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.
Hẻm Gems: The Spectacular Stink of Bún Mắm Nêm Is My Childhood Aroma
Every time I depart from Vietnam to study abroad or travel, on the way to Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, I stop by the Bàu Cát area in Tân Bình to stuff myself with at least two bowls of bún mắm nêm heo quay.
From Cháo Lòng to Teochew Treats: How Vietnam's Regional Cuisines Embrace Offal
In his essay collection Miếng ngon Hà Nội (Hanoi Delicacies), Vũ Bằng raves about one of his favorite snacks: “Though they’r...
Ngõ Nooks: Okachan Shokudo, a Comforting Japanese ‘Cơm Bình Dân’ in Hanoi
If there is a restaurant that is the antithesis of the biting cold of Hanoi, it is Okachan Shokudo.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: In the Mood for Lẩu? A Ngưu Offers Hong Kong Vibes and Tasty Bites.
I visit Tiệm Lẩu A Ngưu on a rare wintry Saturday evening in Saigon, the perfect occasion to fill one’s stomach with warm broth, noodles, and a host of other tasty accouterments.
Nem Chả Diên Khánh, a Match Made in Khánh Hòa's Coastal Heaven
During my journey to explore the culinary specialties of Khánh Hòa, I was delighted to discover the nem chua and chả lụa from Diên Khánh, a centuries-old ancient town that’s just 10 kilometers from downtown Nha Trang.
In Northern Thailand, Cancer-Causing Local Delicacy Poses Health Risk
Northeastern Thailand's famed Isaan cuisine is bursting with flavor and is well-known throughout the country, but one beloved local delicacy poses a dangerous health risk to people who eat it.
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The D5 Beefsteak Joint That Means Business
There is no shortage of restaurants slinging beef-based dishes in Saigon, but every now and then one comes along and stands out from the pack.
[Video] Taiwan's Stinky Tofu Is Not a Dish for the Faint-Hearted
Like Southeast Asia’s slew of durian desserts, Taiwan’s stinky tofu dishes are an acquired taste.
Bia Hơi, Modern Vietnamese Fare Headline ANAN’s New Happy Hour
Among Saigon’s plethora of rooftop bars, many of which aim to create an international vibe high atop their perches on some of the city’s tallest buildings, there is a distinct lack of Vietnamese-ness....
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Co Huoi and Her West-of-the-Border Delights
One of my favorite Saigon pastimes is wandering around strange neighborhoods. If you’re feeling lost or bored or lonely or just a little too comfortable, have someone drop you off in a district you do...
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: The Life-Changing Beauty of Bánh Cuốn Trứng
If I have to drive eight kilometers across the city to get breakfast, it’d better be damn good.
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Pasteur Street's Well-Hidden Cơm Trưa Mother Lode
Every once in a while, you come across a simple Vietnamese restaurant that absolutely blows you away.
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: D5's Bò Xào Sa Tế, a Feast for All the Senses
Saigon is changing at a dizzying rate, and so is its food scene: forget about your favorite café or restaurant for a few months and you can come back one day to find it replaced by a convenience store...
[Photos] Sushi Chef Fuses Sneakers and Sushi to Create 'Shoe-Shi'
An artist and chef based in Italy has elevated the art of sushi to a new level by creating "shoe-shi."
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Quan 249’s Wondrous Cơm Chiên Emporium
It’s 6pm on a Thursday, and I’m up to my eyeballs in cơm chiên. Page after page, Quan 249’s excessively handled menu features a laundry list of fried rice combinations, some you’ve heard of, some you ...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: To Chan's Noodle Soup Offers Comfort in a Bowl
If you turn up to a hủ tiếu spot anywhere in this city and there is not a hand-painted, wooden noodle cart taking up one corner of the venue, you may want to think twice about sitting down.
Australian Chain Gloria Jean's Coffees Exits Vietnam After 11 Years
On the heels of homegrown restaurant chain The KAfe’s exit from the local market, Australian coffee franchise Gloria Jean’s Coffees is the next to go.
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: D5's Glorious Com Tam Is the Perfect Drunk Food
Saigon is a city of a million cơm tấm carts, meaning it is easy to pick one at random and chow down. But some stand out from the crowd.
Vietnam Has the Third-Most Expensive Starbucks Drinks in the World: Survey
While getting a drink from Starbucks in the US might not be a big deal, in Vietnam, it’s something of a luxury.
Homegrown Startup The KAfe Disappears From Saigon, Hanoi
Just a year after making national headlines for successfully attracting US$5.5 million in foreign investment, Hanoi-based fusion food chain The KAfe has ended its operations in both the capital and Sa...
Michael Tatarski in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Anh Tư's Dreamy Grilled Chicken in Binh Thanh
Around the Saigoneer office I've become the go-to scribe when it comes to chicken-related Hẻm Gems. Therefore, when a friend described a Binh Thanh-based restaurant with dozens of chickens hanging abo...
Bangkok to Remove All Sidewalk Vendors by End of Year
While Saigon debates the future of street vendors in the city, officials in nearby Thailand are working to remove all vendors from Bangkok's pavements by the end of the year.
Hẻm Gems: An Excursion to Tan Dinh's Secret Bún Hideout
Life is slow in the jungle of hẻms that branches out from Dinh Cong Trang Street. Here, a bún establishment offers noodles of northern heritage using recipes handed down through generations of family....
Tokyo Restaurant Dishes Out Insect Ramen
Saigon's recent In-N-Out pop-up has nothing on a ramen restaurant in Tokyo which served up an unorthodox version of the popular dish last Sunday.
America's Favorite Condiment, Sriracha, Is Not So Hot in Vietnam
After making its name in the United States, the rooster-branded hot sauce is trying its luck in Vietnam.
