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

in Food Culture

[Video] Inside A Vietnamese Tea Processing Plant

Tea, like coffee is a ubiquitous drink in Vietnam. While each dominates the local market, there is an opportunity to position these locally-grown products as a high-end export if processing can be ref...

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.”

Lee Starnes

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...