Ngõ Nooks: On Hàng Bài, Golden Bún Cá Thái Bình in a Hole in the Wall
When a friend of mine returned home after living abroad last year, he longed for a bowl of bún cá. I suggested the classic Hanoi dish, with satisfyingly oily deep-fried fish, but he had other ideas — a fresh feast originally from Thai Binh, located almost 100 kilometers from the capital.
From Fine Dining to Comfort Food: Why Chef Thierry Mounon Followed up La Villa with La Fontaine
“Beyond awards or recognition, a restaurant is about welcoming people, creating memories and bringing joy around a table,” explains Chef Thierry Mounon of his decision to expand from French fine dining into comfort food.
What Cooking Bún Chả for My Birthday Abroad Taught Me About Vietnameseness
“Hot summer night, mid-July, when you and I were forever wild,” Lana Del Rey croons every July 15 to celebrate my birthday. Those melodramatic words consistently evoke three specific elements in my mind: Heineken or Tiger beer cans on the floor; the sweet smoky smell of bún chả and nem enlaced with the rainy air of a darkening Saigon sky; and my friends and family under the LED-lit roof of an iCool karaoke room. Such pillars uphold what I consider the quintessential Vietnamese birthday experience.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Where Fish Sauce and Soy Sauce Are Not Condiments, but Gelato Flavors
Living in central Saigon as a diehard fan of ice cream and all frozen sweets, I fondly remember the late 2010s–early 2020s as the age of abundance. Back in the day, across downtown, there was always a little something for ice cream fans of all preferences.
Govi Snell in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: At Phở Chay Như, a Banquet of Vegetarian Versions of Iconic Viet Dishes
A bowl full of noodles is one of the things that make me feel lucky to be alive, and alive in Saigon in particular.
The Unifying Presence of Cái Mâm, Vietnam’s Ubiquitous, Familial Food Tray
An authentic Vietnamese meal cannot be complete without cái mâm. Mâm, a humble, circular food tray, has conducted generations of Vietnamese into a familial ritual for centuries. Once a mâm is set as the centerpiece, knees begin touching knees until the whole family sits cross-legged in a circle. One person pairs up chopsticks from the bundle and distributes them to fellow diners, while another scoops rice into bowls.
Chợ Bà Hoa Transports Central Vietnam's Universe of Crispy, Funky, Sugary Treats to Saigon
My family lives in Saigon, a long distance from our hometown in Quảng Ngãi. We only visit a few times a year, but each time is a celebration of amazing food: bánh tráng nướng with sausages, bánh gói with spicy, garlicky nước chấm, crispy fried rolls, etc. Without fail, whenever I set food in the city again, I can’t help missing it dearly.
Hẻm Gems: An Alternative Cơm Tấm From Long Xuyên for Thịt Kho Trứng Fans
When it comes to cơm tấm, most people are familiar with cơm tấm Sài Gòn, featuring grilled pork ribs as the vedette topping. But since the dish’s creation, and as it gained popularity across the Mekong delta and southern Vietnam, another cơm tấm variant emerged alongside cơm tấm Sài Gòn. This version became so cherished by the locals that it was named after its birthplace — cơm tấm Long Xuyên.
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 ...
How Drinking & Healing Made a Name for Itself
“No more spicy chocolate passionfruit cocktails…no more durian,” jokes a mixologist at Drinking & Healing when asked what they’ll do differently in its second year.
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.
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...
The Importance and Evolution of Mooncakes During the Mid-Autumn Festival
Like most holidays, the origins of Tết Trung Thu, or Mid-Autumn Festival, remain clouded by myth and uncertainty.
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.
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...
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...
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.
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 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.
