Xuân Phương

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: Bodacious Bún Riêu Ốc Bò at Hanoi's 25-Year-Old Bún Bình Huyền

On the transient days when Hanoi’s weather morphs from winter to summer, the monsoon winds carry with them the drizzles of an in-between time. This cool climate evokes within me a yearning for some warm steam from boiling vats of soup stock, so on a rare chilly morning, I wandered around and stopped by Triệu Việt Vương Street for a distinctly morning treat in Hanoi.

in Snack Attack

Xu Xoa, the Sweet, Gingery Dessert Soothing the Heat of Central Vietnam Summers

If Saigoneers often turn to sương sâm (leaf jelly) or sương sáo (grass jelly) as refreshments on hot days, the choice of residents of provinces along the central coast is xu xoa. Chunks of translucent, lightly umami jelly swim in the sweetness of a ginger-flavored sugar syrup — a perfect snack that cools the body.

in Food Culture

Opinion: Anthony Bourdain Made Me Proud to Be Vietnamese-American

I landed Friday night in Saigon just in time for the news of Anthony Bourdain’s passing lighting up my phone in a jumble o...

Govi Snell

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: In One of Hanoi's Tiniest Shopfronts, a Phở Chay With Big Flavors

Tree-lined Lò Đúc street is home to Phở Chay: a restaurant so small it could fit in the palm of your hand. 

in Snack Attack

Bánh Ú Tro Wraps the Childhood Joy of Tết Đoan Ngọ Within Its Green Leaves

Since the beginning of our festive history, Vietnam’s special occasions have always been closely associated with traditional dishes. Lunar New Year is the time to enjoy bánh chưng and bánh tét, while the arrival of Trung Thu is foretold by the appearance of moon cakes and bánh pía. In the case of Tết Đoan Ngọ, revelers eat bánh bá trạng and bánh ú tro to get a taste of festivity.

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Cleopatra Restaurant Adds Egyptian Flairs to Saigon's Dynamic Food Scene

As of 2024, Saigon remains Vietnam’s most densely populated metropolis, playing host to 9.5 million residents . In the qua...

in Food Culture

These 5 Uncommon Bánh Canh Bowls Celebrate Vietnam's Regional Diversity

Bánh canh is a quintessential Vietnamese dish. Its chewy rice noodle strands and light broth full of umami thanks to simmered pork, beef, chicken and seafood have stolen the hearts of generations of Vietnamese.

in Food Culture

Nguyễn Thị Thành, Saigon's Beloved 'Lunch Lady,' Passes Away at 59

Nguyễn Thị Thành, one of Saigon’s rare internationally renowned food icons known as the “Lunch Lady,” passed away earlier this week.

Back Eat & Drink

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Lunch Hour Gone Rogue at Oc Thao

In the vast and complex world of Saigon street food, ốc is generally classified as a staple of the fourth meal: nhậu. Its various forms, whether doused in garlic, drizzled with mỡ hành or swimming in ...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Saigoneer’s 5 Best Hẻm Gems of 2016

We’ve done a lot of eating this year.

in Eat & Drink

Meet the Owner of Hanoi’s Secret Cafe

Vietnam has long been a coffee-drinking country, but over the last few years a growing number of enthusiasts have started to take the brew very seriously.

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Getting Your Fried Chicken and Noodle Fix in D4

“When in doubt, have chicken.” – Saigoneer proverb

in Food Culture

Bánh Khúc Cây Giáng Sinh: A French Tradition Lives on in Vietnam

With Christmas around the corner, Saigon’s demand for Yule log cakes, a holdover from the days of French colonialism, has returned.

in Food Culture

Saigon Launches New App to Track Pork's Origin

From now on, Saigoneers can get to know their pork better via a brand-new app that displays the origin of the protein along with other useful information.

in Food Culture

Bottoms Up: Alcohol Consumption Exploding in Vietnam

While this may come as no surprise to anyone who has driven past one of Saigon's many raucous beer clubs, Vietnam is home to one of the fastest-growing alcohol markets in the world.

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Cô Hong’s Killer Late-Night Cơm Tấm

In the 16 years she’s spent selling cơm tấm on the District 4 side of the Calmette Bridge, cô Hong has seen some things.

Brian Letwin

in Food Culture

[Photos] Rita Cafe, a Lush Oasis Under Saigon Bridge

Before it was added to Google Maps a few months back, Cafe Rita was nothing more, it seemed, than a green smudge along the District 2 side of the Saigon Bridge.

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Phu Nhuan's Beef Inferno

It might take more than a few Hẻm Gem reviews to chronicle all the things I have gone through for good food in Saigon.

in Food Culture

[Podcast] Meet the Woman Who Introduced Denmark to Vietnamese Cuisine

Growing up in Nordjylland, Denmark’s northernmost region, chef Anh Le didn’t meet many other Vietnamese people.

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Striking a Balance With D10's Chè

If life is all about balance so, too, is food.

in Food Culture

Saigoneers to Consume 40m Liters of Beer, 45m Liters of Soda This Coming Tet

This upcoming Tet holiday, Saigoneers are projected to down some 40 million liters of beer and 45 million liters of soft drinks.

Khoi Pham

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: D1's Rainy-Day Cháo Mực

“A cháo a day keeps the cold at bay.” – Saigoneer proverb

in Food Culture

[Video] Watch This Japanese Competitive Eater Wolf Down 5kg of Vietnamese Instant Noodles

Hao Hao noodles have never looked so good.

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: An Old-School Nhậu on D10's Bia Hơi Block

Any self-respecting Saigoneer has a certain reverence for the art of nhậu.

in Eat & Drink

Hanoi Launches Mobile Testing Labs to Promote Food Safety

Hanoi recently launched three mobile food testing labs in an effort to reassure consumers and promote food safety.

in Food Culture

[Video] Snoop Dogg Rolls a Mean Gỏi Cuốn

Cross this off the list of things to see before you die: Snoop Dogg trimming some, erm, cilantro and hand-rolling a perfect plate of spring rolls.

in Food Culture

How French Colonialism Brought Spring Rolls to Senegal

Thanks to a strange twist of colonial history, fried spring rolls have become a popular snack in Senegal, a West African country with no apparent connection to Southeast Asia.

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...