Taiwanese Flavors
Believe it or not, there is more to Binh Duong than just industrial parks producing your next Uniqlo T-shirt or pair of running shoes.
Ngõ Nooks: Lily Coffee, a Hideaway for When Life Gets Overwhelming
Nestled in a nook so small that not many Hanoians even know of it, Lily Coffee is a true hideaway, with its entrance tucked on the side of an alley. The gate held ajar separates two worlds — one ...
Khoi Pham in Vietnam Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Da Lat's Ngàn Cafe Is as Comforting as an Embrace
Walking down Da Lat’s Robin Hill amid emerald pine trees and languid fluffs of cloud, one’s eyes will inevitably encounter a visual disturbance in the form of bright orange plastic maple trees. They a...
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: D6's Hot and Sour Suan La Fen Is the Noodle Dish to Conquer
Every time I lap up a spoonful of searing broth that’s so spicy I could almost count the number of times my face pulses, I feel grateful for taste buds.
Elise Luong in Vietnam Hẻm Gems
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 ...
Ngõ Nooks: Xóm Hà Hồi's Dill-icious Golden Grilled Cá Lăng
With Hanoi deep in winter’s chill, our bellies crave hearty delights, and there is nothing like frying your own chả cá in the cozy little hamlet of Hà Hồi to ward off the season’s bite.
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.
Kitchen: A Non-Profit Restaurant Dishing up No-Nonsense Comfort Food
The kitchen is the heart of a home. This is the philosophy behind Kitchen, a new not-for-profit restaurant in District 2 that aims to nurture a community with delicious, healthy food.
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.
From Plant to Pour: Rethinking Vietnamese Coffee
Saigoneer will never see coffee the same way again.
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...
