in Saigon Hẻm Gems

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.

in Snack Attack

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.

in Food Culture

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. 

in Snack Attack

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...

Back Eat & Drink

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Cơm Tấm, Breakfast of Champions

There are three kinds of people in this world: early birds, night owls and the perpetually tired. Try as I might to adapt, I am the third.

in Eat & Drink

Hanoi's Communist Cafe Chain Comes to Saigon

Set foot inside the newly opened southern branch of Cong Caphe and you'll instantly feel like a giant. The endless array of tchotchke lining its concrete walls and wooden shelves – transistor radios, ...

in Eat & Drink

Da Nang's Taiwanese Taco Shop Is out of This World

It's fair to be skeptical of Mexican food in a country like Vietnam. Despite the best efforts of chefs across the country, tacos in Southeast Asia can often wind up being oceans away – both literally ...

in Eat & Drink

[Photos] Here Are 12 of Thailand's Tastiest Noodle Soups

We all know about mì, phở, bún, bánh canh, hủ tiếu, miến, cao lâu and a plethora of other Vietnamese noodles, but Thailand is equally famous for its scores of noodle-based dishes.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Saigon's 100-Year-Old Vegetarian Quán

A mellow hideaway amidst the hastening traffic near Ben Thanh Market, Tin Nghia vegetarian restaurant is a time capsule.

in Food Culture

Inside Hong Kong's Futuristic McDonald's

Imagine if Kylo Ren, in a fit of hanger, opened a burger joint. There would definitely be some stainless steel in there, some dim lighting and perhaps a salad bar.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Dropping the Flavor Bomb With Vietnamese Comfort Food

Given that most of the spots that show up in our Hẻm Gems series are full-on meals, we decided it was time to explore the vast world of small, snack-like Vietnamese dishes. There are plenty of great ...

in Food Culture

Meet South Korea's Free-Diving Grannies

By now, you've likely heard of South Korea's young and (mostly) attractive foodporn stars. Mukbang is an internet sensation these days, as are a plethora of other odd Korean cultural phenomena.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Bun Thit Nuong in a Street Foodie's Paradise

For those who don't know, Co Giang is a rugged street located in the middle of District 1's well-groomed downtown neighborhood. Despite its extremely central location, the short, narrow road manages t...

in Eat & Drink

Starbucks' Da Lat Coffee Now Available in Vietnam

As of January 4, Starbucks stores in Vietnam now sell Da Lat coffee.

in Food Culture

How Singapore's 'Hawkerpreneurs' Are Saving Street Food

Singapore, Southeast Asia's bastion of modernization, frequently earns a place among the most livable cities in the world. But thanks to its squeaky clean streets and highly efficient public tran...

in Food Culture

[Video] Americans Try Hột Vịt Lộn for the First Time

When it comes to food, everything is relative: what's shocking and scandalous in one country is completely normal in another.

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Chị Hiền's Cơm Sườn and the Single Greatest Fish Sauce of All Time

As an accomplished eater and failed cook, I spend a lot of time scouting street food venues.

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Check out the New Street Food Mecca Behind Ben Thanh Market

Barely more than a week old, Ben Thanh's brand-new street food market is already turning heads with its souped-up version of the standard roadside dining experience.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Saigoneer's 5 Best Hẻm Gems of 2015

From legendary chicken and rice to finger-licking fried buns to an unbeatable hủ tiếu served with a side of sass, Saigoneer revisits our favorite street eats from 2015. Chúc ăn ngon miệng!

in Food Culture

Interactive Book 'Art of Phở' Brings Saigon to Life One Click at a Time

When foreign visitors arrive in Vietnam, one facet of local culture that tops every must-do list is cuisine. Since the outside world has only recently been introduced to the magic of Vietnamese food, ...

in Food Culture

Archaeologists Discover Roman Fish Sauce off Italian Coast

In Vietnam, you can't swing a dead cat without finding a bottle of fish sauce. The stuff is everywhere: on dining tables and in street food stalls, on supermarket shelves and in kitchens across the co...

Dana Filek-Gibson

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: The Universal Truth of Fish Sauce Fried Chicken

There are few indisputable facts upon which good, reasonable people the world over can agree. Here are three: the sky is blue, the earth is round and fried chicken, in any form, is delicious.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

[Video] The Story of Saigon's Classiest Street Food Restaurant

While the city is a cut above when it comes to delicious outdoor dining, most local streetside restaurants stick to traditional Vietnamese and opt for low-cost ingredients, passing on those savings to...

in Food Culture

[Video] Thai Chef Gives Stink Face to Gordon Ramsay's Pad Thai

You may know Chef Gordon Ramsay from his role on the popular reality show Hell's Kitchen, where he spends an hour each week crushing the dreams of aspiring chefs. Whether you love him or hate him, the...