Meet the Hội An Family Making Cao Lầu Noodles From Scratch
Amid Hội An’s treat-filled culinary landscape, cao lầu emerges as something that’s both simple and one-of-a-kind.
Paul Christiansen in Dishcovery
A Flaky Pâté Chaud That's Been a Saigon Institution Since 1930
It took me 37 years to have my first pâté chaud.
Hẻm Gems: It's Impossible to Resist Bún Riêu Cô Yến's Crispy Fried Tofu
A few years ago, my family’s Christmas Eve tradition of making gỏi cuốn was swapped out for a special competition, one that would decisively end a longstanding rivalry: who, out of the aunts and uncles, could make the best bún riêu?
Hẻm Gems: Wake up Early, We're Getting Hủ Tiếu Cá for Breakfast
When I used to live in Hanoi, I always knew that if an eatery only opens for half a day, the food is probably certified, at least by the locals, to be not only good, but excellent. There is something written in the local traditions that specific dishes should be served at particular times of the day.
Hẻm Gems: On Falling Head Over Heels (Literally) for Dũng Ký's Mì Xào Giòn
When Saigoneer’s office relocated from District 1’s downtown to District 3 earlier this year, one of the instantly noticeable changes was the increase in affordable eating options.
Paul Christiansen in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: From Cà Mau, Cô Xíu Brings Bánh Tầm Cà Ri Cay to Bình Thạnh
Recently, I’ve had the Mekong Delta on the mind. This month I made two trips down to research various elements of the watery region, and also spent time reading author Khải Đơn’s tremendous delta-focused book of poetry Drowning Dragon Slips by Burning Plain; read my review of the book here. And while I haven’t actually seen the movie adaptation Đất Rừng Phương Nam, it’s been impossible to avoid the promos that feature a stereotypical wooden boat easing along a narrow delta channel, while white herons rise and farmers trudge into the field wearing colorful clothing with black khăn rằn.
Hẻm Gems: Bánh Đa Cua Hải Phòng, a Rare Northern Treat in D10
On the way to Phú Thọ Indoor Sports Stadium in District 11, make a turn off 666/74 Ba Tháng Hai, go all the way to the far corner, and you’ll discover Triển Chiêu Quán’s bright yellow sign. Park underneath the canopy, walk up the ramp, and you’ll notice something stands out, but you might not know why — bunches of caramel-colored noodles in the kitchen area waiting to be enjoyed.
Hẻm Gems: Bánh Canh Hẹ Is Phú Yên's Homage to Chives and the Sea
Ever since I was a kid, I have had a general dislike towards vegetables, but green onion has always been an exception. I regard green onion as a garnish that can lighten up the whole dish, and it seems like whenever it’s absent from my cơm tấm or xôi mặn, I will instantly lose my enthusiasm to eat. But during my teenage years, my affection for scallion was challenged for the first time, when I encountered a photo of Phú Yên’s bánh canh hẹ online.
Hẻm Gems: A Cafe-Snack Bar Hybrid in Bình Thạnh Offers Portals to Japanese Nostalgia
Bình Thạnh’s Ward 19 is snuggled between Xô Viết Nghệ Tĩnh and Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh, creating a surprisingly quiet area just across from District 1. As a neighborhood, it offers an eclectic mix of local an...
Paul Christiansen in Vietnam Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: In Đà Nẵng, Bánh Xèo Bà Dưỡng's Sauce Is Good Enough to Drink
The secret is the sauce. And the sauce is a secret. The owners of Đà Nẵng’s Bánh Xèo Bà Dưỡng refuse to reveal the recipe for the rich, meaty, and multi-faceted sauce that falls somewhere between hex ...
Ngõ Nooks: Bud'mo, a Ukrainian Welcome as Warm as a Shot of Nastoyka
“O sultan, Turkish devil and damned devil’s kith and kin, secretary to Lucifer himself…You will not, you son of a bitch, make subjects of Christian sons; we've no fear of your army, by land and by sea...
