in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: At Mão A Chai, Masala Chai and Thái Nguyên Tea for the Soul

I used to be an international student living in Minnesota, where winter comes early and overstays its welcome. In those long months of snow and silence, I relied heavily on coffee, my go-to companion during late-night study sessions and early morning lectures. This changed one day when my host mom introduced me to something unexpected: Indian chai.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: A Humble Bún Riêu That Reminds a Child of the Mekong of Home

As a little boy, there were nights when I would burst into tears upon waking up suddenly and not seeing mom around, because I missed her and needed her. One night, I even crawled under the bed and threw a tantrum, demanding her to be by my side immediately. My dad and brother told me that she was off selling bún riêu and would be back later. In the mind of a four-year-old, it didn’t matter what kind of noodles and where she was selling them, he only cared about when she would return. At the time, I don’t recall ever trying her bún riêu.

Paul Christiansen

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: From Music to Mise en Place, A Thăng Is an Eatery That Friendship Built

“We want to be artists; we want to be free. Now we are free,” says Nguyễn Hoàng Anh, co-founder of A Thăng Eatery.

Uyên Đỗ

in Food Culture

No Family Trip Is Complete Without Banter, Bolero and Bánh Mì Chả Lụa

Every time my extended family took a trip, it looked more like a mass exodus than a holiday — bags teetering, arms overstuffed, and enough supplies to survive a small apocalypse.

Paul Christiansen

in Dishcovery

Bored of Mundance Date Spots? Try Tân Sơn Nhất's Romantic Star Cafe.

I know a little place. 

in Food Culture

The 50 Shades of Cháo on the Palette of Vietnam's Regional Cuisines

Cháo, or congee in English, is a diverse genre of Vietnamese dishes in both executions and flavor profiles — from humble versions like pandan congee, red bean congee to more substantial and complex meals like offal congee, chicken congee and catfish congee. Each dish is a different variation, but they all share a reputation for being nourishing and a richness of regional culinary characteristics.

Brian Letwin

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Kura Bar, a Veritable Treasure Trove of Rare Japanese Sakes Amid Saigon

Saigoneers are spoilt for choice when it comes to Japanese eateries in the city. Dozens, if not hundreds, of sushi, ramen and izakaya spots dot its districts. And if you're in the mood for something special, more obscure delicacies like tsukemen, Tokyo abura soba and Okinawa taco rice are readily available. Over the years, the epicenter of such eateries, especially those run by Japanese owners, has been slowly shifting from the upper stretches of Lê Thánh Tôn to Bình Thạnh District’s Phạm Viết Chánh neighborhood.

Back Eat & Drink

in Food Culture

[Video] President Obama and Anthony Bourdain Bond Over Bún Chả in Hanoi

After just 24 hours in Vietnam, the internet is jam-packed with thousands of photos and videos documenting American president Barack Obama's trip so far. Though there are plenty of gems from whic...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

[Video] Hẻm Gems: D5’s Glorious Goat Curry

One of the benefits or writing this column is that it allows us to sample some of Saigon’s best local eateries. We may be well versed in the ways of street noshing, but once in a blue moon, we come ac...

in Eat & Drink

Why MSG Isn't Actually Bad for You

For decades, much of the western world has been skeptical of monosodium glutamate (MSG), better known as Ajinomoto to Vietnamese. However, as research has suggested time and again, there is actually n...

in Food Culture

KFC Releases Chicken-Flavored Edible Nailpolish

At long last, KFC has answered the call of your mid-afternoon snack cravings.

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Saigon's Sủi Cảo Street

Saigon is, in essence, a giant food court. From District 1 to Binh Chanh, the city streets are pretty much a macro version of the cooked food section at your local market, spread out over miles of une...

in Food Culture

[Video] Korea's Foodporn Obsession Now Involves Cats

By now, you've probably heard tell of South Korea's considerable muk bang viewership. This unusual online craze, in which nationally famous foodporn stars can earn thousands of dollars a month by stuf...

in Food Culture

[Video] American Celebrities Try Durian on Live TV

Durian is a pretty polarizing topic. Either you have grown to love the thick, garbage-scented flesh of this Asian delight or you are nauseated by the thick, garbage-scented flesh of this Asian delight...

in Food Culture

Phở: The Next Great International Dish?

As Vietnam's culinary ambassador to the world, phở is a soup which needs no introduction. Some of us grew up with it, slurping the noodles for breakfast or breathing in its steamy aromas whe...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Saigon's Street Food Unicorn

Not only are unicorns real, they are edible. In fact, these beauties are an animal of such mythic deliciousness that you should count yourself lucky to even catch a glimpse of one, much less feast on ...

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

[Video] Hẻm Gems: D5's Drop-Dead Delicious Xôi Mặn

Saigon street food tastes best when the whole experience feels like a secret. Head to some of the city's most successful street carts and there are no place names or proper business hours, no phone nu...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Eat Your Way Through Nguyen Hue's Secret Street Food Alley

Nguyen Hue's heritage has been badly degraded over the years. Thanks to the city's neverending development, its older buildings have either been torn down, used as air-conditioning unit pedestals or t...

in Food Culture

South Korea Just Opened Its First Insect Restaurant

Next time you're craving a healthy, protein-rich meal, don't reach for the read meat. Instead, curb you hunger with a helping of bugs.

in Food Culture

[Video] The True Story of 3 Bros and a Bánh Xèo Taco

For all the magic involved in Vietnamese cuisine, it's surprising how few of the country's dishes have made it abroad. Of course, you'll have no trouble finding foreigners who love phở or appreciate t...

in Food Culture

Chinese Restaurants Fire Incompetent Robot Staff

While human waitstaff are sometimes a disappointment – they forget your order, they punch in late, they expect a tip – three restaurants in China are finding out that our machine friends aren't necess...

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: A Perfect Saigon Breakfast

Most days, I roll out of bed 15 minutes after my alarm has stopped ringing, stumble downstairs, brush my teeth and leave the house just in time to grab my morning dose of caffeine before heading to th...

in Food Culture

Cup Noodle to Release 'Luxury' Shark Fin, Softshell Turtle Flavors in Japan

For only the classiest of junk food consumers, Cup Noodle is rolling out a “premium” line of instant noodles.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: On Eating (Chicken) Ass

Let’s play a game. I tell you a word and you tell me the first thing that comes to mind. Here goes: chicken.

Brian Letwin

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

[Video] Hẻm Gems: D4’s Supreme Street Sushi

There’s no shortage of solid international fare in Saigon. From Italian to Japanese, Indian to Korean, local diners are well covered. However, since most options in this category are relegated to indo...

in Food Culture

The Shitty Reality Behind Civet-Poop Coffee

We love a good cup of civet-poop coffee just as much as the next person, but maybe it's time to let go.

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

[Video] Hẻm Gems: D1's Not-So-Secret Snail-Grilling Operation

At first glance, Oc Dao looks like a factory. A giant, secret snail-grilling operation tucked behind several twists and turns along a narrow downtown alley, where plates of fresh crustaceans are churn...