Food Videos – Maze Vietnam

The Best Cheap Eats in Saigon’s Best Food Alleys

Huy Le — Mon, 26 Feb 2018 02:57:31 +0000

Cheap eats in all Saigon’s hidden alleys.

Saigon, known as one of South East Asia’s exclusive melting pots, has a food culture of arguably most significance throughout Vietnam. Not only does it have luxurious restaurants on main streets but this city also offers tourists food of outstanding quality as well as diversity in small alleys.

76 Hai Ba Trung district 1

Photo via 123dzo.net

Located in the heart of district 1, this alley mainly serves students and office workers. There is a good variety to choose from at relatively reasonable prices. With 10000 - 15000 VND anyone can get a portion of noodles, meat/ fish balls, soup. However, the low cost doesn’t define the quality of food, which can be compared to that of any indoor food stall. Moreover, the sellers are very friendly and helpful if you’re not familiar with Saigon streets. The cheap, tasty and eye-catching food here accounts for their getting sold out within 3 hours every day (3-6pm).

Video edited by Son Nguyen & shot by Chi Le

Photo via inspitrip.com

After getting enough energy, pay a visit to the Ho Chi Minh city Municipal theatre, which is only a few minutes away on foot to the south.

Ho Ba Kien, district 10

Photo via yan.vn

This one is much younger than the first, having been discovered for no longer than a few months. Teenagers and university students often gather here since the price is generally cheap, each dish costing no more than 20000 VND. Most famous here is the seafood stall and some Vietnamese specialties such as banh nam and banh bot loc.

Photo via foody.vn

177 Ly Tu Trong, District 1

Here customers are offered the special dessert after the main course: fruit. A combination of pineapple, strawberry, watermelon, etc is served in bowls with cups of yogurt. This cannot fail to quench the thirst of tourists made exhausted by the scorching heat of Saigon noon.

Photo via foody.vn

After a good rest, continue your visit to nearby attractions such as the Notre Dame Cathedral, the city post office or the Tran Dai Nghia High school for the Gifted.

14 Tran Binh Trong, District 5

Another checkpoint for anyone who loves sweet food. Located in the so-called Chinatown of Saigon, this alley leads to an old apartment block, which makes it easier to find. Jelly and flan cakes are the most popular dishes, with a variety of flavors to choose: cheese, coconut, etc. In case you want something for the main course, try fried dough next door. A meal here can be nothing but a bargain, since prices are no more than 2500 VND for desserts and 15000 for fried dough.

Photo via yeutre.vn/

Since this alley is in the Chinatown, take your time to discover one of the most important parts of Saigonese culture by visiting Cho Lon, Thien Hau pagoda, and various other sites.

51 Cao Thang, District 3

Photo via blogspot.com

Not so far from the Ban Co Market, this alley is best known for the 70-year-old porridge stall named “Tieu”. One difference, however, is the high price 65000 VND per portion. The ingredients used, including heart, kidney, meat and even mushroom, may result in the unreasonable price compared to other stalls. Or else, try the mouth-watering girdle cake made on the spot. Also on offer are noodles, balut fried with tamarind, fish balls, dim sum, ravioli soup, crab soup, etc. for about 15000 VND. Last but not least, have a go at the cocktails, on the menu at most stalls.

Photo via diadiemanuong.com

284 Le Van Sy, District 3

Photo via diadiemanuong.com

Another place all too familiar with students and workers in district 3, this is a haven for all fans of Vietnamese noodles- “bun”- as well as tourists interested in Hue food culture: banh nam, banh beo, banh uot, banh loc, etc. Enjoy your meal for no more than 20000 VND. There’s a parking lot nearby in case you get there by motorbike, right in front of the kindergarten. Young Saigonese often hold small gatherings here at night, which makes this time of the day the most exciting and suitable for a visit.

