Oliver Newman

in Hanoi Ngõ Nooks

Ngõ Nooks: In the Same Hanoi Building, a Music Fan's Essentials — Vinyls and Cocktails

Sharing a building, Montauk and LP Club might initially appear to be just another cafe and another record store, but their goals are far loftier than selling drinks and vinyl.

Tâm Lê

in Ănthology

Built on Immigrant History, France's Vietnamese Food Scene Is Onto Something Special

France’s Vietnamese population is one of the largest outside Vietnam. From colonial assignments to refugee migrations, the community has grown, shifted, and evolved since its beginnings in the 1860s. Meet the new generation of French-Vietnamese creatives — chefs, authors, cultural consultants — who are reimagining and representing Vietnamese culture in Paris in fresh and deeply personal ways.

in Eat & Drink

Integrating Spanish Culinary Traditions into Local Lifestyles

Paella’s elevation of humble countryside ingredients into an extravaganza of flavors united by fluffy rice; soft and creamy Torta del Casar sheep’s milk cheese; intense Pimentón de la Vera paprika made with smoked peppers, and nutty, earthy iberico ham sliced whisper thin: Spanish culinary treasures are becoming increasingly common in Vietnam. As more Spanish restaurants open and Spanish products occupy more space on grocery store shelves, people here are also discovering how Spaniards like to eat.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

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.

in Food Culture

Pizza 4P's to Expand to the US With First Flagship Location in New York

If you’re roaming around New York but suddenly hanker for a bite of familiar salmon miso pizza taste, you might be in luck this year.

in Dishcovery

A Culinary Celebration of the Watermelon That Would Make Mai An Tiêm Proud

I never imagined there could be more than one way to eat a watermelon. Yet here it was, transformed beyond recognition, via a bold experiment and a deeply personal story, challenging everything I thought I knew about such a simple fruit. Only later did I realize it was part of Sonó’s new tasting menu, “Tales & Tastes.”

Khôi Phạm

in Snack Attack

Bimbim, Snack and Oishi: A Brief History of Vietnam's Regional Terms for Packaged Snacks

The differences between regional dialects across Vietnam is a fascinating field of research that can spawn days of discussion, but no other pairs of words has the power to mystify the internet like the dichotomy between bimbim and snack, both used in the Vietnamese language to describe bags of crackers made of rice, corn, or wheat flours. In today’s Snack Attack feature, Saigoneer is digging into the surprisingly recent history of why northern Vietnamese use the term “bimbim” while it has always been “snack” in Saigon and southern provinces.

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Bánh Canh Nam Phổ, Huế's Hearty, Homey Afternoon Snack

There’s a commonly acknowledged nugget of folk wisdom amongst foodies that hole-in-the-wall eateries almost always have the best food. In the context of Vietnam’s street food landscape, this concept could extend to cart on the pavement, table in the hẻm, coffee on a bike, and even wackier contexts. The star of today’s Hẻm Gems feature, however, is a true-blue hole-in-the-wall, both in physical manifestation and in spirits.

Back Eat & Drink

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. 

in Food Culture

Coffee Styles in Saigon Then and Now

Photo via truyenthongtuonglai. In Saigon, coffee can be consumed on the sidewalk or in a fancy coffee shop, out of a plastic cup or one made of fine porcelain. Regardless of location or vessel, this ...

in Food Culture

[Photos] Lychee Season Causes Huge Traffic Jams in Luc Ngan

During lychee season, the normally empty Highway 31 becomes inundated with farmers, bringing their crops to market, creating major traffic jams.

in Food Culture

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...

in Food Culture

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 ...

in Food Culture

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...

in Food Culture

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?