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.
What We Talk About When We Talk About Bánh Mì
Bánh mì is without a doubt a Vietnamese staple. Versatile, convenient and affordable, the sandwich has gotten so popular in recent years in Vietnam and elsewhere that phở shouldn’t be complacent, as i...
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Come for the Architecture, Stay for the Architecture
In an age when seemingly every building in Saigon has been knocked down for redevelopment at least once, it's rare to be able to spend time in a truly unique architectural gem.
Hẻm Gems: In a D1 Corner, a Heated Battle Between Yellow Noodles and Red Noodles
At the northernmost end of Saigon’s bustling District 1, the end of Hai Ba Trung Street leading to Phu Nhuan District is known best for heavy rush hour traffic. But a curious textbook case of an Asian...
Ngõ Nooks: Ingenuity Meets Tradition at Phở Cuốn Hung Ben
As traditional and unchanging as Hanoi’s cuisine may seem to visitors, creativity can still be found below the surface. Every now and then, a novel dish catches on and becomes the talk of the town, an...
Defining “Vietnamese Fusion” at Eleven
A thick plume of wood-succulent smoke engulfs the table as the server removes the lid from a clay pot of hot stone beef. Ensconced in the earthy aroma, the tender slices of marinated steak wrapped aro...
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
A Saigon Pop-Up Fuses Mexican and Vietnamese Fares, One Pun at a Time
More romantic than the season's first snow dusting a trampled field of post-harvest corn husks; more inspiring than stars strewn across a cloudless night sky; more alluring than fragrant pollen drifti...
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
A History of Rice Wine, Part 1: Family Stills, Prohibition and Colonial Bloodshed
Fight or flight: to ball fists, rally rag-tag villagers clutching canes, shovels, sampan oars and bamboo staffs to ward off the bayonet-wielding officers invading your home intending to ransack your c...
Japan to Release Pringles-Flavored Instant Noodles and Ramen-Flavored Chips
Have you ever been ridiculed for dipping chips in ramen broth? Do your friends scrunch up their nose when you sprinkle instant noodles seasonings on your Pringles? Well, you can tell them to suck it b...
Ngõ Nooks: Autumnal Golden Hours Are the Key Ingredient in Cô Thoa’s Bún Bò Nam Bộ
Hanoi’s fascination with bún is endless. There are more varieties in this city than anywhere else in Vietnam. Bún has a lot more to offer than phở, especially as it can be served cool and dry, as seen...
Hẻm Gems: On the Road to Ruin, From Budapest to Binh Thanh
The southern edge of Binh Thanh is one of Saigon’s most fascinating areas. More cosmopolitan than the district would have you believe, its maze-like streets hold a heady mix of different influences. W...
Pasteur Street Brewing Company Tells Its Story Through Art
There is no shortage of colorful walls in Saigon. Countless photo essay and Instagram posts have depicted these facades, some weather-worn and beaten, others freshly painted or covered in murals illus...
From Cans to Collaboration: How Winking Seal Beer Co. Sets Itself Apart
Saigon slips away in the rearview mirror and streetside stores become increasingly humble as we approach a vast industrial park in Long An Province. Tucked between light industrial factories that manu...
Hẻm Gems: Madam Oyster Proves that Taiwanese Food Is More Than Just Milk Tea
Arguably one of the most underrated cuisines in Asia, Taiwanese fare has remained under the radar in Saigon for a long time, even though Taiwanese business owners were among the first foreign business...
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Cam Cam Kafe and the Fujian Pagoda That Inspired Its Name
I wish I could claim that I discovered Cam Cam Kafe by myself. Tucked away in a corner unit up the second floor of a nondescript apartment in District 5, the coffee shop seems mostly undetectable from...
Ngõ Nooks: At Tropical Forest, Coworkers and Plants Thrive in a Unique Ecosystem
Tropical Forest isn’t one of those adorable coffee shops you find hidden away in one of Hanoi’s many pokey alleyways. In fact, it’s quite the opposite – its large glass presence resembles a giant terr...
Thi Nguyễn in Food Culture
Bánh Pía: The Dreamy Mooncake Alternative With a Side of Teochew History
From sweet treats such as yam paste, chè bạch quả (ginkgo soup) and bite-size pastries to savory staples such as lotus root soup, bánh củ cải (radish cake), cốn xại (pickles) and xá pấu (salted radish...
Foreign Fast Food Chains Report Consecutive Financial Losses in Vietnam
Are foreign fast food brands falling out of favor among locals, or are there other reasons behind their losses?
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: On Eating Greek With Chopsticks
Who says excellent Greek food can't be served on the same menu as Korean tofu along the Nhieu Loc-Thi Nghe Canal?
Hẻm Gems: A Canal Cafe and Bar as Rustic as Its Name Promises
Driving leisurely along Hoang Sa Street, I stopped in front of a small coffee shop called Lao Hac — a retro-style cafe that's hidden behind the perennial flowering vines within sight of Nhieu Loc...
De-Shelling Vietnam’s Love of Eating Snails
Snails prove a divisive delicacy in many countries, but in Vietnam, they are perhaps more misunderstood, and arguably more refreshing, than anywhere else in the world.
