Is it possible to spend a weekend in Vietnam’s largest city for 20 dollars? Yes. Yes, it absolutely is. Words & photos by Simon Stanley. First published by VnExpress International, May 2017 Despite a surge in tourism, a recent survey by Forbes suggests that Vietnam is still one of the world’s most affordable countries to…
Tag: food
Somebody Feed Phil
In late 2016, Zero Point Zero, the New York City-based production company responsible for Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, contacted me for tips on the best eats in Saigon. They were in the process of making a light-hearted food and travel show hosted by a well-known personality, and needed local “experts” in each city on their…
Little Tokyo: A nocturnal crawl through Saigon’s Japanese ghetto (photo essay)
words and photos by Simon Stanley Having first arrived in the early 1990s, the Japanese community in Ho Chi Minh City today is one of the largest and longest-standing expat groups, giving way to an entire neighbourhood of sushi joints, whisky bars, closed-door massage parlours and sex-starved salarymen. For the full story, as published by…
Saigon’s Best Breakfasts
A three-part series looking at some of the best early-morning eats in Ho Chi Minh City. Words and photos by Simon Stanley. Whether it’s our favourite brand of cereal eaten over the day’s news headlines, a buttery slice of toast hurriedly munched on the way to the station, or a full-blown multi-course feast, breakfast is…
Baozi
From London’s vibrant pop-up restaurant scene comes a menu as rich and as varied as its heritage, where steamed buns are just the beginning. By Simon Stanley. Photos by Vinh Dao. Baozi’s story started in England, when Chris Huynh, a Londoner born to Vietnamese parents, along with his Greek-British friend and business partner, Pablo Marks,…
Q&A – Mark Wiens
Simon Stanley talks to the Bangkok-based food and travel blogger about his love of chilli peppers, durian, and Southeast Asia’s street food. Photo by Mark Wiens. You were born in the United States and have lived in France, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Kenya. So it’s fair to say travelling is in your blood?…
The Sandwich That Ate the World
On the hunt through Saigon, in search of the past, present and future of the banh mi. By Simon Stanley. Photos by Vinh Dao. “Chili!” says the elderly Vietnamese lady, ushering me closer. She seems eager to help and apparently already knows what I want. Taking one of the pre-made sandwiches from the counter,…
Namo
Simon Stanley visits the artisanal pizzeria everyone’s talking about. Photos by Vinh Dao. “Why are your pizzas so ugly?” – Namo’s staff hear it all the time. For diners used to the mass-produced, perfectly round, photogenic pies churned out by those hangover-friendly pizza chains, the sight of a true Neapolitan pizza, it seems, can be…
Saigon’s Lunchtime Bargains
Simon Stanley searches for the best lunchtime bargains in District 1. Photos by Simon Stanley and Jonny Edbrooke. If you’re chained to a desk or simply trying to save cash – or, in my case, both – making lunchtimes count can be a chore. Since the day my favourite bun cha wagon disappeared from outside our apartment building,…
Acacia Veranda Dining
Fine dining, Saigon style. By Simon Stanley. Photos by Glen Riley. The craziness of a Saturday night in District 1 is just a murmur eight floors below, as we take our seats in Acacia’s recently remodelled indoor/outdoor dining area. Gentle pockets of light illuminate cosy nooks of rattan and bamboo. Cool grey hues contrast with…
Propaganda Vietnamese Bistro
Imagine a slice of Vietnam lifted out of its tiny plastic chair and taken around the world. It picks up a taste for wine and some culinary finesse in Paris, it scours the vintage vinyl stores of Brixton, Kingston and Harlem for its tunes, and kicks back over brunch in a trendy Brooklyn diner. This…
Simon Stanley, Writer 