Hẻm Gems: The Ghé Coffee Tucks Art, Fragrant Coffee Into a Quiet D1 Crevice
Delivering premium origin coffee and fine art from artists across Vietnam in a tiny room that dates back to French colonial times, smack dab in the middle of District 1, The Ghé Coffee balances the finer things in life and the comfortably mundane.
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
Into the Beguiling Backyard Rice Wine Distilleries of Long An
The highway eases into sand and gravel the way history descends into myth and legend when traveling towards Long An. A mere 27 kilometers outside of Saigon, the province feels a world away: the difference between a cocktail made with 18-year-old scotch, jackfruit-infused rum, seven types of bitters and brandy-soaked organic cherries and a plastic water bottle of homemade rượu nếp. The latter was the reason we were going there: for information, interviews and anecdotes to complete Saigoneer’s two-part investigation of the history of rice wine.
From a Blend of Cultures, Phá Lấu Became a Beloved Saigon Street Snack
When the word phá lấu is mentioned, two genres of dishes will appear in the mind of Vietnamese. One is a small bowl of orange broth that sings of coconut milk, another is slices of caramelized offal awash in a translucent shade of brown. Both these forms of preparations speak volumes about the growth of local street food through episodes of history.
Live Music, Sports, Art and Activities Fill District VUI with Summer Fun
Vietnam’s south-central coast is blessed with warm sunshine, cool waves, and relaxed vibes all year round, creating a perpetual vacation atmosphere. With school breaks and summer holidays, there is no better time to explore the tropical regions at the nexus of forest and sea.
Gỏi Đu Đủ Reflects the Mekong Region's Culinary and Cultural Wisdoms
As the cicadas begin to sing in the tamarind canopies along Pasteur Street after the first monsoon rain, vivid scenes from my formative years flash by in my mind. My cheeks became flushed and my eyes teary, but not from the harsh sun and wind, nor the frustration of losing multiple marble games; it was the sight, or rather, the scent of a papaya salad enveloped in Cô Ri pungent anchovy sauce.
Hẻm Gems: In D5, a Family Durian Xôi Xiêm Recipe Inspired by Cambodia
At first glance, xôi xiêm sầu riêng — or sticky rice with egg custard and durian — may appear plain-looking, but apart from being a tasty sweet treat, this simple dish also holds stories of life during Vietnam’s post-war period.
A Pilgrimage to Sơn La, Vietnam's National Mận Capital, as a Devoted Fan
There’s a kind of sweet, sour, and slightly tannic fruit that never fails to make our mouths water every summer.
Paul Christiansen in Food Culture
Banana Is a Paragon of Neutrality. I Propose Using It as a Metric to Rank All Fruits.
Line up all the world’s fruits, best to worst, taking into account every rateable aspect imaginable including taste, appearance, price, reliability and seasonality — the banana rests at the exact middle. So I've personally used it as the ideal threshold to rank every fruit I've ever eaten.
A Short History Of Phở
Phở is everywhere. Vietnam’s most famous cuisine has made its way onto souvenir t-shirts, into the Merriam Webster dictionary and the world’s culinary consciousness. A group of YouTube celebrities eve...
Brian Letwin in Food Culture
Which Type Of Coffee Gives You The Most Energy?
Beyond being one of the world’s leading exporters of the magic beans, coffee culture runs deep in Vietnam's veins. But while city streets are lined with cafés, the quality and strength of the drink wi...
Choco Pie Sales in Vietnam Hit 2 Billion
On June 8, Orion, the maker of the addictive Choco Pie, announced that since 2006, the company has sold over 2 billion of their cakes in Vietnam, according to Business Korea. That’s 22 ...
Why Vietnamese Wine Gets a Bad Reputation - Part II
Why Vietnamese Wine Gets a Bad Reputation - Part I The rainfall in the Northern grape growing regions is much higher than that of Ninh Thuan (where many vines have been planted). Annual rainfall in t...
Why Vietnamese Wine Gets a Bad Reputation: Part 1
Most people know that Vietnam is a global leader in the production of rice, coffee, tea and even cashew nuts, but what about wine?
Students Make Giant Pizza to Protest Chinese Oil Rig
More than 20 students from HCMC’s Hoa Sen University made a giant, map-shaped pizza of Vietnam to support the country’s sovereignty in the backdrop of the dispute with China over their controversial o...
Brian Letwin in Food Culture
“Pho” added to Merriam-Webster Dictionary
Well, it’s about time. Our beloved “pho” has finally gotten the recognition it deserves, recently being added along with 150 other terms to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, according to CBS News.
Marques de Caceres Wines Arrive in Saigon
Marques de Caceres, another of the top Spanish wineries based in Rioja, working together with the Wine Warehouse, recently chose La Closerie d’Elisa to organise and deliver a fantastic wine dinner, pa...
Green Roofed Kindergarten in Dong Nai Teaches Children How to Save the World
Vietnam’s rock star Vo Trong Nghia Architects took a break from designing award-winning homes to build something infinitely more special - a large kindergarden which allows children to understand the ...
[Video] Asians Eat Weird Things
There are many Vietnamese foods that are easy on the Western palate - gà chiến, phở and gỏi cuốn, to name a few, but there are plenty - hột vịt lộn, chân gà and quả sầu riêng - that are...
Bar None: A Look at Vietnam's Growing Chocolate Industry
The cacao industry started in Vietnam ten years ago when cacao seeds were planted through a public private partnership led by non-profit ACDI-VOCA and partners including USAID, USDA and Mars Inc. The ...
Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro Winery Makes its Vietnam Debut
I recently had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Ignacio Arzuaga, from Bodegas Arzuaga Navarro, who came to Vietnam to share information about his winery and wines which are now available locally.
[Infographic] Vietnamese Diners Rank as SE Asia’s Lowest Tippers
We all know that tipping isn’t really a thing in Vietnam and a recent study by Mastercard published in the Wall Street Journal backs this up with hard numbers.
[Video] Sewer Fishing in District 5
If you though fishing in Saigon’s polluted waterways was a risky proposition, sewer fishing seems downright suicidal.
Sweet Typographic Map of Vietnam and Its Food
In 2008, Jodi left her job as a lawyer to pursue goal of traveling (and eating) her way across the globe. After arriving in Vietnam, she became particularly enamored with the country’s diverse culinar...
10 of Hue's Most Delicious Dishes
You probably just finished lunch but this list of 10 iconic dishes from Hue should get you appetite going again. Food Republic’s Laurie Woolever recently visited Vietnam’s imperial capital on the look...
Wine in Vietnam: Domaine Roux, France
Alfredo de la Casa is a wine expert who runs the blog wineinvietnam. In order to increase awareness about wines available in Vietnam, Alfredo periodically stops by to profile some of his favourites, t...
Seeking Out Saigon’s Best Banh Mi
Like other Vietnamese staples, finding the best of any one dish in a nearly impossible task. Even if one is able to find what they deem to be the best, others will surely disagree. Even so, in a recen...
A Look at Some of Vietnam's Bug-Based Delicacies
Cultures around the world have included protein-rich insects as part of their diets for thousands of years. While the practice has almost disappeared in the West, insects are still as popular as ever ...
Vietnamese Dishes with French Origins
Though the French occupiers are long gone, elements of their culture still exist in both Vietnamese language and society. One of the most obvious examples of this is Vietnamese cuisine which has a num...
