Hẻm Gems: The Ghé Coffee Tucks Art, Fragrant Coffee Into a Quiet D1 Crevice
Delivering premium origin coffee and fine art from artists across Vietnam in a tiny room that dates back to French colonial times, smack dab in the middle of District 1, The Ghé Coffee balances the finer things in life and the comfortably mundane.
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
Into the Beguiling Backyard Rice Wine Distilleries of Long An
The highway eases into sand and gravel the way history descends into myth and legend when traveling towards Long An. A mere 27 kilometers outside of Saigon, the province feels a world away: the difference between a cocktail made with 18-year-old scotch, jackfruit-infused rum, seven types of bitters and brandy-soaked organic cherries and a plastic water bottle of homemade rượu nếp. The latter was the reason we were going there: for information, interviews and anecdotes to complete Saigoneer’s two-part investigation of the history of rice wine.
From a Blend of Cultures, Phá Lấu Became a Beloved Saigon Street Snack
When the word phá lấu is mentioned, two genres of dishes will appear in the mind of Vietnamese. One is a small bowl of orange broth that sings of coconut milk, another is slices of caramelized offal awash in a translucent shade of brown. Both these forms of preparations speak volumes about the growth of local street food through episodes of history.
Live Music, Sports, Art and Activities Fill District VUI with Summer Fun
Vietnam’s south-central coast is blessed with warm sunshine, cool waves, and relaxed vibes all year round, creating a perpetual vacation atmosphere. With school breaks and summer holidays, there is no better time to explore the tropical regions at the nexus of forest and sea.
Gỏi Đu Đủ Reflects the Mekong Region's Culinary and Cultural Wisdoms
As the cicadas begin to sing in the tamarind canopies along Pasteur Street after the first monsoon rain, vivid scenes from my formative years flash by in my mind. My cheeks became flushed and my eyes teary, but not from the harsh sun and wind, nor the frustration of losing multiple marble games; it was the sight, or rather, the scent of a papaya salad enveloped in Cô Ri pungent anchovy sauce.
Hẻm Gems: In D5, a Family Durian Xôi Xiêm Recipe Inspired by Cambodia
At first glance, xôi xiêm sầu riêng — or sticky rice with egg custard and durian — may appear plain-looking, but apart from being a tasty sweet treat, this simple dish also holds stories of life during Vietnam’s post-war period.
A Pilgrimage to Sơn La, Vietnam's National Mận Capital, as a Devoted Fan
There’s a kind of sweet, sour, and slightly tannic fruit that never fails to make our mouths water every summer.
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
Banana Is a Paragon of Neutrality. I Propose Using It as a Metric to Rank All Fruits.
Line up all the world’s fruits, best to worst, taking into account every rateable aspect imaginable including taste, appearance, price, reliability and seasonality — the banana rests at the exact middle. So I've personally used it as the ideal threshold to rank every fruit I've ever eaten.
Thi Nguyen in Food Culture
Tết Tales: The Many Folk Stories Behind Vietnam's Sticky Rice Cakes
To me, there's nothing that screams Tet 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...
Brian Letwin in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Chu Se's 65 Years of Hủ Tiếu Mì by the Calmette Bridge
Saigon is home to a number of street food eateries that span generations, from a 100-year old vegetarian joint to a 70-year-old hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho restaurant right in the heart of District 1.
Pandan, Southeast Asia's Humble Leaf Set to Take the World by Storm
Pandan, an aromatic plant native to Southeast Asia, could soon have its moment in the international spotlight thanks to British chef and food writer Nigella Lawson, who extolled its virtues in an inte...
[Photos] Saigon's Forward-Looking Cafes on the Future of Coffee
In the first part of our two-part photo project on Saigon's coffee shops, Saigoneer paid a visit to two old-school cafes with decades of heritage. In the second part, we're shining the limel...
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
Milk Tea-Flavored Water Is Here. Is the Apocalypse Near?
The stark, clinical fluorescent lighting inside the convenient store casts an air of ominous dread all over the shop’s beverage section. With a glance, I find it. The blue package stares back at me me...
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Fine Dining at a Budget Price in Binh Thanh's Mai Sen Bistro
When it comes to dining in Binh Thanh District, most Saigoneers probably think of street food, or perhaps the strip of Japanese establishments on Pham Viet Chanh Street.
[Photos] Saigon's Old-School Cafes Hold Fast to Time-Honored Traditions
In a city of rapid change, there is no doubt that opinions on many subjects vary with passion and, sometimes, noticeable subtlety.
Bangkok's First Michelin-Starred Street Stall Struggles to Keep up With Newfound Fame
Just a few weeks after the prestigious restaurant guide Michelin bestowed Jay Fai's street food stall in Bangkok a coveted star, she's already struggling to keep up with her business's newfound fame.
Quan Ut Ut Acquired by Restaurant Operator Red Wok Cuisine
Saigon’s popular American BBQ chain, Quan Ut Ut, has recently been acquired by Red Work Cuisine.
Brian Letwin in Food Culture
Hẻm Gems: In Thao Dien, a Modernist Building Houses D2's Best Bánh Canh Stall
For many Saigoneers, central Thao Dien is known for its plethora of high-end restaurants catering to the neighborhood’s large expat population. However, if one looks closely enough between the scores ...
[Video] Japan's Maple Leaf Tempura Tastes as Beautiful as It Looks
Saigon officially has another reason to be jealous of regions that experience autumn: these dazzlingly colorful leaf tempuras that make for delicious snacks!
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
Cơm Âm Phủ: Hue’s ‘Purgatory Rice’ That Tastes Like Heaven
Throughout the Vietnam’s decades of development from a war-torn nation to one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies, rags-to-riches stories are a dime a dozen. This is especially true in the country’s c...
Vietnam Spends $354m on Snacks in 2017: Report
We consumed a lot of snacks last year.
Saigoneer’s 5 Best Hẻm Gems of 2017
In 2017, Saigon certainly saw its fair share of the good, the bad, and the controversial, but it was without a doubt a wonderful year in eating. Across the city, we delighted in finding decades-old st...
[Video] The Story of Japan's Only Sushi Restaurant Run by All Female Chefs
A group of intrepid female chefs has been defying the laws of tradition to combat sexism in Japan’s sushi community.
Tracing the Lineage of Da Lat's Delicious Bánh Mì Xíu Mại
Every morning, the corner of Da Lat’s Hoang Dieu and Tran Nhat Duat streets is a mess of plastic tables and rubbish bins, bánh mì crumbs and bodies hunched over small bowls. This particular patch of s...
A Street Food Stall in Bangkok Was Recently Awarded a Michelin Star
Bangkok chef Jay Fai has become Thailand's first street food vendor to earn a prestigious Michelin star.
Hẻm Gems: Cocktails and Conversation at Saigon’s Classiest Sidewalk Spot
Editor's note: This review from 2017 was of City Beer Station's first location on Pham Ngoc Thach Street, which has since closed. Over the past years, the cocktail bar has moved numerous times. Recent...
[Video] Ain't No Sunshine When Sai'Gon: The Cake Inspired by Saigon's Rainy Days
The Saigon skyline has been the muse for many an illustration project, and now you can also enjoy the towering Bitexco Financial Tower, but in fondant form.
From the Bottom of the Barrel to the Top of the Heap: The Rise of Cơm Tấm
Swing by chị Hien’s street cart for dinner on any given day and you’ll find a cross-section of Saigon that covers all demographics: middle-class residents from the apartment blocks up the street,...
