Neighborhood Vibes and Modern Comforts Combine at Hotel Indigo Saigon The City
Staying in a local neighborhood means surrounding yourself with the sights, styles, routines, traditions, and history of a locale. Hotel Indigo Saigon The City, a new boutique lifestyle hotel, tells the stories of the iconic Ba Son area via its details, decor, atmosphere, and experiences, so checking in feels like taking part in a celebration of the city.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: In Huế, Cơm Hến Bé Liêm Is Breakfast With a Side of Warm Hospitality
One of the small joys in life is having a favorite dish readily available whenever you crave it. Ever since I discovered the little hẻm in Saigon where Cơm Hến O Thu lies, my life has been ever so uplifted by the comfort that, every fortnight or so, I can hop on my motorbike, sit for 15 minutes, and have cơm hến on the table in a blink of an eye for gulping pleasures. Cơm hến is one of my favorite things, so naturally, when I got a chance to visit Huế, the dish’s hometown, there was no way I could miss out on this small joy that packs big flavors.
Hẻm Gems: In a D3 Hẻm, 40 Years of Bún Ốc and Other Northern Treats
As a resident of Saigon, I’m well-acquainted with the city's vibrant food scene, which features cuisines from various regions of Vietnam, and how these dishes blend local recipes with flavors that resonate with Saigon locals. But Bún Ốc Thanh Hải is quite the opposite. Its dishes, snacks, drinks, and even atmosphere carry a distinct northern identity, so much so that upon visiting the place, I felt as if I was on a culinary adventure within my own city.
Paul Christiansen in Dishcovery
Huế's Palm-Sized Bánh Mì Chuột Is the Perfect Snack for Nibbling While Walking
Huế's culinary landscape is designed for snacking. From bánh khoái to bánh bèo to chè bột lọc heo quay , many of the...
Hẻm Gems: 3 Hào, a Retro Industrial Cafe in D7 for Night Owls on Deadlines
What do you think of when imagining a cafe? For me, it's plants in every corner, small and cute paintings that adorn the walls, or a light- and neutral-colored space that brings a sense of peace to customers. What would happen if a coffee shop attempted to subvert most of these elements? This is the case of 3 Hào Cafe, a combination of vintage industrial ambiance and, of course, good drinks.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
5 Saigon Coffee Shops Based in Buildings With Southern Modernist Architecture
Saigon is a cafe enthusiast’s paradise. A decades-old coffee culture fostered by previous generations is still alive and well, in addition to the latest global trends brought over by the younger generation of baristas. When it comes to interior styles and vibes, there’s a little something for everyone, from gritty industrial to spartan Japandi chic to Saigon’s very own southern modernist architecture.
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: A Bún Bò in Huế That Rivals Even Saigon's Best Bún Bò Huế
Plastic stools circling low metal tables. Staff wearing pajamas and street clothes that match patrons welcomed from all walks of life. Meagre and/or mismatched decor. Views of street traffic with motorbike engines as soundtrack. Brief menus sometimes consisting of a single dish. A strict cash-only policy (until recent years, at least). Minimal concern for health-safety regulations. No artifice of chef as artist or meal as a masterpiece. While we can quibble over a specific, all-encompassing definition for streetfood restaurant, there are many qualities most will agree they share.
Hẻm Gems: Chè Lâm Vinh Mậu Anchors the Last Remaining Hoa Vestiges of D1
Whenever I come back to Vietnam, it is a personal ritual of mine to visit locales of the past. As clichéd as it sounds, as I have been abroad in Singapore for six years, returning to Vietnam is almost synonymous with returning to places that once shaped my past selves, whose presence has been fading in my mind.
This Taiwan Restaurant's Pizza Has Some Ballsy Toppings: Tapioca Pearls
Who'd a thunk it?
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.
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.
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.
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.
Bold, Unabashedly Hipster Brunch at The Other Place
It’s not often that one witnesses the emergence of an entirely new cuisine, but that is precisely what is happening in Australia right now.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Take a Tour of Italian Pasta at ‘NAMO
‘NAMO Italian brings authentic flavors and traditions to guests in the heart of Saigon.
This Ben Tre Tree Nursery Is Offering Durian at VND19,000 Under One Condition: Leave the Seeds Behind
Visitors to the Mekong Delta province can enjoy Durian for just VND19,000 a kilogram.
Ngõ Nooks: Steamed Hai Phong Rice Cakes at Banh Beo Cho Do
That the most delicious food in Vietnam is usually found on top of shabby plastic tables is an incontrovertible truth. So much so that modernity has done something strange: we feel skeptical when seei...
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Set an Alarm, We're Waking up Early for Dim Sum in D11
According to historical legend, dim sum was created along the ancient Silk Road as a snack for weary travelers to enjoy with their tea while resting. On this day, I felt like I had traversed that fabl...
Hẻm Gems: Inside Le Thanh Ton's Japan Town Lives Saigon's Best Katsu
Inside the unofficial Japanese quarter of Saigon lies scrumptious katsu and oyakodon to suit all palates. For beginners like myself at one point in time, the existence of Fujiro can swing open many ne...
