in Dishcovery

Tôm Sú Kakiage with Floating Rice Noodles is a Crisp, Cool Dish for Steamy Saigon Afternoons

Phở, bún, hủ tiếu, cao lầu and bánh tằm are stand-outs in Vietnam’s impressively diverse portfolio of noodles made with ri...

Thi Nguyễn

in Food Culture

Tết Tales: The Many Folk Stories Behind Vietnam's Bánh Chưng, Bánh Tét

To me, there's nothing that screams Tết 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 a must-have in Vietnamese households. Try searching for an image of the Lunar New Year and there’s a high chance that you’ll spot the cakes amongst the first ten results.

in Dishcovery

Re-imagining a Streetfood Staple with Sustainable Ingredients: Cơm Tấm Ốc Bươu with Floating Rice

Cơm tấm is “all about utilizing, minimizing food waste and, basically, not giving anything away,” explains Chef Trụ Lang of Mùa Sake, as he stands in front of ingredients from the Mekong Delta. “That matches with the ethos of what these crops are trying to do … show a different way of thinking, a different way of agriculture, a different way of using the land, and using the relationship that we have with the land to coexist.”

in Ănthology

Charles Phan's Bánh Mì Is Not Here to Take You Down Memory Lane

“Charles Phan had more impact on Vietnamese food than any other chef in the country.” — Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chro...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Cô Chi Creates a World of Northern Noodles Right in Her Living Room

Bún Cô Chi offers a great introduction to the wonderful world of northern noodles.

in Snack Attack

From Sticky Rice and Sugar, Bánh Tổ Binds Me With Tết and My Hoa Vietnamese Roots

This Tết, you’re invited to my grandma’s house for a true-blue Tết meal of Hoa Vietnamese, comprising char siu, khâu nhục (braised pork belly), cured duck meat, etc. Then, you can think of the best well-wishing for my grandparents, after which they will give you a red envelope. In my experience, the cleverer and more sincere the wish, the thicker the envelope would be. Before you leave, she would pack up a bánh tổ for you to take home, and store in your fridge to tie you over for the rest of the Tết holiday, as she believes that the core values of Tết are connections and generosity.

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: At D5's Sủi Cảo Đại Nương, a Song of Chives and Fire

One night after my meal at Sủi Cảo Đại Nương, I find myself in a mystifying dream about chives.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In a Hẻm, on Plastic Chairs, One of Saigon's Best Pizzas Beckons

“The leopard spots. They hate them,” Hiếu Trần explains to me. “They think it means the pizza is burnt.”

Back Eat & Drink

Brian Letwin

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Crab Curry Fit for a King

At a glance, this week’s District 4 Hẻm Gem might appear like any typical ốc restaurant in Saigon. Quan Oc 63’s laminated menu offers up no less than 40 dishes within its sticky plastic pages. However...

in Food Culture

Ben Tre Company Eyes International Vietnamese Coconut Water Sales

A Mekong Delta-based company is aspiring to bring Vietnamese coconut water to the world stage.

in Food Culture

[Photos] You Can Now Have Japan's Mouthwatering Fake Food on Your Phone

Japanese food is not only amazing in your tummy, it’s also wonderful on your phone.

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Nguyen Thuong Hien's Quaint Corner Juice Heaven

In Saigon, when life gives you grapefruits, you create a thriving business to sell its juice to health-conscious locals.

in Food Culture

The KAfe Group Becomes Entirely Foreign-Owned After CEO Resigns

On October 25, Hanoi-based fusion food chain The KAfe became completely foreign-owned after CEO Dao Chi Anh announced her resignation.

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: D1's Bún Mọc Assembly Line

We leave our office in search of District 1’s famed phở áp chảo only to find bún mọc in a hopeless place.

in Eat & Drink

Funky History: The Romans Made Fish Sauce, Too

Nước mắm holds a hallowed place in Vietnamese cuisine. In all its forms, it is a staple, found in kitchens and on tables throughout the country. But while fish sauce is often considered Vietnam’s – an...

in Eat & Drink

Thanh Nien Issues Public Apology for Fish Sauce Articles, Vinastas Under Investigation

Both the Vietnam Standards and Consumers Association (Vinastas) and Thanh Nien newspaper have publicly apologized after a string of articles published by the latter claimed many brands of local fish s...

in Eat & Drink

International Pop-Up Restaurant to Open This Week in Saigon

When James Sharman starts talking about the last three weeks, he gets a little wide-eyed. His hands animate each story, hovering above the table. Between sips of coffee, he launches into tales of squi...

in Food Culture

New Partnership Allows Vinamilk to Sell Dairy Products at Vietnam's FPT Stores

Fancy a side of milk with your smartphone?

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Nguyen Tri Phuong's Chicken Rice Paradise

We promise this will be the last Nguyen Tri Phuong-based Hẻm Gem…for now.

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Conquering the Giant Bánh Canh Ghẹ Muối Ớt Xanh of D10

My uncle used to say that you haven't had real crab until you have to cook and dismantle one. For this week’s Hẻm Gem, Saigoneer takes you on a trip to do just that, relishing real crabs by break...

in Eat & Drink

[Video] What Asia Eats: Bizarre Food Fads From Across the Continent

In kitchens and on tables across the continent, Asia serves up some pretty unique grub.

in Food Culture

Hanoi's Hot-Tempered 'Bún Chửi' Vendor Featured on Anthony Bourdain's CNN Show

Anthony Bourdain is probably the favored culinary Midas among Vietnamese vendors, as it seems that every bowl of bún he touches turns to gold.

in Food Culture

Mainland China’s First Michelin Guide Debuts in Shanghai to Mixed Reviews

Michelin’s first-ever mainland China guide debuted last month to mixed reviews.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Saigon's Original Bò 7 Món

Going to dinner at Au Pagolac is like going to dinner with family. That is, of course, provided your family spans several generations and also serves its meals in crisp, white button-ups and the occas...

in Eat & Drink

Vietnamese Fish Sauce Producer Enters the Thai Market, Aims for Regional Domination

Last week, Masan, one of Vietnam’s largest private-sector firms, made a bold move by launching its fish sauce in Thailand, a market traditionally dominated by homegrown brands.

in Food Culture

Vietnamese Rice Wine Goes Global

When it comes to alcohol, Vietnamese rượu doesn’t rank high on the list of easy-to-drink Asian spirits.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: A Cuppa in Saigon's Oldest Cafe

One of the first things Co Suong does when we sit down in the back of her tiny District 3 cafe is bring out the newspaper clippings.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Getting Lost in D3’s Soup Bermuda Triangle

During a busy Thursday lunch hour, my coworker and I commit a soup drive-by.