Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
5 Cozy Saigon Coffee Shops With Outstanding Cat Residents to Befriend
I almost never remember the faces of the employees at cafes that I’ve been to, but I am strangely attuned to the existence of their cats. I remember the textures of their fur when I gave them pets, the little squeaks when they jumped up and down the furniture, and the subtle ways they expressed their personality during our fleeting but memorable encounters.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Woko Brings the Comfort of American Chinese Food to Saigon
When a dish travels far from its homeland to take root somewhere else, one common yardstick for judging it is “authenticity.” Is the seasoning true to form? How closely do the ingredients match the original? Has the cook stuck to tradition, or wandered too far into improvisation? But what if an entire cuisine was born and shaped in defiance of that very idea?
From Abroad to My Favorite Bún Riêu: A Brief History of Trứng Vịt Lộn
I pride myself on being a child of Hanoi, but only after nearly 20 years, did I realize that trứng vịt lộn is not exactly an authentic topping in Hanoi-style bún riêu.
Hẻm Gems: The Spectacular Stink of Bún Mắm Nêm Is My Childhood Aroma
Every time I depart from Vietnam to study abroad or travel, on the way to Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, I stop by the Bàu Cát area in Tân Bình to stuff myself with at least two bowls of bún mắm nêm heo quay.
From Cháo Lòng to Teochew Treats: How Vietnam's Regional Cuisines Embrace Offal
In his essay collection Miếng ngon Hà Nội (Hanoi Delicacies), Vũ Bằng raves about one of his favorite snacks: “Though they’r...
Ngõ Nooks: Okachan Shokudo, a Comforting Japanese ‘Cơm Bình Dân’ in Hanoi
If there is a restaurant that is the antithesis of the biting cold of Hanoi, it is Okachan Shokudo.
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.
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.
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 ...
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 quality of life discourse, this crowdedness is often singled out as a weakness det...
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 V...
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.
Ngõ Nooks: From Praying for Good Grades to Opening an Eatery Together, the Story of Màu
In the soft morning light, three teenagers once stood before the Temple of Literature, whispering hopes for exam success into clasped hands. A decade later, that same trio — Triết Nguyễn, Tùng Nguyễn ...
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Unbearable Lightness of Eating Bò Lá Lốt Alone
There are certain activities that are best not undertaken alone: karaoke, barbeque, watching football and feasting on ốc. The consensus, however, is still out on bò nướng lá lốt mỡ chài, so I decided ...
Hẻm Gems: At Mão A Chai, Masala Chai and Thái Nguyên Tea for the Soul
I used to be an international student living in Minnesota, where winter comes early and overstays its welcome. In those long months of snow and silence, I relied heavily on coffee, my go-to companion ...
Hẻm Gems: A Humble Bún Riêu That Reminds a Child of the Mekong of Home
As a little boy, there were nights when I would burst into tears upon waking up suddenly and not seeing mom around, because I missed her and needed her. One night, I even crawled under the bed and thr...
Paul Christiansen in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: From Music to Mise en Place, A Thăng Is an Eatery That Friendship Built
“We want to be artists; we want to be free. Now we are free,” says Nguyễn Hoàng Anh, co-founder of A Thăng Eatery.
Uyên Đỗ in Food Culture
No Family Trip Is Complete Without Banter, Bolero and Bánh Mì Chả Lụa
Every time my extended family took a trip, it looked more like a mass exodus than a holiday — bags teetering, arms overstuffed, and enough supplies to survive a small apocalypse.
Paul Christiansen in Dishcovery
Bored of Mundance Date Spots? Try Tân Sơn Nhất's Romantic Star Cafe.
I know a little place.
The 50 Shades of Cháo on the Palette of Vietnam's Regional Cuisines
Cháo, or congee in English, is a diverse genre of Vietnamese dishes in both executions and flavor profiles — from humble versions like pandan congee, red bean congee to more substantial and complex me...
Brian Letwin in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Kura Bar, a Veritable Treasure Trove of Rare Japanese Sakes Amid Saigon
Saigoneers are spoilt for choice when it comes to Japanese eateries in the city. Dozens, if not hundreds, of sushi, ramen and izakaya spots dot its districts. And if you're in the mood for something s...
Hẻm Gems: Go Back in Time to Chợ Cũ's Golden Days via Cô Chánh's Hủ Tiếu Mì
In the memory-scape of children growing up in the countryside like me, there always exists the familiar sight of old wet markets and the mornings we spent there, toddling behind our moms on the hunt f...
Khôi Phạm in Food Culture
How Cá Cắt Khúc Becomes My Personal Touchstone of Vietnamese Cuisine
It was 13 years ago when Christine Ha auditioned for and eventually won the third season of MasterChef US. Christine was a grad student from Texas then, and her victory was a watershed moment in the h...
Hẻm Gems: A Night of Love, Poetry, and the Pursuit of the Sublime at Emme Bar
“So what makes Emme House different?” the head bartender Dũng asked during our earlier conversation with Trực, the bar’s owner. “Emme House is not a bar,” he explained. I further inquired then about t...
Fried Floating Rice with Dried Cá Chốt and Lotus Tells a Complete Vietnamese Narrative
Chef Peter Cường Franklin shared a powerful narrative to introduce the dish he prepared for Saigoneer. Rice symbolizes the nation’s most important carbohydrate and its agrarian culture; cá chốt repres...
Uyên Đỗ 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 for something lighter, a serv...
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.
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 inspi...
