Khôi Phạm in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: The Best Fried Chicken Rice in Saigon Is in District 8
The success story of Cơm Gà 142 epitomizes the impressive marriage between technology and word of mouth in Vietnam’s golden age of food delivery startups.
Michael Tatarski in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: The Case of the Twin Bánh Mì Chảo Switcheroo
In the land of copycat businesses, it always pays to double-check that you're at the right one.
Khoi Pham in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: The Universe of Hanoian Food Beyond Bún Đậu
I tend to be cautious of restaurants that boast authenticity.
Michael Tatarski in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Head to the Airport to Relieve Your Hankering for Thai Food
Insert cliché about this strange year here.
Khoi Pham in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Can Deep-Fried Hột Vịt Lộn Dethrone the Classic?
Has your luck taken a turn for the worse lately? Perhaps it’s high-time for a hột vịt lộn (or three) to reverse your fortune.
Michael Tatarski in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: In Praise of D1's Cheap, Dependable Sidewalk Cơm Trưa
In these trying times, the comfort of familiarity goes a long way.
Michael Tatarski in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Handmade Noodles Hidden Amid the Mayhem of Hang Xanh
The traffic-choked wastelands of Hang Xanh are one of the last places you'd expect to find an incredible meal of noodles.
Khoi Pham in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: The Refreshing Simplicity of Veggies, Roots and Mushrooms
Explaining the food at Rau Củ Nấm Vegan Restaurant is simple; it’s all in the name: vegetables, tubers, and mushrooms.
Michael Tatarski in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Piquant Thai Noodles in D7 for the Age of Takeout
It's the simple things in life that sometimes bring the greatest pleasure.
Thi Nguyen in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: At Sadec Quan, a Celebration of Mekong Delta Noodles
While bánh tằm is more often regarded as a popular street food dish in the Mekong Delta, my entrance to the world of this dish was family gatherings in Saigon.
Govi Snell in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Pho Chay Nhu and 35 Years of Serving Tasty Vegetarian Meals
A bowl full of noodles is one of the things that make me feel lucky to be alive, and alive in Saigon in particular.
Michael Tatarski in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: A Japanese Bánh Mì to Win Over Fusion Food Skeptics
When it comes to discussions of cuisine, I'd argue that "authentic" is the most overused word in writing and marketing, followed closely by "fusion."
Jae Shin in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: In D7, Home-Cooked Korean Comfort Food for the World-Weary
Growing up in South Korea's extremely competitive and high-stress education system, combined with strict Asian parenting, my relationship with my parents has never been easy.
Khoi Pham in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: At a Corner of Nguyen Van Linh, Saigon's Best Korean Cold Noodles
Much like a stereotypical meet-cute in a romantic comedy, the majority of my most memorable food experiences often involve a faux pas of varying degrees of humiliation.
Michael Tatarski in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: The Porcine Pleasure of a D2 Cơm Tấm Outpost
What comes to mind when you hear the words 'District 2'?
Thi Nguyen in Street Food
Hẻm Gem: Bún Cá Sứa With a Stock That Tastes Like the Ocean
A friend once told me that Saigon is a place that makes you feel like you can travel anywhere.
Saigoneer in Street Food
Year in Review: Saigoneer's Picks for Best Hẻm Gems of 2019
In 2019, Saigoneer reviewed a total of 38 Hẻm Gems, including 10 bars or cafes, 15 Vietnamese eateries and 13 places serving delicious non-Vietnamese cuisines.
Thi Nguyen in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: A Secret Back-Alley Bún Ngan, Hidden in Plain Sight
Several months ago, the Saigoneer team went to 89 Nguyen Du for a Hẻm Gem on Ngo 89’s Hanoian snacks. Little did I know, we’d be going to the same location for an entirely different eatery later on.
Brendan Ryan in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: Home-Cooked Taiwanese Comfort Food for a Cold Saigon Day
District 5, Saigon’s Chinatown, is full of delicious eateries serving Cantonese food. For something new, try Va Thanh, an unassuming restaurant with top-notch Taiwanese home-style cooking.
Thi Nguyen in Street Food
Hẻm Gems: A Thai Raw Seafood Salad That Consolidates the Merits of Sauce
The first role I ever took in my home kitchen was to prepare sweet fish sauce with chili and garlic to pour over rice and noodles. As simple as this may sound, I still can’t master the art after years...