Photo via lozi.vn

Nam Ky Khoi Nghia highschool, District 11

Photo via diadiemanuong.com

Located on Nguyen Thi Nho street, which is also famous as a dining area, this alley is right next to the Nam Ky Khoi Nghia highschool. As a result, its students are the most usual customers. Besides the dishes mentioned above, milk tea- an addictive drink too familiar with Vietnamese teens- can be found. Most popular here is the popiah cart, known to be not only the cheapest throughout Saigon but also one with the highest quality. For seafood enthusiast, snails and fish are a must-try.

Photo via lozi.vn

Food alleys are one irreplaceable piece of Saigonese culture and have never lost their appeal towards tourists as well as locals, and above are some of the most popular places to explore this aspect of the city. Hungry after reading all these illustrations yet? Get up and give them a try yourself!

The post The Best Cheap Eats in Saigon’s Best Food Alleys appeared first on Maze Vietnam.

Vietnamese Pizza Banh Trang Nuong

Duy Nguyen — Sun, 03 Sep 2017 14:29:02 +0000

Quickly served, affordable and most importantly mouth-watering, pizza from Italy has long established its name as everyone’s favorite fast food, but somewhere in the streets of Vietnam, a contending dish is rising – the grilled rice paper, Vietnamese pizza.

The Vietnamese grilled ricepaper is originally a street food associated with Đà Lạt. Started out as a mere sheet of ricepaper grilled on charcoal stoves with fat scallion topping, the dish quickly gained popularity among tourists, as its heat perfectly complements the coldness of the city. Inevitably, vendors selling grilled ricepaper had to compete against each other by renovating the dish, churning out more and more variations and thereby blessing this once uncouth snack with a level of complexity and diversity. News about this wonderful street munching spread as fast as lightning, and soon it became ubiquitous throughout the country.

Vietnamese pizza. Photo taken by Phuc Nguyen

Video shot by Chi Le and edited by Son Nguyen

Saigon is another center for grilled rice paper vendors. Here it adopts the nickname ‘Vietnamese pizza’ from the analogy drawn between the two dishes. Indeed, this food with its round base and triangular servings may remind one of the Italian pizza, but on close inspection, it’s easy to see how far the grilled rice paper departs from its seeming ‘counterpart’. The key element that sets the dish apart is its rice paper base, which turns extra-crispy when grilled. On top of that base are stir-fried scallions and often dried shrimps coated in egg yolk, making for a bright yellow finish dotted with green. Sounds tasty already, but the real selling point of this street food is its openness to modifications: dried shrimps can be replaced by beef jerky, sausages, chicken or pâté and quail yolks can stand in for the chicken yolk, plus mayonnaise or cheese can be added to enhance the flavor. This allows individual vendors to effectively customize their grilled rice paper to create such unique and delicious results.

Banh Trang Nuong. Vietnamese Pizza. Photo taken by Phuc Nguyen

The flexibility of this dish means you can create one in your own kitchen. Follow these steps as demonstrated in the video above.

Ingredients: a sheet of rice paper, scallions, dried shrimps (or other ingredients of choice e.g. beef jerky or chicken), 1-2 egg yolks, mayonnaise, cheese and chili sauce (optional)

Execution:

Spread the rice paper on top of the charcoal stove (other cooking methods applicable, but charcoal stove is recommended to create an authentic taste)
Beat egg yolks and mix with scallions
Pour the mixture on top of the rice paper sheet and spread evenly
Once the yolk is nearly cooked start scattering pieces of dried shrimps on top
Move the rice paper around on the stove to evenly grill its edge
Wait until the rice paper achieves a nice brownish yellow and add mayonnaise and chili sauce
For the finishing, fold the rice paper in half

Enjoy!

Words by Duy Nguyen
Video by Son Nguyen & Chi Le
Photos by Phuc Nguyen

The post Vietnamese Pizza Banh Trang Nuong appeared first on Maze Vietnam.

