in Dishcovery

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.

Thi Nguyễn

in Food Culture

Tết Tales: The Many Folk Stories Behind Vietnam's Bánh Chưng, Bánh Tét

To me, there's nothing that screams Tết as much as sticky rice cake. However one wants to spice up the usual celebration by replacing some dishes with something new each year, sticky rice cakes remain a must-have in Vietnamese households. Try searching for an image of the Lunar New Year and there’s a high chance that you’ll spot the cakes amongst the first ten results.

in Dishcovery

Re-imagining a Streetfood Staple with Sustainable Ingredients: Cơm Tấm Ốc Bươu with Floating Rice

Cơm tấm is “all about utilizing, minimizing food waste and, basically, not giving anything away,” explains Chef Trụ Lang of Mùa Sake, as he stands in front of ingredients from the Mekong Delta. “That matches with the ethos of what these crops are trying to do … show a different way of thinking, a different way of agriculture, a different way of using the land, and using the relationship that we have with the land to coexist.”

in Ănthology

Charles Phan's Bánh Mì Is Not Here to Take You Down Memory Lane

“Charles Phan had more impact on Vietnamese food than any other chef in the country.” — Michael Bauer, San Francisco Chro...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Cô Chi Creates a World of Northern Noodles Right in Her Living Room

Bún Cô Chi offers a great introduction to the wonderful world of northern noodles.

in Snack Attack

From Sticky Rice and Sugar, Bánh Tổ Binds Me With Tết and My Hoa Vietnamese Roots

This Tết, you’re invited to my grandma’s house for a true-blue Tết meal of Hoa Vietnamese, comprising char siu, khâu nhục (braised pork belly), cured duck meat, etc. Then, you can think of the best well-wishing for my grandparents, after which they will give you a red envelope. In my experience, the cleverer and more sincere the wish, the thicker the envelope would be. Before you leave, she would pack up a bánh tổ for you to take home, and store in your fridge to tie you over for the rest of the Tết holiday, as she believes that the core values of Tết are connections and generosity.

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: At D5's Sủi Cảo Đại Nương, a Song of Chives and Fire

One night after my meal at Sủi Cảo Đại Nương, I find myself in a mystifying dream about chives.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In a Hẻm, on Plastic Chairs, One of Saigon's Best Pizzas Beckons

“The leopard spots. They hate them,” Hiếu Trần explains to me. “They think it means the pizza is burnt.”

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in Food Culture

[Video] The Phở Song

A few months ago, expats in Da Nang made a music video about mì Quảng, professing their love for the central region’s iconic soup. Viet Kieu, Richie Le and friends have whipped up a similar, albeit fl...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: 70 Years of Hủ Tiếu Down a Saigon Alley

At the corner of a dead-end alley and the crowded pub street of Ton That Thiep among neon signs of nearby bars and restaurants, an eatery with an old hand-painted sign reading “Thanh Xuan” might come ...

in Food Culture

[Video] This Is How You Make A Phở Burger

We got the phở burrito, the phở cocktail and the phở dumpling. What other twist on the Vietnamese staple is missing from this list? Yup, the phở burger.

in Food Culture

[Video] New York’s Annual Trứng Vịt Lộn Eating Competition

The annual Balut (A.K.A trứng vịt lộn) Eating Contest just took place in New York City where contestants were tasked with eating as many of the duck fetuses as possible in a 5-minute window.

in Food Culture

This Is What Happens When You Mix Dumplings And Phở

American chefs continue to show their love of phở by twisting it into everything from cocktails to burritos. While the above concoctions claim both fans and detractors, this new creation out...

in Food Culture

[Video] You Don’t Have to Be White to Butcher the Vietnamese Language

White people aren’t the only ones who mangle the Vietnamese language.

in Food Culture

[Video] How White People Order Vietnamese Food

Many poke fun at white American’s for showing off appreciation for ethnic food. After all, if you want to be cool in the eyes of others, what better way that to spin off a few words in another languag...

in Food Culture

Herbs: The Unsung Heroes Of Vietnamese Cuisine

People travel to Vietnam from all over the world for the country’s culinary magic. But while broths, meats and noodles are often play the leading role, the unsung heroes of Vietnamese cuisine are fres...

in Food Culture

[Video] Anthony Bourdain Returns To Vietnam To Film “Parts Unknown” Episode

Celebrity chef and Vietnam enthusiast, Anthony Bourdain recently traveled to Huế to film an episode for his Emmy-winning CNN TV series, “Parts Unknown.”

in Eat & Drink

The Hidden Gems of Binh Tay Market

Among the busy streets of District 6, Binh Tay, Cho Lon’s central market, sits in all its hectic glory.

in Food Culture

Behold: The Phở Burrito

Vietnamese food has gained enormous popularity in the US to the point where phở has recently been added to the Merriam-Webster dictionary. While dishes like bánh mì and phở please the A...

in Food Culture

The Different Faces Of Bánh Cuốn

A favorite breakfast for many Vietnamese, bánh cuốn (steamed roll) is a quick and delicious day starter. While the traditional is always a crowd pleaser, let’s take a look at some interesting ren...

in Food Culture

The Best Amarone Wine In Saigon

If you like wine, especially the Italian variety, you must try Amarone, one of those gems that was discovered by accident (think champagne).

in Food Culture

Is Bánh Mì The Best Sandwich In The World?

Travel and food writer, David Farley, recently visited Vietnam on an assignment from the BBC to answer a question many others have pondered – “is bánh mì the world’s best sandwich?”

in Food Culture

7 Of Vietnam’s Most Expensive Traditional Dishes

As Vietnam’s cities develop, there are plenty of restaurants that offer up dishes at international (read: expensive) prices. While Vietnamese food is generally considered cheap, there are a few notabl...

in Food Culture

Saigon Ranked Among The World’s 18 Best Cities For Street Food

Lifestyle and travel site, Thrillist, has ranked Saigon as one of the world’s top 18 cities for street food, taking into account uniqueness of traditional food/drink style, quality of restaurants/bars...

in Food Culture

[Photos] Mountains Of Honey: The Bee Farms Of Mộc Châu

There’s more to Mộc Châu than its breathtaking landscapes. Located in the Vietnam’s northern mountains, Mộc Châu is blessed with ideal conditions for raising honeybees.

in Food Culture

Happy Meals: An Afternoon At Saigon’s VND2,000 Restaurant

"What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity." - Joseph Addison

in Food Culture

Anthony Bourdain: First Trip To Vietnam "Was Life-Changing"

Gordon Ramsay isn't the only celebrity chef obsessed with Vietnam. But unlike Ramsay, New York chef, Anthony Bourdain, has a close personal connection to Vietnam, cultivated over many visits since 200...

in Food Culture

Burger King Unleashes 'Black Burger' on Japan

While fast food chains have taken advantage of America’s love of junk food (we’re looking at you, Taco Bell and KFC) in Japan, it’s the quirkiness that they try to exploit.