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

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.

in Food Culture

[Video] The Mì Quảng Song

Given the variety of Vietnamese noodles, there are plenty of contenders for the title of Best in Show, but for Jake Schofield, Phan Ngoc Hao and Ashlin Aronin, there’s no debate.

in Food Culture

Cows Treated To Beer and Massages At Vietnam’s First Kobe Beef Farm

Most animals raised for their meat live a sad life in small cages and experience extremely low standards of living. But at Vietnam’s first Kobe beef farm, cows live a comparative life of luxury as the...

in Food Culture

[Video] Marou Chocolate’s Quest for Vietnam’s Best Cacao

When it comes to beans, Vietnam is best known for the mass-cultivated, coffee variety. On the other end of the spectrum is the cocoa bean, the central ingredient in chocolate, which is grown throughou...

in Food Culture

KFC, Pizza Hut Operator Launches US Bánh Mì Chain

While many U.S. sandwich shops have caught onto the magic that is bánh mì, it is still a relatively unknown dish to many Americans. One of the world’s largest fast food companies is seeking to change ...

in Food Culture

Ramos Pinto Wines Arrive In Saigon

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 favourit...

in Food Culture

5 Unique Spins On Phở That Can Be Found In Saigon

Phở is a known commodity. One of Vietnam’s most famous dishes and perhaps one of the world’s most famous soups, there are few mysteries (perhaps other than its origin) when it comes to the delicious b...

in Eat & Drink

[Video] How To Cook: Rau Câu Khuôn (Jello Cake)

While rau câu khuôn is typically served in individual pieces, in the shape of flowers or animals, it can also be served as a cake wherein triangular slices are cut and served. But over at Hellen’s Rec...

in Food Culture

A Look at Vietnam's 'Paper' Food

Vietnamese food not only features a wide range of ingredients, but also takes many different forms, from steaming bowls of phở to crispy bánh xèo. One of the more unique forms of Vietnamese cuisine is...

in Food Culture

U.S. Brewer Bringing Craft Beer To Saigon

Beer may be the libation of choice in Vietnam, but choices are limited to the cheap, and flavorless variety. While the country’s tastes have become increasingly westernized over the past few years and...

Brian Letwin

in Food Culture

[Video] What Does The World Eat For Breakfast?

Cultural differences are perhaps most apparent in the food people eat. The awesome video from BuzzFeed shows what people all over the world consume for breakfast, highlighting Vietnam’s morning love a...

in Food Culture

[Video] Vietnam’s 300-Year-Old Food Forest

7 hours south of Hanoi, in the province of Hà Tĩnh exists a 300-year-old, 2-acre food forest, one that has been tended by 28 generations of a single family.

in Food Culture

Spanish Bodegas Castano Wine Lands In Vietnam

Since good wine is still slowly trickling into Vietnam, I was pleased to hear that Bodegas Castano has finally made its way to Saigon.

Brian Letwin

in Food Culture

[Video] How To Cook: Cá Hấp

One of our favorite YouTube channels, Helen’s Recipes, recently posted a super simple recipe for cá hấp, a steamed fish with mushrooms, glass noodles, all rolled up in rice paper.

in Food Culture

[Photos] The Honey Hunters Of Phú Yên

July is the time for the honey hunters of Phú Yên Province’s forests. The honey season, which starts in February, is centered in Xuân Phước forest, located in Đồng Xuân District (Phú Yên).

in Food Culture

5 Unique Markets In The Mekong Delta

While the cities of Vietnam become hooked into the global supply chain, their culinary tastes are becoming more homogenous. From pizza to shopping in supermarkets, our diets are slowly moving in line ...

in Food Culture

In Bánh Mì We Trust

Though bánh mì is often labeled as one of the world’s best sandwiches, something to hold, behold and consume, Saigonese don’t eat them solely because they are delicious.

in Food Culture

5 Of Saigon’s Best Markets

When people think of Saigon, the iconic Bến Thành Market usually comes to mind. But while it’s rich in history, for locals, it’s little more than a tourist attraction. Vietnam Coracle recently took to...

in Food Culture

YouTuber Racks up 18m Views Teaching the World How to Cook Vietnamese Food

YouTube sensation, Le Ha Huyen (aka Helen), has been making awesome Vietnamese cooking tutorials for the past 3 years. Over that time, she’s attracted over 130,000 subscribers to her channel (Helen’s ...

in Food Culture

A Guide To Ordering Phở In Vietnamese

Due to popular demand, we’ve created this guide to help those who haven’t mastered Vietnamese order a bowl of phở exactly the way they want it.