How Soy Milk Symbolizes an Imagined Vietnam of My Childhood in France
I still remember vividly the anticipation running through my veins, when I saw a waiter bringing me a glass of sữa đậu nành, every time my family took me to one of the many Vietnamese restaurants of the 13th arrondissement of Paris, the city’s renowned Chinatown. It was a neighborhood I was bound to get dragged to as a French kid with a Vietnamese parent, whether I wanted to or not. For me, this glass represented the quintessence of typical Vietnamese drinks during a good meal: one of the rare glimpses into the daily customs of my ancestors’ culture.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: At Sara Ethiopian Restaurant, a Chicken Stew for the Soul
Before the existence of Sara Ethiopian Restaurant in Saigon, my knowledge about the African country could fit squarely in a child’s palm: its capital, Addis Ababa; the tragic Ethiopian Airlines crash in March; and its national dish, injera.
An Homage to Mỳ Quảng and Its Branching Family Tree Across Vietnam
Mỳ Quảng’s reputation has spread across Vietnam and even abroad, yet few are well-informed about its origin story and the land it hailed from.
Hẻm Gems: At Bún Thang 50, Unexpected Hanoi Flavors in a Phú Nhuận Corner
When I was growing up in California, every couple of months, plastic containers of sliced fried egg, chicken, and chả lụa would line the kitchen counter. This medley of ingredients would usually mean bún thang for dinner — which, in turn, signaled that the dinner was a special occasion.
Paul Christiansen in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: At Vietnam's Only Palestinian Eatery, Eating Maqluba and Dreaming of Peace
“If you have a heart and you have a mind, you must support Palestine,” Saleem Hammad emphasized as we sipped sweet tea overlooking Hanoi’s Old Quarter from the balcony of his restaurant, Oliva. The dinner we had just finished was delicious, but the visit to Vietnam’s only Palestinian restaurant felt more significant than a simple meal. Learning about Saleem’s journey, his personal relationship with Vietnam, and his efforts to deepen ties between Palestine and Vietnam underscored how cuisine can foster cultural exchange and understanding towards peace.
Hẻm Gems: Atop a Beef Bowl Eatery, the Hidden Cozy World of Shochu Bar Mitsuboshi
Looking back at my days in Japan, I cherish most the moments I decided to get lost in yokochos — small and narrow alleys filled with shops, often bars — and push on a random door, not knowing what could await me behind it. It could be a wooden stall illuminated by blinding lights, its noisy customers showered with beer; or a 19th-century-style Manhattan bar, where the only movements come from trails of smoke off the customers’ cigarettes and streams of light going through bottles of whisky behind the counter.
When Rush Hour Hits, The Straits Offers a Singaporean Alternative
Saigon’s streets snarl with hot, sticky knots of traffic every evening. As people finish their workdays and look ahead to quality time with families at home, precious hours pursuing hobbies and meeting with friends around the city, they must first contend with horrific congestion. This rush hour period, when movement is slow and frustrating, coincides with peak skyline beauty.
Hẻm Gems: Tokyo Moon Cafe Introduces Homey Korean Flavors to Japan Town
Stepping into Tokyo Moon is like venturing into a world of wonders, neatly packed within a mere 35-square-meter space.
Khoi Pham in Food Culture
Bánh Trung Thu: From Traditional Festive Fare to Asia’s Answer to Fruitcake
While Saigoneer’s previous installment in our Food History series touched on the evolution of bánh xèo, a light, airy crepe that screams summer with every bite, this week’s dish belongs to t...
Khoi Pham in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Lão Hương Thân, One of Saigon's Oldest Cơm Gà Xối Mỡ Restaurants
Is there anything quite as glorious as beautifully done fried chicken?
McDonald's Faces Stagnant Growth in Vietnam As Local Fast Food Fad Cools Down
Back in 2014, during its first month in Vietnam, McDonald’s seemed set for success, as its first location in Saigon managed to attract some 400,000 curious patrons to sample its American dishes.
Vietnamese Government to Sell All Stakes in Nation’s Biggest Brewers
The Vietnamese government announced last week that it will sell all of its shares in the country’s two biggest beer companies by the end of 2017, an unprecedented move.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Food Culture
The Evolution of Bánh Xèo: A Street Food History
While phở, bánh mì and now, occasionally, bún chả hog the spotlight in Vietnamese cuisine, everyone in Vietnam is familiar, to some degree, with bánh xèo. On street corners and in tiny, mode...
Vinacafe CEO Admits to Past Impure Coffee Products
In a surprisingly candid moment during a conference held last month, Nguyen Tan Ky, the incumbent CEO of Vinacafe, admitted to mixing soya beans into some of the company’s products in the past.
Hẻm Gems: Bún Sứa Serves Up a Jellyfish Medley Without the Sting
The menu at Bun Sua Co Hanh is geared towards diners with a hankering for seafood, and not just your regular fish and company. They serve something out of the ordinary at this slightly drab river...
Famous Civet Coffee Often the Result of Animal Abuse: Study
A study in Indonesia has found that kopi luwak, the world’s most expensive coffee, is often produced using caged civets kept under inhumane conditions.
Ice Cream Wars: Japan's Frozen Treat Makers Take on European Firms in Southeast Asia Market
Southeast Asia’s dessert market is getting some healthy competition as Japanese companies join the fray, hoping to take a piece of the pie from their European counterparts.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Slurping Mì Ốc Hến in District 4 With Công 'the Enforcer'
Shuffling along in flip-flops and a pair of baggy shorts, Công the Enforcer arrives at our table.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Food Culture
Chowing Down on Crickets: Vietnam’s First Mass-Market Edible Insect Business
Crickets look a lot different when they’re fried and doused in seasoning.
High Rent, Competition Challenge Saigon's Coffee Chains
Despite being well-received in Vietnam’s metropolises, coffee chains still encounter business problems due to high rent costs and a crowded market.
Vietnam Set to Become World's Top Pork Consumer
Before the next decade is through, Vietnam stands to become the world’s top consumer of pork.
Foreign Brewers Hope to Tap Into Myanmar Beer Culture
After decades of being closed off to the world, Myanmar’s newfound economic boom is attracting a slew of foreign breweries hoping to cash in on the country’s nascent beer culture.
[Photos] A Midnight Romp Through Saigon’s Wholesale Seafood Market
Around midnight, as most Saigoneers are heading off to bed, District 8’s Binh Dien is the place to be if you’re in search of seafood.
Officials Attempt to Trademark Bún Bò Huế
Officials in Thua Thien-Hue province are causing quite a stir after attempting to enact a regulation that would place trademark restrictions on the province’s signature soup, bún bò Huế.
Bia Hanoi Makers Suffer Post-Obama Marketing Fail
Three months after President Barack Obama’s historic visit to Vietnam last May, the country’s “Obama fever” seems to have subsided. However, for the folks behind Bia Hanoi, a product of the Hanoi...
The Rise and Fall of the Great Japanese Unagi
Last weekend, as Vietnam was dealing with a bout of particularly bad weather – we’re looking at you, Typhoon Mirinae – Japan was celebrating a long-held tradition: Doyo no ushi no hi, or the Mids...
[Video] Meet the Man Behind Singapore’s Michelin-Starred Hawker Stall
Last week, two Singaporean hawker stalls made history by becoming the first-ever Michelin-starred street food establishments.
Dana Filek-Gibson in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Saigon’s Original Bánh Mì Breakfast
I am a lifetime supporter of the sandwich.
