Linh Phạm in Food Culture
This Tết, Learn to Wrap Bánh Chưng in One of Hanoi's Oldest Villages
Much like the peach blossom or the lucky money envelope, bánh chưng is a staple part of Tết.
Hẻm Gems: In Đà Nẵng, Góc Nhà Tụi Mình Is Where Tea Time Feels Like Home
As a Đà Nẵng native, I often get asked where and what to eat and drink by friends who are in town. The tried-and-true list of places in my mind always includes Góc Nhà Tụi Mình, which I’ve frequented nearly constantly for the past six years.
Bánh Thuẫn Anchors Central Vietnam Kids' Tết Anticipation and Childhood Joy
Bánh chưng and bánh tét are the two reigning monarchs of Tết food, representing the north and south of Vietnam. Still, no...
The Year of the Horse Gallops into The Grand Ho Tram
Inspired by the spirit of the horse, The Grand Ho Tram encourages you to have a year of success, confidence, and new horizons. Traditional Tết performances and activities alongside special feasts and opportunities for revelry will usher in a year of remarkable achievements and memorable moments.
Hẻm Gems: Beloved in Korea, Dwaeji-Gukbap Is a Hearty Soup for Saigon's Cold Days
When the owner of a popular restaurant in South Korea specializing in dwaeji-gukbap, a dish widely beloved in Korea but little known outside, visited Vietnam for vacation for the first time around a decade ago, he saw a real possibility of bringing and introducing this special Korean dish to Vietnam. Fast forward to today, his vision has materialized into the quite remarkable scene of a restaurant in Thảo Điền bustling with Vietnamese customers who come to enjoy the humble dish.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
5 Cozy Saigon Coffee Shops With Outstanding Cat Residents to Befriend
I almost never remember the faces of the employees at cafes that I’ve been to, but I am strangely attuned to the existence of their cats. I remember the textures of their fur when I gave them pets, the little squeaks when they jumped up and down the furniture, and the subtle ways they expressed their personality during our fleeting but memorable encounters.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Woko Brings the Comfort of American Chinese Food to Saigon
When a dish travels far from its homeland to take root somewhere else, one common yardstick for judging it is “authenticity.” Is the seasoning true to form? How closely do the ingredients match the original? Has the cook stuck to tradition, or wandered too far into improvisation? But what if an entire cuisine was born and shaped in defiance of that very idea?
From Abroad to My Favorite Bún Riêu: A Brief History of Trứng Vịt Lộn
I pride myself on being a child of Hanoi, but only after nearly 20 years, did I realize that trứng vịt lộn is not exactly an authentic topping in Hanoi-style bún riêu.
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.
Latest L’Usine Location Set to Propel Brand into New Era
As one of Saigon’s most recognizable home-grown brands, L’Usine brings a cosmopolitan Vietnamese lifestyle perspective to contemporary design, products and experiences inspired by the city’s stylish g...
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.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
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.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
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...
A Melbourne Restaurant Has Created Alcoholic Phở, Because Why Not
Phở-loving alcoholics, rejoice!
