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.
Hẻm Gems: Go Back in Time to Chợ Cũ's Golden Days via Cô Chánh's Hủ Tiếu Mì
In the memory-scape of children growing up in the countryside like me, there always exists the familiar sight of old wet markets and the mornings we spent there, toddling behind our moms on the hunt for snacks, CDs, and lollipops. In the afternoons, I often tagged along with my grandma to buy meat and veggies, sneaking a toy or two inside her basket. Sometimes, if I was particularly sweet, she would allow us to have lunch there instead of at home.
Khôi Phạm in Food Culture
How Cá Cắt Khúc Becomes My Personal Touchstone of Vietnamese Cuisine
It was 13 years ago when Christine Ha auditioned for and eventually won the third season of MasterChef US. Then a grad student from Texas, Christine’s victory was a watershed moment in the history of reality TV in the US and even globally. She’s visually impaired, a daughter of Vietnamese immigrants, and has a palate that even established chefs would envy. Back then, everything about Christine’s MasterChef run left an indelible mark on me, a budding food enthusiast from Vietnam, but as I grew older and embarked on my own cooking journey, there’s something about her audition that has always tugged on my heartstrings.
Hẻm Gems: A Night of Love, Poetry, and the Pursuit of the Sublime at Emme Bar
“So what makes Emme House different?” the head bartender Dũng asked during our earlier conversation with Trực, the bar’s owner. “Emme House is not a bar,” he explained. I further inquired then about the layers of storytelling embedded into every detail, to which he replied with a smile, “I’ll tell you the whole story.”
Fried Floating Rice with Dried Cá Chốt and Lotus Tells a Complete Vietnamese Narrative
Chef Peter Cường Franklin shared a powerful narrative to introduce the dish he prepared for Saigoneer. Rice symbolizes the nation’s most important carbohydrate and its agrarian culture; cá chốt represents the ubiquity of local seafood and vital waterways; and lotus provides a metaphor for Vietnamese resilience because it grows in the mud and produces a beautiful, useful flower.
Uyên Đỗ in Dishcovery
A Light Bánh Cuốn Quảng Đông to Break Your Fast the Chợ Lớn Way
Meeting up for a Chinese-style breakfast often means gathering around stacked baskets of dim sum or diving into hearty bowls of wonton noodles. But if you're looking for something lighter, a serving of cheung fun might offer the perfect balance.
Khôi Phạm in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks
Ngõ Nooks: Miến Lươn Is a Classic Hanoian Breakfast for Cold Rainy Days
I am Hanoi’s hungriest tourist; and the capital welcomes me into its flavorsome, umami-rich warmth with open arms.
Cua Cà Mau Consommé Evokes Nostalgic Summer Beach Holidays
Seafood reminds chef Nghiêm Minh Đức of childhood vacations to northern beaches with his family. But since moving to Saigon, he has been exposed to southern products including cua Cà Mau’s which inspire him to experiment with new dishes.
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.
[Video] Phở Has Never Looked So Beautiful
This short clip, "Mrs Phở," is the work of Tung Pham, a second year student at Lasalle College of The Arts in Singapore.
Saigon Ranked Among World’s Ideal Cities for Vegans and Vegetarians
When On Earth, a Buzzfeed-style travel website, has ranked Saigon among the world’s ideal cities for vegan and vegetarian travelers.
Brian Letwin in Food Culture
[Video] Watching A Master Noodle Maker Do His Work Is Absolutely Mesmerizing
The beauty of art is that it is all relative and often transcends traditional mediums. One such exception are the handmade noodles made by soba master Tatsuru Rai, owner and chef of Sobatei Rakui...
[Video] How To Make Bánh Chưng
Though particularly popular during Tet, bánh chưng is available all year long from street vendors who sell them off the back of their bicycles. If you ever wanted to try your hand at the dish or you’r...
Saigon Bakery Finds A Hit With Ginormous Bánh Mì
We’ve seen plenty of crazy spins on Vietnamese food, from phở cocktails to street side duck tacos. However, one Saigon bakery has found success by simply supersizing a popular Vietnamese sta...
[Photos] Coffee Shop On Wheels: Inside Hanoi’s New “Bus Café”
Vietnam’s ever-evolving coffee culture has produced a number of unique offerings, from sock-brewed coffee to tree house cafés. In Hanoi, a group of young entrepreneurs has taken a completely different...
[Video] American Children Fall In Love With Vietnamese Breakfast Food
Many of the videos on Cut Video’s Youtube channel are dedicated to giving people new experiences and filming their reactions. Sometimes, this manifests in giving grandmothers marijuana, but in this cl...
20 Vietnamese Foods You Need to Try Now
Uyen Luu, author of My Vietnamese Kitchen and contributor to Jamie Oliver’s FoodTube, shares her favorite Vietnamese dishes and how to cook them.
Lee Starnes in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Craft Beer Makes Its Debut In Saigon: Pasteur Street Brewing
Nestled down a hẻm in District 1 are many a gem to be found by either stumbling upon them or through an awesome bit of advice from a friend. Whether it be your favorite bánh mì stand or a hidden coffe...
[Video] This Cannon Can Assemble And Cook A Dumpling In Under 3 Seconds
After unleashing the Prawn Cannon on unsuspecting audiences last year, Docomo, Japan’s largest mobile communications company, has released another explosive food-related video to push their 4G service...
Stop Motion Video Shows How a Bánh Mì Is Made
This stop motion video made by Triet Le Thanh uses 1,146 individual photos to show how a traditional bánh mì is assembled.
'Trendy' Elephant Poop Coffee Taking off in Vietnam
Vietnam is known for its cafe chồn, coffee beans that are ingested, pooped out by weasels and sold at prices far higher than the normal variety. Now, a Vietnamese breeder is adopting a similar techniq...
Tokyo Restaurant Serves Up Chocolate Ramen For Valentine’s Day
We’ve seen plenty of culinary oddities come out of Japan over the years from cat wine to Burger King’s “Black Burger.” Well, it’s time to add yet another unique dish to the list - chocolate ramen (Tsu...
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