Đà Nẵng Is Michelin's New Destination for 2024 Version of Vietnam Guide
After Saigon and Hanoi, Đà Nẵng will be the next Vietnamese city with its own Michelin Guide selections.
Hẻm Gems: Flan by the Canal, a Cute, Affordable Date in the Age of Inflation
Skip the formal attire, a bit of loose change is all you need for a waterfront rendezvous in Saigon.
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.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: While the Day Away Under the Green Canopy of Cỏ Cafe
Under a thick canopy of verdant vines and minuscule pink flowers, it’s easy to indulge in the cooling comfort of a glass of iced tamarind juice and while the day away.
Hẻm Gems: Come up, We're Watching Old Movies on the Neighbor's Wall
“Thank you for contacting Khôngtrung.bar. Our business hours are 6pm to 1am, Monday to Sunday. Open doors. Cocktails, craft beer, outdoor screening — Thursday and Sunday. Thank you and we hope to bump into you in Không!”
Khôi Phạm in Food Culture
This Tết, I'm Finally Learning Our Family Recipe for Candied Coconut 'Flowers'
Tết is the perfect occasion of the year to go ham on the sugar.
Hẻm Gems: Hủ Tíu Mực Ông Già's Squid Game Is to Die For
It’s safe to say that one of the most authentic culinary experiences one could have in Vietnam is to sit on a stool, in an eatery that feels very much like someone’s house, and slurp on a bowl of piping hot noodles. The noodles here can be any dishes from the plethora of noodle dishes so dominant in Vietnamese cuisine, and this hủ tiếu mực, or squid vermicelli, establishment has got all of the above to offer.
Hẻm Gems: Reading Cabin Sells Stationery, Serves Drinks, and Builds Friendships
If I had to describe Reading Cabin in one phrase, it would be “every cafe in Saigon all at once.”
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
Bánh Cuốn, Chee Cheong Fun and Pork Intestine Rice Rolls: A Sprawling Family Tree
One of Vietnam’s most common breakfast foods, bánh cuốn, might not save a life – not in the way that a bowl of hearty phở can – but the silky rice rolls sure do make living easier.
[Video] A Day in the Life of Vietnam's Bánh Tráng Artisans
Rice paper has been a mainstay of Vietnam cuisine, with consumers often preferring homemade versions over industrial made ones, which has created a thriving cottage industry in the Mekong Delta.
Hẻm Gems: An Evening of Bánh Xèo Phan Rang and People-Watching by the Canal
There are certain foods in life that take time to love. Mắm tôm, for instance, or mắm chưng. Any of the mắms, really. Durian, I’m told, is a wonderful fruit on the fourth or fifth try. And while some ...
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
A Food Folk Tale: Mai An Tiêm, CEO of Vietnam’s First Watermelon Startup
If you’ve been around a traditional Vietnamese household during Tet, you have probably noticed the presence of gargantuan, child-sized, dark green watermelons on the altar.
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: A Quick, Delicious, No-Nonsense Lunch at Quan Com Ga Hai Nam
Now that I'm on my fourth chicken-centric Hẻm Gem, I guess I might as well start carrying out these assignments dressed as a chicken.
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
Bò Bía: A Piece of Saigon's Hokkien Heritage in a Simple Street Food Roll
Historically Saigon has been a busy trading hub that attracts merchants from all over the region, and the city's culinary repertoire is a smorgasbord of eclectic cultural influences. In the latest ins...
Meet Linh Nguyen, the Fulbright Scholar Spreading Vietnamese Culture Through Food
Linh Nguyen is a Fulbright scholar, blogger and writer whose first book, Lemongrass, Ginger and Mint Vietnamese Cookbook: Classic Vietnamese Street Food Made at Home, became an Amazon bestseller after...
Saigon’s Craft Beer Scene Strikes a Balance Between Foreign Brews and Vietnamese Tastes
“It’s bitter,” says De, a resident of Go Vap District, after taking a sip of a locally brewed India Pale Ale at Quan Ut Ut. “I’m not sure I’m ready for it,” he adds sincerely.
Saigon’s First Designated Food Street to Open on Monday
Earlier this year, as District 1 People’s Committee Vice Chairman Doan Ngoc Hai ramped up his sidewalk-clearing campaign, Saigoneers wondered about the fate of the city’s street food vendors. Now, jus...
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Sủi Cảo and Handmade Noodles, a Match Made in Food Heaven
Is this the best mì sủi cảo in Saigon? I don’t know, but it’s pretty goddamn delicious.
Foreign Fast Food Chains Stagnate as Locals Still Prefer Street Food
Most foreign fast food chains in Vietnam have fallen short of their initial projections, as burgers and fries can’t compete with the vibrant culture of local street food.
Hẻm Gems: Phieu Ky’s Fantastic Phở Sa Tế
While Pho Phieu Ky’s white walls and fluorescent lighting are nothing special, the hideaway shop in District 5 makes up for its bland color scheme by pasting neon characters – Roman and Chinese – acro...
[Video] Americans Try Bánh Mì for the First Time, Can't Stop Eating
Don’t watch this video when you’re hungry.
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Cô Nhi and Chú Den's Humble Nui Xào Bò Cart
At this point in our Hẻm Gem journey, I’ve stopped thinking of us – a two-person team consisting of me and my photographer colleague Brandon – as mere food reviewers, but rather food hunters from hunt...
A Brief History of Curry in Vietnam
It is well documented that southern Vietnam’s cuisine has been influenced by the French, but it is also undeniable that the fare has been influenced by another of France’s former colonial hubs: the po...
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Praise Be to Cheap, Tender, Delicious Chicken by the Mosque
Thanks to central Saigon's blistering pace of development and the short-lived sidewalk-clearing campaign of 2017's early months, the downtown area can be something of a street food desert.
Hẻm Gems: Chef Badeh Brings Syrian Cuisine to Saigon
In the small covered area outside the front door, Chef Badeh brings together two of my favorite things: bread and fire.
[Video] A Virtual Tour of Malaysia's Top-Notch Durian Plantation
Most people around here are familiar with the durian fruit and its unique smell; however, not many have actually been to a durian plantation.
Vietnam's Expanding Beer Market an Attractive Target for Foreign Brewers
Competition among foreign brewers is intensifying as Vietnam is poised to become the biggest beer market in Southeast Asia this year.
Hẻm Gems: Kickin' It at Kim Thao's Hột Vịt Lộn Hangout
In the thick of rainy season, afternoon snack spots are hard to come by. Street vendors make do with cement-weighted umbrellas and heavily used tarpaulin, carving out (relatively) dry patches on the s...
