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Khôi Phạm

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Khôi has a soft spot for em dashes, cats, and the occasional curry — the heat might be mild, but his metaphors aren't.

Stories by Khôi Phạm

257 stories

Hẻm Gems: D1's Rainy-Day Cháo Mực

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: D1's Rainy-Day Cháo Mực

“A cháo a day keeps the cold at bay.” – Saigoneer proverb

Khoi PhamNov 25, 2016

Street Cred: Chu Van An, Vietnam's Educator Extraordinaire

Vietnam

Street Cred: Chu Van An, Vietnam's Educator Extraordinaire

To celebrate Vietnamese Teacher’s Day 2016, this week’s Street Cred brings you the story of one of Vietnam's most beloved educators, Chu Van An.

Khoi PhamNov 20, 2016

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Hẻm Gems: Nguyen Thuong Hien's Quaint Corner Juice Heaven

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Nguyen Thuong Hien's Quaint Corner Juice Heaven

In Saigon, when life gives you grapefruits, you create a thriving business to sell its juice to health-conscious locals.

Khoi PhamNov 4, 2016

Hẻm Gems: D1's Bún Mọc Assembly Line

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: D1's Bún Mọc Assembly Line

We leave our office in search of District 1’s famed phở áp chảo only to find bún mọc in a hopeless place.

Khoi PhamOct 28, 2016

Hẻm Gems: Nguyen Tri Phuong's Chicken Rice Paradise

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Nguyen Tri Phuong's Chicken Rice Paradise

We promise this will be the last Nguyen Tri Phuong-based Hẻm Gem…for now.

Khoi PhamOct 21, 2016

Hẻm Gems: Conquering the Giant Bánh Canh Ghẹ Muối Ớt Xanh of D10

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Conquering the Giant Bánh Canh Ghẹ Muối Ớt Xanh of D10

My uncle used to say that you haven't had real crab until you have to cook and dismantle one. For this week’s Hẻm Gem, Saigoneer takes you on a trip to do just that, relishing real crabs by breaking them apart with your bare hands. So put away your ceviche and crab croquettes and maybe do some hand muscle exercises because you’re gonna need them to properly enjoy a hearty bowl of bánh canh ghẹ muối ớt xanh .

Khoi PhamOct 14, 2016

Street Cred: Bui Vien, the First Vietnamese in America...or Was He?

Saigon

Street Cred: Bui Vien, the First Vietnamese in America...or Was He?

In today’s Saigon, Bui Vien Street is commonly known as the city’s backpacker paradise, not to mention one of its many nightlife hotspots. It’s unclear whether urban planners in the southern hub had originally envisioned the neighborhood as Saigon’s downtown tourist quarter, but if you dig deeper into the story of the man behind the name, Bui Vien is an apt historical figure for the area.

Khoi PhamOct 9, 2016

Street Cred: Thoai Ngoc Hau, Dedicated but Misunderstood

Vietnam

Street Cred: Thoai Ngoc Hau, Dedicated but Misunderstood

For someone whose entire life was dedicated to national progress, Thoai Ngoc Hau really didn’t receive the treatment he deserved for his achievements. Marred by a wrongful conviction, even after his death, the official’s reputation remained damaged, leaving many of his descendants to bear the brunt of their forefather’s fate.

Khoi PhamSep 25, 2016

Bánh Trung Thu: From Traditional Festive Fare to Asia’s Answer to Fruitcake

Food Culture

Bánh Trung Thu: From Traditional Festive Fare to Asia’s Answer to Fruitcake

While Saigoneer ’s previous installment in our Food History series touched on the evolution of bánh xèo , a light, airy crepe that screams summer with every bite, this week’s dish belongs to the other end of the spectrum: bánh Trung Thu , or mooncake, whose rich, savory taste perfectly encapsulates the essence of autumn.

Khoi PhamSep 12, 2016

Hẻm Gems: Lão Hương Thân, One of Saigon's Oldest Cơm Gà Xối Mỡ Restaurants

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Lão Hương Thân, One of Saigon's Oldest Cơm Gà Xối Mỡ Restaurants

Is there anything quite as glorious as beautifully done fried chicken?

Khoi PhamSep 9, 2016

Nhạc Vàng: Bridging the Generational Gap With Retro Saigon Tunes

Music & Arts

Nhạc Vàng: Bridging the Generational Gap With Retro Saigon Tunes

As the chatter starts to die down and the soft disco lights turn on, peppering the room with a myriad of colors, it seems as if the entire interior of Nguoi Sai Gon cafe has travelled back in time to the golden age of Vietnamese music.

Khoi PhamSep 5, 2016

Catching 'Em All in Saigon: Pokemon GO Brings More Than Old School Nostalgia to Vietnam

Society

Catching 'Em All in Saigon: Pokemon GO Brings More Than Old School Nostalgia to Vietnam

One of my colleagues threatened to ban Pokemon GO in the Saigoneer office after he saw me catching a Pidgey, a bird-type Pokemon, at our desk.

Khoi PhamAug 22, 2016

Street Cred: Ho Xuan Huong, a Woman Ahead of Her Time

Saigon

Street Cred: Ho Xuan Huong, a Woman Ahead of Her Time

Despite being one of Vietnam’s most prominent classical poets, Ho Xuan Huong’s existence remains an enigma to this day.

Khoi PhamAug 14, 2016

Street Cred: The Badass Tale of Co Giang

Saigon

Street Cred: The Badass Tale of Co Giang

If there’s one thing you need to know about Vietnamese women in history, it’s that they were badasses. From waging wars to avenge their husbands to throwing a grenade at enemy lines , countless Vietnamese women have proven themselves to be dauntless, sterling warriors on par with their male counterparts. This week’s famous figure, Co Giang, is no exception.

Khoi PhamJul 17, 2016

Busted: A 3D Printing Adventure in Saigon

Tech

Busted: A 3D Printing Adventure in Saigon

My journey with 3D printing begins with me mishearing “bust” as “butt.”

Khoi PhamJul 9, 2016

[Video] Hẻm Gems: Fish Balls, Curry and Noodle Soup, a Perfect Storm

Saigon Hẻm Gems

[Video] Hẻm Gems: Fish Balls, Curry and Noodle Soup, a Perfect Storm

Some may say that good things in life come when you least expect them, and from my encounter with this week’s Hem Gem – curry fish balls and noodles – you can count me in as a firm believer in this particularly Hakuna Matata-esque philosophy.

Khoi PhamJul 8, 2016

Street Cred: Han Mac Tu

Vietnam

Street Cred: Han Mac Tu

Vietnam’s literary scene is filled with colorful characters and mystifying urban legends, but no other poet has received as much fanfare – or as much scrutiny – as Han Mac Tu, one of the country's most revered literary figures.

Khoi PhamJul 3, 2016