Khôi Phạm in Saigon Hẻm Gems
5 Cozy Saigon Coffee Shops With Outstanding Cat Residents to Befriend
I almost never remember the faces of the employees at cafes that I’ve been to, but I am strangely attuned to the existence of their cats. I remember the textures of their fur when I gave them pets, the little squeaks when they jumped up and down the furniture, and the subtle ways they expressed their personality during our fleeting but memorable encounters.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: Woko Brings the Comfort of American Chinese Food to Saigon
When a dish travels far from its homeland to take root somewhere else, one common yardstick for judging it is “authenticity.” Is the seasoning true to form? How closely do the ingredients match the original? Has the cook stuck to tradition, or wandered too far into improvisation? But what if an entire cuisine was born and shaped in defiance of that very idea?
From Abroad to My Favorite Bún Riêu: A Brief History of Trứng Vịt Lộn
I pride myself on being a child of Hanoi, but only after nearly 20 years, did I realize that trứng vịt lộn is not exactly an authentic topping in Hanoi-style bún riêu.
Hẻm Gems: The Spectacular Stink of Bún Mắm Nêm Is My Childhood Aroma
Every time I depart from Vietnam to study abroad or travel, on the way to Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, I stop by the Bàu Cát area in Tân Bình to stuff myself with at least two bowls of bún mắm nêm heo quay.
From Cháo Lòng to Teochew Treats: How Vietnam's Regional Cuisines Embrace Offal
In his essay collection Miếng ngon Hà Nội (Hanoi Delicacies), Vũ Bằng raves about one of his favorite snacks: “Though they’r...
Ngõ Nooks: Okachan Shokudo, a Comforting Japanese ‘Cơm Bình Dân’ in Hanoi
If there is a restaurant that is the antithesis of the biting cold of Hanoi, it is Okachan Shokudo.
Uyên Đỗ in Saigon Hẻm Gems
Hẻm Gems: In the Mood for Lẩu? A Ngưu Offers Hong Kong Vibes and Tasty Bites.
I visit Tiệm Lẩu A Ngưu on a rare wintry Saturday evening in Saigon, the perfect occasion to fill one’s stomach with warm broth, noodles, and a host of other tasty accouterments.
Nem Chả Diên Khánh, a Match Made in Khánh Hòa's Coastal Heaven
During my journey to explore the culinary specialties of Khánh Hòa, I was delighted to discover the nem chua and chả lụa from Diên Khánh, a centuries-old ancient town that’s just 10 kilometers from downtown Nha Trang.
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...
Australian Wine Dinner With The Yalumba Winery
What happens when you put together amazing food, great wines, excellent customer service and a fantastic host? Well the answer is that you feel in heaven, and that was how most, if not all, of us felt...
Breadwinners: 10 of Saigon's Best Loaves
Being Filipino, I was raised eating fried rice and over easy eggs for breakfast. Pan de sal, the bread of choice for Filipinos, was something that was only sold at Goldilocks which was a good 45 minut...
Free Christmas Dinner @ deciBel
I have never been a religious person, so after my ‘lovely’ older brother decided to show off his cleverness by telling me that Santa Claus did not actually exist, my magical world was shattered and I ...
Sava: An Epicurean’s Paradise in District 2
Sava the Gourmet is located in a beautiful villa located in the heart of district 2. Although the company used to focus on wholesale products, it has recently extended its retail arm, bringing gourmet...
How to Use Fish Sauce (Nước Mắm) in Western Dishes
While fish sauce is a staple in many Asian countries, in the West, most prefer its cousin, ketchup. To break down some culinary walls, Asian food expert, Andrea Nguyen just published a great article i...
Special Delivery: Takeaway.com Acquires Vietnammm.com
Vietnammm, one of Vietnam’s most popular online delivery sites, has been acquired by Takeaway.com, a global leader in the industry. The move signals the Dutch company’s first move outside of Europe wh...
Video: Local YouTuber Gives Away Free Ice Cream to Saigon Commuters
Troy Nguyen runs a YouTube channel dedicated to Vietnam. While most of his videos focus on his travels and interesting aspects of Vietnamese culture, every now and then, he sets out to help the people...
The Best Pho in Vietnam?
With thousands of pho shops across Vietnam, determining the best in the country seems like an impossible task. In fact, for any Vietnamese food, we would hesitate to crown a restaurant 'best of' since...
Master Chef - Gastronomy Competition @ Mc Sorley's
Food lovers and amateurs chefs with a passion for sharing their favourite food and recipes should not miss Mc Sorley's event “Master Chef.” It is a gastronomy competition, where teams of 4 memb...
Ben Thanh is One of the World's Best Food Markets: USA Today
American newspaper, USA Today, just published their list of the "Best food markets around the world" in which Saigon's own Ben Thanh Market ranked 15th. Along with fake DVDs and tourist nik naks, the ...
Brian Letwin in Food Culture
[Video] Celebrity Chef Anthony Bourdain in Vietnam
Gordon Ramsay isn't the only celebrity chef obsessed with Vietnam. But unlike Ramsay, New York chef, Anthony Bourdain, has a surprisingly close connection to Vietnam, cultivated over many visits since...
Brian Letwin in Food Culture
Video: The Perfect Cafe Sữa Nóng?
Yes, we know that Saigonese take their cafe sữa with đá (ice) and that the background music is from Thailand. Nonetheless, this playful video by food videographer, Eric Slatkin is well done and worth ...
Free Food Tuesday 'Arancini' @ deciBel
It all started innocently enough. It was about 6 months ago when the deciBel guys and a group of friends, after complaining that it was often too complicated to match working schedules to arrange a di...
Brian Letwin in Food Culture
Video: Gordon Ramsay Explores Vietnam and its Cuisine
Gordon Ramsay has made it clear that Vietnamese cuisine is on the top of his list. His love was on full display in the most recent season of Master Chef US, where he tasked the final 5 contestants to ...
Brian Letwin in Food Culture
London Restaurant Trademarks ‘Pho.’ Social Media Battle Ensues.
It may be hard to comprehend how a company can trademark a word as generic as ‘Pho.’ Apparently the British Intellectual Property Office disagrees as 6 years ago, they allowed a glitzy London chain, ‘...
