Creator

Hương Lê

Stories by Hương Lê

7 stories

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Milo Dầm Is Decadence, Childhood and Street Culture in a Spoon

Growing up in Saigon before the surge of foreign dessert trends like milk tea, cheese tarts, and bingsu, the humble and affordable Milo powder found in almost every grocery store and street vendor was the pinnacle of my childhood dessert universe. Be it a bowl of shaved ice, a cup of milk tea, or a luscious smoothie, I was that determined child who would unabashedly mix Milo powder or cocoa into my beverages to "enhance" their flavors. The harmonious interplay of the powder's bitterness blending with the sweetness of milk, against the backdrop of chilly ice, created the perfect concoction for Saigon's sweltering climate.

Hương LêAug 17, 2023

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: The Chuối Nếp Nướng That You Can't Find on Google Maps

Before the birth of TikTok and food review channels, many Saigoneers already grew up with their own set of staple food gems. As a youngster, I would visit the city's familiar, delicious food stalls with my mom and little brother after a long day at school, snacking on all the desserts and food. Even though many stalls do not exist on Google Maps, thanks to word of mouth, they are always lively and crowded from opening to closing.

Hương LêJun 22, 2023

Dishcovery

Society Cafe's Cơm Xá Xíu Fine-Tunes a Cantonese Classic With New Techniques

Inspired by a Cantonese classic, Society Cafe & Dining’s char siu pork is carefully seasoned and prepared over two days, while the accompanying daikon and radish were pickled from scratch. Put together by famous food YouTuber Culinary Frank , cơm xá xíu is notable for the sous vide method used to marinate the meat more evenly. This technique brings out the char siu's full flavor while keeping the meat's original texture.

Hương LêApr 27, 2023

Food Culture

At Culinary Frank's Cozy Saigon Cafe, YouTube Food Comes to Life on the Plate

“Every restaurant is a miniature society,” says Phương Phạm (Frank Phạm), a Melbourne-based Vietnamese chef and famous YouTube food blogger who recently returned to Saigon to open his passion project, a cafe restaurant named Society Cafe & Dining. “In this miniature society, we welcome people from different backgrounds, yet they all share the same passion for food and the culinary experience. Whatever we have in this ‘society,’ we show all to our visitors.” Frank told me about his newest brainchild. “Our cafe is a home they can return to after a busy day at work.”

Hương LêApr 26, 2023

Parks & Rec

I Went Cloud-Hunting and Found Peace Atop Đà Lạt's Tea Hill

Northern California is blessed with serene nature. Growing up there, pathless trails and cloudy mountain peaks were my safe havens, and when returning home on break from college, it was a tradition to visit my favorite hideout place: a curvy hill near my old high school. Sitting atop the hill and looking down at the city offer a peaceful means to recharge and quiet my mind. The appearance of clouds adds more to the valley’s awe-inspiring nature.

Hương LêMar 16, 2023

Saigon

A Brief History of District 1's Collège d’Adran, Saigon's Oldest School

Driving past the Saigon Zoological and Botanical Garden toward Nguyễn Hữu Cảnh Street, many of us might not notice the presence of Võ Trường Toản Secondary School and Trưng Vương High School. The two institutions once belonged to one single entity, Collège d’Adran, which many historical sources deem the oldest school in Saigon.

Hương LêFeb 27, 2023

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: The Midnight Hủ Tiếu Only for Saigon's Most Patient Night Owls

As a Saigonese who has lived abroad for half of her life, I have a huge craving for hủ tiếu khô (dry noodles), my go-to breakfast meal and a dish my family always made sure to get on our way to my mother’s hometown in the Mekong Delta. Something special about the combination of the rich rice noodle, bone broth, and pork slices made us return for more. Though I later moved to the US and was exposed to other versions of dry noodle dishes and flavorful cuisines from different parts of the world, the memory of savoring a rich and topping-full hủ tiếu khô bowl from the motherland still remains in my mind.

Hương LêFeb 25, 2023