Hẻm Gems: The Ghé Coffee Tucks Art, Fragrant Coffee Into a Quiet D1 Crevice
Delivering premium origin coffee and fine art from artists across Vietnam in a tiny room that dates back to French colonial times, smack dab in the middle of District 1, The Ghé Coffee balances the finer things in life and the comfortably mundane.
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
Into the Beguiling Backyard Rice Wine Distilleries of Long An
The highway eases into sand and gravel the way history descends into myth and legend when traveling towards Long An. A mere 27 kilometers outside of Saigon, the province feels a world away: the difference between a cocktail made with 18-year-old scotch, jackfruit-infused rum, seven types of bitters and brandy-soaked organic cherries and a plastic water bottle of homemade rượu nếp. The latter was the reason we were going there: for information, interviews and anecdotes to complete Saigoneer’s two-part investigation of the history of rice wine.
From a Blend of Cultures, Phá Lấu Became a Beloved Saigon Street Snack
When the word phá lấu is mentioned, two genres of dishes will appear in the mind of Vietnamese. One is a small bowl of orange broth that sings of coconut milk, another is slices of caramelized offal awash in a translucent shade of brown. Both these forms of preparations speak volumes about the growth of local street food through episodes of history.
Live Music, Sports, Art and Activities Fill District VUI with Summer Fun
Vietnam’s south-central coast is blessed with warm sunshine, cool waves, and relaxed vibes all year round, creating a perpetual vacation atmosphere. With school breaks and summer holidays, there is no better time to explore the tropical regions at the nexus of forest and sea.
Gỏi Đu Đủ Reflects the Mekong Region's Culinary and Cultural Wisdoms
As the cicadas begin to sing in the tamarind canopies along Pasteur Street after the first monsoon rain, vivid scenes from my formative years flash by in my mind. My cheeks became flushed and my eyes teary, but not from the harsh sun and wind, nor the frustration of losing multiple marble games; it was the sight, or rather, the scent of a papaya salad enveloped in Cô Ri pungent anchovy sauce.
Hẻm Gems: In D5, a Family Durian Xôi Xiêm Recipe Inspired by Cambodia
At first glance, xôi xiêm sầu riêng — or sticky rice with egg custard and durian — may appear plain-looking, but apart from being a tasty sweet treat, this simple dish also holds stories of life during Vietnam’s post-war period.
A Pilgrimage to Sơn La, Vietnam's National Mận Capital, as a Devoted Fan
There’s a kind of sweet, sour, and slightly tannic fruit that never fails to make our mouths water every summer.
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
Banana Is a Paragon of Neutrality. I Propose Using It as a Metric to Rank All Fruits.
Line up all the world’s fruits, best to worst, taking into account every rateable aspect imaginable including taste, appearance, price, reliability and seasonality — the banana rests at the exact middle. So I've personally used it as the ideal threshold to rank every fruit I've ever eaten.
[Photos] What Citizens Of The World Eat In A Day
Most of us don't give a second thought to what we eat in a day. According to National Geographic, the average person consumes 2,870 calories from morning to night, but what you eat can change dramatic...
Hẻm Gems: Bánh Bao Chiên @ Lý Chính Thắng Street Cart
Imagine it's around 4pm and a sprinkle of rain is just starting to fall outside. You sit in the office thinking about how wonderful it would be to have a small snack by your side.
Hẻm Gems: Bún Thịt Nướng Bà Tám @ 299 Võ Văn Tần
Though this indoor hem gem loses a few points for the bland, sanitary, air-conditioned environment, it starts to make up for the snooze fest in design with excellent renditions of some of Saigon’s mos...
[Photos] 15 Strange Snacks From Around Asia (But Mostly Japan)
Snack food, once ubiquitous with Western culture, has become a global phenomenon. When entering new markets, multinational corporations often introduce products tailored to the palates of the local po...
[Video] Following A Hột Vịt Lộn Vendor Through The Streets Of Saigon
We often take for granted the immense diversity of foods found on the streets of Saigon, in addition to those that sell them. This short film profiles Vinh, a hột vịt lộn (fetal duck egg) vendor who h...
Hẻm Gems: Mì Vịt Tiềm @ Mì Gia Tân Tòng Lợi
You can tell Mì Gia Tân Tòng Lợi has been around for a while by the faded hủ tiếu cart greeting you at the entrance. The eatery specializes in Chinese-style egg noodle soups and fried duck dishes...
Hẻm Gems: Chocolate Coconut Smoothies @ Le Thi Rieng Smoothies
On a hot night of street food hunting, it was time for a pit stop, one that would not only satisfy our thirst, but also our sweet tooth.
Da Lat Coffee Now Sold at Starbucks Stores Worldwide
Starbucks is now offering up bags of single-origin Da Lat coffee at its stores in 56 countries, the first time the company has stocked an Arabica coffee from Vietnam.
Meet Saigon’s "Other" Lunch Lady
Following years of international coverage from food bloggers and personalities such as Anthony Bourdain, Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh, Saigon’s “lunch lady” has officially gone mainstream.
Hẻm Gems: Legendary Coconut Milk @ Sữa Dừa 8 Tin
After a visit to Sữa Dừa 8 Tin, you’ll quickly find that not all coconut milk is created equal.
Hẻm Gems: Bò Nhúng Dấm @ Anh Ba
At Anh Ba, it’s all about the beef. This eatery offers up four bovine dishes - lá lốp (beef wrapped in lolot leaves), mỡ chài (beef quasicrepinettes), nhúng dấm (vinegar based hot pot) and tái chanh (...
[Video] The Story of a Saigon Chè Master
Saigoneer has teamed up with Only In Saigon to bring you stories from the city’s streets. Our first episode explores the tale of Son, a District 1 chè vendor who, for 25 years, has maintained thi...
Will Saigon's Street Food Scene Last Another Generation?
According to a recent article in The Guardian, while Vietnamese street food is “imitated, fetishized, and replicated in cities all over the western world,” for many vendors, their profession is a mean...
A Chat With The Organizers Of The Outcast’s Farmers Market
Saigon’s only farmers market is gearing up for its second installment at Saigon Outcast this Sunday. We sat down with the organizers (Saigon Outcast and La Holista) to see why they started the market,...
[Video] How To Make: Bánh Nậm
When we order bánh thập cẩm at our Hue standby, Rất Huế (136/11 Lê Thánh Tôn), one of the highlights is bánh nậm, gelatinous rice with minced shrimp wrapped in a banana leaf.
How To Make A Fresh Phở Noodle Salad In 15 Minutes
When most people talk about Vietnamese food, they immediately think about a delicious steaming bowl of phở.
Is the World's Best Banh Mi Found in Hanoi?
Vice’s food-focused arm, Munchies, recently profiled banh mi in Hanoi and presented a set of sandwiches that made us tremble with jealousy. While we’re neither accredited banh mi connoisseurs nor freq...
[Video] Samurai Isao Machii Is A Real Life Fruit Ninja
In this SoftBank commercial, modern samurai, Isao Machii, is attacked by three assassins – an orange, a fried shrimp and a glowing ball.
How To Make The Perfect Gỏi Cuốn
On a hot summer day, nothing feels better than eating something light and crisp. Here's a recipe for Gỏi Cuốn (Summer Rolls) with an unconventional twist.
[Video] Would You Take On This Phở Burger?
A few months ago, Youtuber Richie Le uploaded a video of the phở burger, a natural follow-up to the phở burrito, the phở cocktail and the phở dumpling.
