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.

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: At D5's Sủi Cảo Đại Nương, a Song of Chives and Fire

One night after my meal at Sủi Cảo Đại Nương, I find myself in a mystifying dream about chives.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In a Hẻm, on Plastic Chairs, One of Saigon's Best Pizzas Beckons

“The leopard spots. They hate them,” Hiếu Trần explains to me. “They think it means the pizza is burnt.”

Back Eat & Drink

in Food Culture

Foreign Fast Food Chains Report Consecutive Financial Losses in Vietnam

Are foreign fast food brands falling out of favor among locals, or are there other reasons behind their losses?

Michael Tatarski

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: On Eating Greek With Chopsticks

Who says excellent Greek food can't be served on the same menu as Korean tofu along the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal?

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: A Canal Cafe and Bar as Rustic as Its Name Promises

Driving leisurely along Hoang Sa Street, I stopped in front of a small coffee shop called Lao Hac — a retro-style cafe that's hidden behind the perennial flowering vines within sight of Nhieu Loc...

in Food Culture

De-Shelling Vietnam’s Love of Eating Snails

Snails prove a divisive delicacy in many countries, but in Vietnam, they are perhaps more misunderstood, and arguably more refreshing, than anywhere else in the world.

in Food Culture

New Food Tour Retraces Anthony Bourdain's Culinary Journeys in Vietnam

Vietnam held a special place in the famous chef, traveler and food enthusiast’s heart, and now visitors can get a glimpse of the places and foods that he loved most.

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: On the Hunt for Succulent Seared Chicken in an Old French Apartment

As far as urban nooks go, exploring Saigon’s apartment buildings is perhaps the best way to discover new hangouts, Instagrammable corners and amazing views of the city.

in Food Culture

This Taiwan Restaurant's Pizza Has Some Ballsy Toppings: Tapioca Pearls

Who'd a thunk it?

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Tried-and-True Singaporean-Style Hainanese Chicken Rice in D4

Every foodie who has visited the island-nation of Singapore has probably heard about about a local specialty known as Hainanese chicken rice. With a Michelin star and Michelin Bib Gourmand title, ...

Thi Nguyen

in Food Culture

Delving Into the Life Journey of Japanese Grandmas During World War II Through Home-Cooked Food

Grandma's Recipes is a 10-part Japanese documentary series that features the stories of ten different octogenarians and their relationship with cooking.

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: Kamon – Authentic Japanese Cuisine Served With a Side of Persian Rugs

Tucked away amongst a row of cafes on Van Phuc Street is a curious Japanese restaurant – beneath the bright red KAMON sign above its entrance and the usual menus offering sashimi and sushi is an altog...

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Lured by the Promise of 7-Way Noodles, We Found Delicious Dim Sum in D5

Come for the seven-way noodles, stay for the dim sum.

in Food Culture

KFC Vietnam Launches Vegan Dishes for Limited Time

KFC introduced vegan options at all locations in Vietnam during the seventh month on the lunar calendar.

Paul Christiansen

in Food Culture

The Wild, Wondrous History of Lychee

Treacherous rebels were amassing support in the outskirts while licentious interlopers lounged in teahouses and corruption lurked in every alleyway and courtyard in the capital. The 8th-century Tang E...

Thi Nguyen

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: The Delectable Comfort of Xuan Dieu's No-Name Bánh Đa Trộn

With most of my life having been spent living in Saigon, the concept of bánh đa was first introduced to me by a mass-produced instant crab noodle soup package. 

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: At Ngọt Cafe, a Treasure Trove of Saigon's Childhood Snacks and Knick-Knacks

To me, Saigon is not just a city, it is the people, the lifestyle and the cafés.

Paul Christiansen

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: Reng Reng, a Welcome as Cold as the Coffee at Hanoi's Most Idiosyncratic Cafe

Reng Reng isn’t a friendly coffee shop.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Old-School 'Take It or Leave It' Nam Dinh Phở in District 3

Pho Dau captures the essence of the Nam Dinh soul food that the owner brought with her to Saigon six decades ago.

in Food Culture

Vietnam Sets Guinness Record for World's Largest Bowl of Instant Phở

Unlike Vietnam's previous food-related stunts, this time the giant food dish didn't go to waste.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Northern-Style Miến Lươn Is a Magical Saigon Breakfast

Mien Luon Cho Ben Thanh was the final destination in my parents’ 20-year quest to find an authentic northern miến lươn in Saigon.

in Food Culture

A Cozy Abode of Bak Kut Teh and Migrant Teochew Gastronomy in the Heart of Saigon

Singaporean Teochew bak kut teh is a seemingly simple broth made with pork ribs that has managed to enamor locals and foreigners for decades.