Hanoi’s Oldest Coffee Houses

Thao Mai — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 14:59:30 +0000

Hanoians have drunk coffee for more than a hundred year since the late 19th century when the French brought it – “such drink which is as dark as sewage and tastes bitter” according to an old newspaper then – into Hanoi. Coffee was meant in the first place to serve French soldiers and officers staying in Vietnam during the war, and later, Vietnamese people – mostly revolutionary scholars or students who just came back from France, though. As it was an unfamiliar and luxurious beverage at that time, it was not until the very first coffee houses were opened by Vietnamese owners in the 1940s that people from all walks of life started to have coffee as a common drink besides green tea and “nước vối” (a drink that is cooked from leaves of a tropical tree whose scientific name is Cleistocalyx operculatus). Roasting, grinding, making coffee in their own distinct, delicate way without much change over the years, these cafes have stood the test of time and are still in business now, becoming a reminder of Hanoi’s old days.

Giảng

Giảng, one of the most popular cafés in Hanoi, was named after its founder - Mr. Nguyen Van Giang - a former bartender at Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel from 1930 to 1945. After retiring, Mr. Nguyen himself created a new kind of coffee inspired by cappuccino - the egg coffee or “cà phê trứng” - and opened his first shop in 90 Cau Go in 1946. Egg coffee is the concoction of espresso, condensed milk, a little sugar, butter, cheese and egg yolk, resembling a tiramisu in taste. Except for the espresso, all the other ingredients are mixed until they become a lovely creamy foam in a small cup by a bamboo whisk originally – which is now replaced by a stainless steel one or egg beater. The mixture is then poured over the coffee to complete the drink. Giảng offers you two versions of this wonderful beverage - the hot and the cold one. Should you find espresso layer of egg coffee too bitter, try hot egg chocolate – “ca cao trứng” instead. And for you guys who don’t, why not trying all at one time as a coffee cup here is pretty small and may make you feel like having one after another.

Photo credit Ghiền Cà Phê via Flickr

Photo credit Bmore Raven via Flickr

Address:

39 Nguyễn Hữu Huân, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi
106 Yên Phụ, Tây Hồ District, Hanoi

Open – close: daily from 7.30 am to 22.30 pm.

Phone number:

04 3294 0495
098 9892 298/ 090 3479 032

Price: 15.000VND – 33.000VND ~ Egg coffee: 25.000VND & Egg with Chocolate: 20.00VND

Đinh

Situated on the second floor of a small old house in 13 Dinh Tien Hoang Street, Dinh was named after this street and opened by the daughter of Mr. Nguyen Van Giang - Mrs. Bich in 1984, who was a former high school teacher. This used to be a popular spot for students in the 1900s as the price was pretty cheap while the coffee was delicious and the owners were very friendly. Dinh is still at the same address nowadays and because it is very small while everyone wants to have a seat in the balcony outside, make sure you set off early and don’t come at weekends as it would be very crowded. Last but not least, egg coffee is also Dinh’s specialty but it has a different taste from that of Giang. Try and experience yourself. The coffee shop opens the whole week from 7.00 am to 21.30 pm.

Best Hidden Vintage Coffee Shop in Hanoi

Follow us to one of our favorite hidden cafes to taste a fabulous egg coffee in Hanoi! To look up more vintage cafes, here comes our guide: http://bit.ly/vintagecafeHNTell us your favorite cafe in the city below!

Posted by Maze Vietnam on Sunday, December 17, 2017

Video shot by Chi Le & Van Duong | Edited by Van Duong

Photo credit NguyeenxThuyr via Flickr

Photo credit Ghiền Cà Phê via Flickr

Photo credit Phan Hữu Lập via Flickr

Address: Second floor of a bag store, 13 Đinh Tiên Hoàng, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

Open – close: 7.00 am - 21.30 pm (whole week)

Phone number: 04 3824 2960

Price: 12.000VND – 20.000VND ~ Egg coffee: 20.000VND

Nhân

Opened in 1946, Nhân café has been run by Mr. Thi’s family for decades. Starting out as a meeting place for Vietnamese communist people during the war, Nhân is now a well-known coffee shop with many branches, but the most popular one is still that in Hàng Hành. Famous for its self-roasted coffee bean, Nhân café will definitely please even the most punctilious drinker.

