Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In Huế, Cơm Hến Bé Liêm Is Breakfast With a Side of Warm Hospitality

One of the small joys in life is having a favorite dish readily available whenever you crave it. Ever since I discovered the little hẻm in Saigon where Cơm Hến O Thu lies, my life has been ever so uplifted by the comfort that, every fortnight or so, I can hop on my motorbike, sit for 15 minutes, and have cơm hến on the table in a blink of an eye for gulping pleasures. Cơm hến is one of my favorite things, so naturally, when I got a chance to visit Huế, the dish’s hometown, there was no way I could miss out on this small joy that packs big flavors.

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: In a D3 Hẻm, 40 Years of Bún Ốc and Other Northern Treats

As a resident of Saigon, I’m well-acquainted with the city's vibrant food scene, which features cuisines from various regions of Vietnam, and how these dishes blend local recipes with flavors that resonate with Saigon locals. But Bún Ốc Thanh Hải is quite the opposite. Its dishes, snacks, drinks, and even atmosphere carry a distinct northern identity, so much so that upon visiting the place, I felt as if I was on a culinary adventure within my own city.

Paul Christiansen

in Dishcovery

Huế's Palm-Sized Bánh Mì Chuột Is the Perfect Snack for Nibbling While Walking

Huế's culinary landscape is designed for snacking. From bánh khoái to bánh bèo to  chè bột lọc heo quay , many of the...

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: 3 Hào, a Retro Industrial Cafe in D7 for Night Owls on Deadlines

What do you think of when imagining a cafe? For me, it's plants in every corner, small and cute paintings that adorn the walls, or a light- and neutral-colored space that brings a sense of peace to customers. What would happen if a coffee shop attempted to subvert most of these elements? This is the case of 3 Hào Cafe, a combination of vintage industrial ambiance and, of course, good drinks.

Khôi Phạm

in Saigon Hẻm Gems

5 Saigon Coffee Shops Based in Buildings With Southern Modernist Architecture

Saigon is a cafe enthusiast’s paradise. A decades-old coffee culture fostered by previous generations is still alive and well, in addition to the latest global trends brought over by the younger generation of baristas. When it comes to interior styles and vibes, there’s a little something for everyone, from gritty industrial to spartan Japandi chic to Saigon’s very own southern modernist architecture.

Paul Christiansen

in Vietnam Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: A Bún Bò in Huế That Rivals Even Saigon's Best Bún Bò Huế

Plastic stools circling low metal tables. Staff wearing pajamas and street clothes that match patrons welcomed from all walks of life. Meagre and/or mismatched decor. Views of street traffic with motorbike engines as soundtrack. Brief menus sometimes consisting of a single dish. A strict cash-only policy (until recent years, at least). Minimal concern for health-safety regulations. No artifice of chef as artist or meal as a masterpiece. While we can quibble over a specific, all-encompassing definition for streetfood restaurant, there are many qualities most will agree they share.

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.

Back Eat & Drink

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?

in Food Culture

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.

in Food Culture

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...

in Food Culture

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 ...

in Food Culture

[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...

in Food Culture

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 ...

in Food Culture

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.

in Food Culture

[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.

in Eat & Drink

15 of Saigon's Best Hidden Coffee Shops

Saigon, known for its coffee culture, offers many different environments where one can grab a cup of joe. However, sometimes we crave something a bit more comfortable than plastic stools but don’t wan...

in Food Culture

[Video] Sewer Fishing in District 5

If you though fishing in Saigon’s polluted waterways was a risky proposition, sewer fishing seems downright suicidal.

in Food Culture

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...

in Food Culture

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...