in Dishcovery

A Light Bánh Cuốn Quảng Đông to Break Your Fast the Chợ Lớn Way

Meeting up for a Chinese-style breakfast often means gathering around stacked baskets of dim sum or diving into hearty bowls of wonton noodles. But if you're looking to skip the indulgence and opt for something lighter, a serving of cheung fun might offer the perfect balance.

Khôi Phạm

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: Miến Lươn Is a Classic Hanoian Breakfast for Cold Rainy Days

I am Hanoi’s hungriest tourist; and the capital welcomes me into its flavorsome, umami-rich warmth with open arms.

in Dishcovery

Cua Cà Mau Consommé Evokes Nostalgic Summer Beach Holidays

Seafood reminds chef Nghiêm Minh Đức of childhood vacations to northern beaches with his family. But since moving to Saigon, he has been exposed to southern products including cua Cà Mau’s which inspire him to experiment with new dishes.

Thi Nguyễn

in Food Culture

Tết Tales: The Many Folk Stories Behind Vietnam's Bánh Chưng, Bánh Tét

To me, there's nothing that screams Tết as much as sticky rice cake. However one wants to spice up the usual celebration by replacing some dishes with something new each year, sticky rice cakes remain a must-have in Vietnamese households. Try searching for an image of the Lunar New Year and there’s a high chance that you’ll spot the cakes amongst the first ten results.

in Dishcovery

Re-imagining a Streetfood Staple with Sustainable Ingredients: Cơm Tấm Ốc Bươu with Floating Rice

Cơm tấm is “all about utilizing, minimizing food waste and, basically, not giving anything away,” explains Chef Trụ Lang of Mùa Sake, as he stands in front of ingredients from the Mekong Delta. “That matches with the ethos of what these crops are trying to do … show a different way of thinking, a different way of agriculture, a different way of using the land, and using the relationship that we have with the land to coexist.”

in Ănthology

Charles Phan's Bánh Mì Is Not Here to Take You Down Memory Lane

“Charles Phan had more impact on Vietnamese food than any other chef in the country.” — Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chro...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Cô Chi Creates a World of Northern Noodles Right in Her Living Room

Bún Cô Chi offers a great introduction to the wonderful world of northern noodles.

in Snack Attack

From Sticky Rice and Sugar, Bánh Tổ Binds Me With Tết and My Hoa Vietnamese Roots

This Tết, you’re invited to my grandma’s house for a true-blue Tết meal of Hoa Vietnamese, comprising char siu, khâu nhục (braised pork belly), cured duck meat, etc. Then, you can think of the best well-wishing for my grandparents, after which they will give you a red envelope. In my experience, the cleverer and more sincere the wish, the thicker the envelope would be. Before you leave, she would pack up a bánh tổ for you to take home, and store in your fridge to tie you over for the rest of the Tết holiday, as she believes that the core values of Tết are connections and generosity.

Back Eat & Drink

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 ...

in Food Culture

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.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

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 Saigon Hẻm Gems

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...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: The Greasy Extravaganza of Deep-Fried Bột Chiên and Egg

Bột chiên is a familiar comfort food for many Vietnamese people.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

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...

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: For the Love of Hanoian Snacks and Streetside Iced Tea

During the day, the dining area at 89 Nguyen Du houses a bún bò restaurant, but once the afternoon comes to an end and the sun starts to set, the area turns into a boisterous nhậu spot filled with nor...

Paul Christiansen

in Food Culture

Vietnam Loves Drinking Beer. What About Cooking With It?

The craft beer craze that originated in the west has arrived in Vietnam in full force, but the trend of incorporating the beverage into local food recipes hasn’t yet followed.

in Food Culture

A Brief Guide to Vietnam's Lesser-Known Sweet Sticky Rice Dishes

You may have tried the famed mango sticky rice from Thailand and wondered, “How on earth does this rice go so well with the sweetness of mango and coconut milk?” Usually, some would think of rice as p...

in Food Culture

In Malaysia, If You Want Fresh Seafood, Join a Facebook Livestream Auction

Customers eager to avoid wet markets are increasingly turning to live social media auctions to satisfy their seafood needs.

Michael Tatarski

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: A Direct Flight to Taiwan Through Your Taste Buds

One of the great benefits Vietnam's budget airline boom is the ease with which Saigoneers can now travel directly to wonderful destinations like Japan and South Korea without breaking the bank.

Paul Christiansen

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: On the Nguyen Du Sidewalk, Connoisseur Coffee at Pavement Prices

Contemporary coffee culture in Saigon is largely one of extremes. On one end, enthusiasts at trendy shops source, grow, roast and meticulously prepare some of the finest beans in the wo...

in Food Culture

Da Nang Just Made Vietnam's Biggest Bánh Xèo, Feeding 200 People

The world has never stopped obsessing over giant food, and Vietnam is no exception.

in Food Culture

[Photos] Step Inside Vietnam's First Fish Sauce Museum

Vietnam’s extended coastline has bestowed local fishing communities with great access to seafood, giving rise to a plethora of craft villages across the country that lionize marine produce. Perhaps th...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: The Comfort of Slurping Vegetarian Noodles on the Pavement

Tien, who’s been up since 4am, stops for a moment, lets out a small sigh of satisfaction and wipes the sweat from her brow with the well-used towel around her neck. It’s now 7:45am on another hot, hum...

in Food Culture

Celebrity Chef Nguyen Dzoan Cam Van Ordained as Buddhist Monk

Dubbed Vietnam's "national chef," Nguyen Dzoan Cam Van is a household name among many Vietnamese for her role as a cooking instructor on the hit cooking show Kheo Tay Hay Lam.

in Food Culture

Each Vietnamese Consumes 3kg of Beef, 20l of Milk Annually, Minister Says

Despite the country’s rising wealth, Vietnam still consumes a modest amount of beef compared with the world average.

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: Come for the Coffee, Stay for the Aesthetic

Apparently, the owners of Chon want people to find their café. However, you wouldn’t assume as much when attempting to navigate the narrow, snaking alleyways that lead to their joint. You’ll find a do...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In Saigon's First Shots Bar, Usain Bolt and Princess Peach in Test Tubes

Pham Ngu Lao Street, along with its sister street Bui Vien, has been known for almost two decades to foreigners as the perfect place to drink, bunk-in and conveniently repeat. In other words, a booze-...