Tâm Lê in Ănthology
Built on Immigrant History, France's Vietnamese Food Scene Is Onto Something Special
France’s Vietnamese population is one of the largest outside Vietnam. From colonial assignments to refugee migrations, the community has grown, shifted, and evolved since its beginnings in the 1860s. Meet the new generation of French-Vietnamese creatives — chefs, authors, cultural consultants — who are reimagining and representing Vietnamese culture in Paris in fresh and deeply personal ways.
Integrating Spanish Culinary Traditions into Local Lifestyles
Paella’s elevation of humble countryside ingredients into an extravaganza of flavors united by fluffy rice; soft and creamy Torta del Casar sheep’s milk cheese; intense Pimentón de la Vera paprika made with smoked peppers, and nutty, earthy iberico ham sliced whisper thin: Spanish culinary treasures are becoming increasingly common in Vietnam. As more Spanish restaurants open and Spanish products occupy more space on grocery store shelves, people here are also discovering how Spaniards like to eat.
Hẻm Gems: Bánh Đa Cua Hải Phòng, a Rare Northern Treat in D10
On the way to Phú Thọ Indoor Sports Stadium in District 11, make a turn off 666/74 Ba Tháng Hai, go all the way to the far corner, and you’ll discover Triển Chiêu Quán’s bright yellow sign. Park underneath the canopy, walk up the ramp, and you’ll notice something stands out, but you might not know why — bunches of caramel-colored noodles in the kitchen area waiting to be enjoyed.
Pizza 4P's to Expand to the US With First Flagship Location in New York
If you’re roaming around New York but suddenly hanker for a bite of familiar salmon miso pizza taste, you might be in luck this year.
A Culinary Celebration of the Watermelon That Would Make Mai An Tiêm Proud
I never imagined there could be more than one way to eat a watermelon. Yet here it was, transformed beyond recognition, via a bold experiment and a deeply personal story, challenging everything I thought I knew about such a simple fruit. Only later did I realize it was part of Sonó’s new tasting menu, “Tales & Tastes.”
Khôi Phạm in Snack Attack
Bimbim, Snack and Oishi: A Brief History of Vietnam's Regional Terms for Packaged Snacks
The differences between regional dialects across Vietnam is a fascinating field of research that can spawn days of discussion, but no other pairs of words has the power to mystify the internet like the dichotomy between bimbim and snack, both used in the Vietnamese language to describe bags of crackers made of rice, corn, or wheat flours. In today’s Snack Attack feature, Saigoneer is digging into the surprisingly recent history of why northern Vietnamese use the term “bimbim” while it has always been “snack” in Saigon and southern provinces.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Bánh Canh Nam Phổ, Huế's Hearty, Homey Afternoon Snack
There’s a commonly acknowledged nugget of folk wisdom amongst foodies that hole-in-the-wall eateries almost always have the best food. In the context of Vietnam’s street food landscape, this concept could extend to cart on the pavement, table in the hẻm, coffee on a bike, and even wackier contexts. The star of today’s Hẻm Gems feature, however, is a true-blue hole-in-the-wall, both in physical manifestation and in spirits.
Paul Christiansen in Dishcovery
After Coconut and Salt, Is Peanut Butter Coffee Saigon's Next Drink Trend?
After egg coffee, coconut coffee, and salt coffee, is the next coffee trend going to be peanut butter coffee?
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
A Food Folk Tale: The Savage Clapback That Turned a Girl Into a Pineapple
Growing up in Vietnam, it seems that everything – from common household objects to fruits – has an origin story. Some of these local folk tales have a decidedly romantic angle, but others – like the l...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Green Delight of Phu Yen's Bánh Canh Hẹ
In the age of the internet, we go back and forth about everything, including whether or not the most important meal of the day is, in fact, important. While members of the medical profession continue ...
Viet Nam Mien Ngon: A Journey in Watercolor Through Vietnam's Diverse Cuisine
Vietnam has long been an enthralling destination for foodies near and far – just ask Anthony Bourdain, the globetrotting New York chef who has repeatedly professed his love for the Southeast Asian cou...
Bosgaurus Awakens Vietnam’s Coffee Culture with Arabica Beans
Bosgaurus is the scientific name of a rare, revered wild gaur indigenous to Vietnam in need of protection and advocacy.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Food Culture
Watch out for These 5 Vietnamese Food-Related Superstitions
Every culture has its own customs, superstitions and traditions, some of which are so time-honored that even their strictest followers aren’t really clear on where the etiquette comes from. Vietnam ce...
Taiwan Struggles to Combat Locals' Addiction to Cancer-Causing Betel Nuts
The Taiwanese government continues to wage a war against betel nut addiction, but considering the cultural ties to the native plant, it is proving incredibly difficult.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Sumptuous Street Snacks of Ha Cao Ban Co
Whether we’re talking about the packaged foods aisle at Circle K or the lady whipping up bánh tráng trộn on the street corner, snack foods often meet two distinct criteria: they are both delicious and...
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.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
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.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
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.
