Hẻm Gems: Chè Lâm Vinh Mậu Anchors the Last Remaining Hoa Vestiges of D1
Whenever I come back to Vietnam, it is a personal ritual of mine to visit locales of the past. As clichéd as it sounds, as I have been abroad in Singapore for six years, returning to Vietnam is almost synonymous with returning to places that once shaped my past selves, whose presence has been fading in my mind.
Khôi Phạm in Dishcovery
A Tale of Three Chè Bột Lọc Heo Quay, Central Vietnam's Unique Savory Dessert
Why am I so obsessed with chè bột lọc heo quay?
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.
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.
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.
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...
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.
[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...
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...
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.
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...
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...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
[Video] Hẻm Gems: The Merits of Chè Dim Sum
If we're being real, I would not break an appointment for chè.
Pizza Huts in China Now Serving Durian Pizza
China has a unique interpretation of western fast food. From the dry pork and seaweed donut at a Chinese Dunkin Donuts to a pizza featuring – wait for it – shrimp tempura, wasabi mayonnaise, squi...
This Vietnamese-Australian Is Raking in $19m a Year Serving Vietnamese Food
When Vietnamese-Australian Bao Hoang opened the very first branch of Rolld, a store specializing in street food-inspired Vietnamese cuisine, the former physiotherapist had high hopes for his newest bu...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
[Video] Hẻm Gems: The Lazy Man's Bánh Xèo
I have a confession to make: my spring roll game is embarrassing.
Marou Chocolatiers Get a New York Times Shout-Out
If you've ever splurged on a good bar of chocolate in this city, chances are you've heard of Marou. The independent Saigon-based chocolatier is responsible for a series of hand-picked, single-origin a...
Phở Tacos: When Vietnamese and Latin Food Meet
When he moved from Vietnam to the United States as a child, Kenneth Nguyen and his family settled in Los Angeles' Koreatown, a rough-and-tumble neighborhood in which he grew up around a variety of dif...
Hẻm Gems: Heavenly Hủ Tiếu on Co Giang
Many count Co Giang Street among their favorite Saigon street food corridors. Featuring a long stretch of stalls, which serve everything from chè and bún riêu to magical bowls of Chinese-style hủ tiếu...
[Photos] Yangon's Must-Have Street Snacks
Like any major city, Yangon borrows from Myanmar's many ethnic groups, not to mention its neighbors, to create a mosaic of the country's cuisine.
[Video] Vietnamese Restaurant in US Challenges Customers to Consume 6-Kilo Bowl of Phở
Earlier this month, televisions across the United States tuned in to the Super Bowl, hoping to take part in the country's most celebrated American football match-up, judge the year's greatest TV comme...
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: District 1's Cơm Trưa Food Court
If you've ever driven along Ton Duc Thang during rush hour, there's a strong chance you've almost run over a street food tout just north of the Le Thanh Ton-Nguyen Huu Canh intersection. While I have,...
[Photos/Video] As Tet Approaches, Vietnam's Braised Fish Village Goes Online
In the lead-up to Vietnam's new year celebration, it is time to remember that which is most important during the holiday season: food.