Photo via www.cafenhan.com

Photo via tea-1.lozi.vn/

Address:

39D Hàng Hành, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi
9 Láng Hạ Street, Ba Đình District, Hanoi
143 Nguyễn Thái Học, Ba Đình District, Hanoi

Open – close: 8.00 am – 22.30 pm

Phone number: 098 4444 254 (39D Hàng Hành, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi)

Price: 25.000VND - 50.000VND
[endd-div]

Thọ

Photo credit David Jonathan Ross via Flickr

Photo credit Sticky rice via Flickr

Founded in more than 20 years ago and considered as a cafe with delicious coffee and low price, Thọ attracts many locals despite locating in a coffee street named Trieu Viet Vuong full of coffee shops. Milk coffee and “nếp cẩm” yogurt are two most preferred by drinkers when coming here.

Address: 117 Triệu Việt Vương street, Hai Bà Trưng District, Hanoi

Open – close: 9.00 am – 2300 pm

Phone number: 04 3629 29597

Price: 15.000VND - 40.000VND

Thái

Another choice for you when dropping by Triệu Việt Vương street is Thái café. Like Thọ, drinks at Thái are quite cheap. This cafe was once listed in 'Top 100 best coffee products in Hanoi' and one interesting thing should be mentioned is that Thai Coffee has been using only one coffee roaster that has been passed through 3 generations in this family business. Moreover, even if you just order a 3000VND iced tea – approximately 0.14 $, you can spend hours chatting with friends here - in a cozy place.

Photo via xaluan.com

Address: 27 Triệu Việt Vương street, Hai Bà Trưng District, Hanoi

Open – close: 6.00 am – 22.00 pm

Phone number: 04 3822 6922

Price: 12.000VND – 35.000VND

Năng

Many Hanoians say that getting up early with a cup of coffee at Năng, a more than 50-year-old coffee house, on weekend is a lovely relaxing thing to do. Although it is located in a small bustle street of Hanoi making parking quite difficult, Năng still enchants the locals, especially the artists, by its strong coffee and traditional decorations around the shop. The café is, of course, crowded all day but do come and have a drink as it is worth trying. One last thing to bear in mind, the coffee shop’s name is “Năng” – not “Nắng”, watch out!

Hanoi Mark via Flickr

Photo credit Tu Cong Van via Flickr

Address: 6 Hàng Bạc, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi.

Open – close: 8.00 am – 23.00 pm (whole week)

Phone number: 04 3824 0459

Price: from 15.000VND

Lâm

Lâm café was opened in 1952 and named after its founder – Mr. Lâm. The coffee bean here is naturally ground without adding any additives and has a distinct taste. One plus mark for this café is that there are many art pictures of famous painters featuring people and ancient streets of Hanoi, giving you a feeling of living in the capital city decades ago.

Photo credit Hanoi Mark via Flickr

Photo credit Phan Hữu Lập via Flickr

Address:

60 Nguyễn Hữu Huân, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi. (1)
91 Nguyễn Hữu Huân, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi. (2)

Open – close: 6.30 am – 22.30 pm (whole week)

Phone number:

04 3824 0459 (1)
090 455 85 68 (2)

Price: 15.000VND – 50.000VND

Nhĩ

Nhĩ used to be one of the top 4 cafés in Hanoi along with Nhân, Giảng and Dĩ long time ago (Dĩ is an old café but it is now hardly found in Hanoi and people rumor that it is out of business). Although it is not a spacious café like any other old coffee shops, Nhĩ is always crowded. One special thing is that the café does not have its name on the signboard – all you can see is “cafeteria” – “café giải khát”. So, make sure you come to the right address! And once again, the café’s name is “Nhĩ” – not “Nhi”, don’t be mistaken!