Hẻm Gems: Café Slow Cultivates a Natural Habitat for Creature Comforts
It's incredibly challenging to set yourself apart in Ho Chi Minh City's overcaffeinated café scene. The city's narrow streets and hẻms are brimming with beans.
Hẻm Gems: The Secret Realm of Good Vibes Behind the Doors of Passengers Cafe
Like any person born after the year 1990, I am chronically affected by the condition of dawdling at a coffee shop for a supposed boost in productivity and “the vibes” when the clock strikes close to a...
Hẻm Gems: Quán Ba Hí's Comfort Food Is Perfect for Eating Your Feelings Away
I've always found comfort food to be the most authentic passage to experience any type of global cuisine. Yet, when I try to find the word for it in my native tongue Vietnamese, the semantics just see...
Ngõ Nooks: From Nam Định, a Piquant Bánh Đa With Golden Fried Fish
On Quán Thánh Street, a lovely couple enhances their hometown’s specialty, bánh đa cua, with a fishy touch. Adding fried fish to bánh đa cua is a rather uncommon combination, but it helps their r...
Ngõ Nooks: The Peculiarity of a Coffee Sanctuary With No Menu and No Address
"SOLitude" — At first glance, the word conjures a sense of melancholic privateness in my ever-anxious soul. But not in a pessimistic way, fortunately.
Ngõ Nooks: A Spicy Bún Lòng Cá From Hải Phòng That Takes Guts to Try
Út Hà Quán looks nothing like the kind of traditional Hanoi street food eatery that makes it to glossy magazines and world-famous food channels. There’s no grumpy grandma, no mold on the walls an...
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Indonesia's Ayam Penyet Is a Smashing Celebration of Spices
The most straightforward definition by which to explain ayam penyet to the Vietnamese layperson is perhaps “cơm gà Indo.” It’s technically not wrong: the dish has rice and chicken, and originates from...
Ngõ Nooks: Cafe Yên, Where the Line Between Coffee Shop and Alley Blurs
Yên (adj): quiet, unmoved.
Hẻm Gems: A Thai Feast on a Hẻm Pavement, With Vietnamese Fusion Twists
While Thailand and Vietnam have long been perpetual rivals in the football arena, at this streetside Hẻm Gem, the two cultures forge a harmonious relationship.
Ngõ Nooks: A Classic Thanh Trì-Style Bánh Cuốn That Took a Century to Perfect
Bánh Cuốn Bà Hoành is nearly a century old, and both the eatery’s name and the authenticity of the food they serve stem from the same source: the culinary wisdom of Grandma Hồng.
Vietnam Surpasses South Korea as World's No. 1 Consumer of Instant Noodles Per Capita
Vietnam’s penchant for mì gói has propelled us to the top position among the world’s instant noodle consumers.
Hẻm Gems: Hide From the Monsoon Rain at Đặng Thị Nhu's Lost & Found Cafe
Lost & Found Café is a newly opened sister establishment to the popular Lost & Found Bar. Both adopt a pre-1975 Saigon vibe that I, as a Gen-Z Saigoneer who is nostalgic for old Saigon, immediate...
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 Chronicle.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: 60 Years of Guangdong-Style Chinese Food at Chợ Cũ's Chuyên Ký
Besides being the “it” place to obtain imported goods, Saigon’s chợ cũ, or Old Market, is also a treasure trove of hidden eateries.
Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Eggs? On My Bánh Cuốn? It's More Likely Than You Think.
The simplicity of an egg is an underrated beauty that we often take for granted.
Ngõ Nooks: Three Generations of Noodles on the Pavement at Bún Riêu Hồng Phúc
Connecting Hòe Nhai and Hàng Đậu, Hồng Phúc is one of the shortest alleys in Hanoi. However, this small alley is a paradise for people who love bún, especially if one is craving a meticulously prepare...
Hẻm Gems: Just a Short Walk From Bến Thành, a Hearty Bún Chả for Lunch
In his essay collection Hà Nội 36 Phố Phường (The 36 Streets of Hanoi), Thạch Lam famously writes "Ngàn năm bửu vật đất Thăng Long / Bún chả là đây có phải không?" The couplet compares ...
