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Brian is the Co-Founder of Saigoneer and pasta enthusiast who likes to explore the hidden corners of Saigon's urban fabric.
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Saigon Hẻm Gems
Many count Co Giang Street among their favorite Saigon street food corridors. Featuring a long stretch of stalls, which serve everything from chè and bún riêu to magical bowls of Chinese-style hủ tiếu , Co Giang is a veritable treasure trove of good eats. It’s a fat kid’s dream.
Saigon
Saigon recently approved a five-year plan to promote safe organic produce in the city.
![[Photos] Preview: Nguyen Hue Flower Street](https://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/fZMYcPub.jpg)
Culture
Saigon’s celebrated flower street returns to Nguyen Hue Boulevard next week to ring in the Year of the Monkey.
Eat & Drink
Set foot inside the newly opened southern branch of Cong Caphe and you'll instantly feel like a giant. The endless array of tchotchke lining its concrete walls and wooden shelves – transistor radios, chipped tin cups and a forest worth of vintage books – shrink the retro space. Above the crowded bar and main cafe area, a creaky wooden loft houses low-rise folding chairs, their seat cushions covered in a bright, '70s-style floral pattern, and each distressed wooden table looks like it's been around since the war era.
Development
As downtown progress on the Saigon Metro inches along , Dong Nai officials are hoping to extend Line 1 beyond the city limits.
![[Photos] Saigon Just Got a Fancy New Pedestrian Book Street](https://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/sAngWiUb.jpg)
Literature
While Saigon faces a major deficit when it comes to public space, it looks like the city has recognized its value following the success of Nguyen Hue's pedestrian boulevard.
Vietnam
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram , and like us on Facebook . Work starts on Can Tho-Kien Giang road [Vietnam Plus] Vietnam sees reform opportunities, labor challenges in TPP [Rappler] Hyatt says payment processing systems at Vietnam properties hacked [Tuoi Tre]
Saigon Hẻm Gems
Given that most of the spots that show up in our Hẻm Gems series are full-on meals, we decided it was time to explore the vast world of small, snack-like Vietnamese dishes. There are plenty of great options in this category, but we knew exactly where to start: bánh đúc .
Saigon Hẻm Gems
As an accomplished eater and failed cook, I spend a lot of time scouting street food venues.
Vietnam
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram , and like us on Facebook . Vietnam ranks second in global spam [DTI] 1,300 join anti-terrorist drill in northern Vietnam (photos) [Tuoi Tre] Vietnamese city police chief shot by stranger at home [Thanh Nien]
![[Photos] Saigoneer Getaways: Boracay and Tourism Done Right](https://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/l0TZefQb.jpg)
Travel
With picture-perfect beaches, well-organized tourism activities and customer service a cut above its Southeast Asian neighbors, could the Philippines' Boracay be a glimpse into the future of Vietnam's beach destinations?
![[Photos] The Bike Blanket is Taking Hanoi by Storm](https://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/GJwudaDb.jpg)
Culture
While Vietnamese people are well versed in sun protection gear , a new niche product has become an increasingly common sight on Hanoi’s roads – the bike blanket (think Snuggie for motorbikes).
Vietnam
Stay connected with Saigoneer on Twitter and Instagram , and like us on Facebook . Imports of used IT goods to be banned [Vietnam Plus] Special crash helmet introduced for ethnic women [DTI] Survey claims reduced bribery in customs [DTI]
Music & Arts
Acclaimed Hong Kong-based artists Laurent Gutierrez and Valerie Portefaix of Map Office bring to Dia Projects their first solo show in Saigon, titled Islands, Archipelagos and Other Liquid Territories . The show is a reflection of 20 years of multi-disciplinary work. Ranging from architecture to photography, drawings, installations, literary texts and performances, Map Office transversally examines the topics of globalization and the invisible – but nonetheless powerful – forces that shape our world on an economic, environmental and political level.
Saigon Hẻm Gems
This week, there was a rumor going around in our office about the best bò kho in the city. Because we take food very seriously at Saigoneer, I took it upon myself to determine the accuracy of this statement.
Vietnam
Can Tho receives first direct flight from Bangkok [SGGP] Vietnam behind in tourism workforce race in Southeast Asia, experts fear [Thanh Nien] Vietnam plans to end EVN monopoly in power market in 2016 [Thanh Nien]
Music & Arts
After stops in Singapore and Indonesia, British-born, Berlin-based DJ and producer Ed Davenport is bringing his music to Saigon as part of his Asian tour. He took some time to chat with the organisers of his upcoming gig at The Observatory .
![[Photos] The Disappearing Japanese Colonial Architecture Of Korea](https://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/yOcd04Hb.jpg)
Architecture
Like the European empires of France, Britain, Spain and the Netherlands, Japan once occupied wide swaths of Asia, imposing its military and cultural influence over its colonies.
Vietnam
Ha Noi city lacks bus stop shelters [Vietnam News] Police seize 20 tonnes of fake food [Vietnam News] Budget overspending exceeds US$3.43 bln in five months [SGGP]
Development
If you’ve zipped along the North-South Highway in recent days, you’ve probably noticed a girder-laying machine doing its thing just off of Thao Dien Street.
Vietnam
Vietnamese argue over bridal photo shoot on university campus [Tuoi Tre] Young Vietnamese build free, low-cost playgrounds for kids from recycled materials [Tuoi Tre] Cost to build road set to hit new high with Hanoi's $80 million plan [Thanh Nien]
![[Photos] Saigon Then & Now: Part 4](https://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/uxtZhglb.jpg)
Heritage
We’re back with another set of our “Then and Now” photos which contrast old images of Saigon with their present day counterparts. For a much larger collection, head over to the Saïgon-Chợ Lớn Then & Now Facebook group , a collaboration between Saigoneer and Historic Vietnam .
Music & Arts
Suboi recently returned from a series of successful US shows and wall-to-wall American media coverage . ­We sat down with Saigon’s “Queen of Hip-Hop” to ask about her experiences in the US, whether or not hip-hop can become mass-market in Vietnam and a number of other burning questions.
![[Photos] Saigon’s New Pedestrian Promenade Is Open For Business](https://media.urbanistnetwork.com/saigoneer/article-images/legacy/RaiaBfDb.jpg)
Development
Work has been completed on schedule for Saigon's new US$20 million pedestrian promenade on Nguyen Hue Street.