Photo via media.thethaovanhoa.vn/

Address: 2 Hàng Cá, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hanoi

Open – close: 7.00 am – 22.30 pm (whole week)

Price: 15.000VND – 33.000VND

Mai

The last coffee shop on our list today is Mai café. Mai was opened in 1936 and in the first place just sold packed roasted coffee along with raw coffee bean. Mai’s coffee is distinct for its aroma that can be traced from far away. Nowadays, besides selling coffee bean, it serves coffee at a store as well and if you feel like, you can make coffee yourself right here. Last but not least, the price here is quite high compared to other shops with the cheapest drink is black coffee(hot/cold) – 34.000VND (1.5$).

Photo via cafemai.vn

Address:

- 96 Lê Văn Hưu, Q. Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội (1)

- 79 Lê Văn Hưu, Q. Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội (2)

- 52 Nguyễn Du, Q. Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội (3)

- 75 Trần Nhân Tông, Q. Hai Bà Trưng, Hà Nội (4)

Open – close: 7.00 am – 22.00 pm

Phone number:

04 3822 7751 (1)
04 3822 9653 (2)
04 3822 7713 (3)
04 3822 9652 (4)

Price: 34.000VND – 100.000VND

That's all about the beauty of the five Vintage Coffee shops in Hanoi. They always stay in all Hanoians' hearts. How about Saigon - the country's largest city. To see all the Vintage Coffee Shops in Saigon, click here

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Hanshi – Cold Food Festival

Oanh Nguyen — Sun, 04 Jun 2017 10:03:23 +0000

“Tết Hàn thực” or Hanshi Festival, is literally “Cold Food Festival” which falls on the 3^rd of March in Lunar Calendar. This is a traditional festival in some Asian countries such as China, Vietnam and also celebrated in some Chinatowns all across the world.
During this occasion, bánh trôi – Vietnamese floating cake, a traditional cake made of rice flour, mixed with water, sometimes extracted from grapefruit flowers, rock sugar, scraped coconut, sesame, and stuffed with grounded mung bean as a core, is displayed and offered to our ancestors and Buddha. Instead of using its real name “Tết Hàn Thực”, Vietnamese regularly regard it as “Tết Bánh Trôi”, as mentioned above. The festival is still maintained widely in most of the cities in Northern Vietnam, especially in Hanoi and its surrounding provinces.

Photo via eva-img.24hstatic.com/

Photo via suckhoedoisong.vn

Nevertheless, bánh trôi is not the only thing to be seen. Incenses, flowers, betel, and areca are also displayed on a tray, along with 3 to 5 small bowls of bánh trôi.

Photo via media.vietq.vn

Rarely do most of the citizens in the two countries nowadays have any idea about the story behind their event.

Legend has it that, during the Spring and Autumn Period in Ancient China, King Chong’er of the State of Jin, on his way to flee from the kingdom as a result of civil war, fell into starvation due to the lack of living conditions. Jie Zitui, who followed him throughout 19 years, cut off the flesh from his thigh and offered it to the King. Unfortunately, when Chong’er became the King, he ordered a search for Jie Zitui who had been hiding in the remote forest and turned down the invitation. King Chong’er set the whole forest on fire in order to force Jie to come out. However, the fire ended up with the death of Jie. Filled with regret, King Chong’er requested that every year when it comes to the 3^rd of March, all forms of using fire are forbidden and that all food would be consumed cold. The Festival, from then on, is so-named.

Photo via media.doisongvietnam.vn

If you want to see the process of making Vietnamese Floating Cake during this Festival, please watch our video below:
https://youtu.be/BVgBeJShVRI

Video editor: Son Nguyen; Video shooter and Scriptwriter: Chi Le

The post Hanshi – Cold Food Festival appeared first on Maze Vietnam.

Tofu – Bean Curd

Chi Le — Thu, 25 May 2017 14:03:41 +0000

What is Tofu? How Tofu is made?
Check out this video for more information!

—
Video shooter and Script writer: Chi Le
Video editor: Son Nguyen

The post Tofu – Bean Curd appeared first on Maze Vietnam.