Ho Chi Minh Quan Hai San Ut Lien · Local Preferred Seafood Restaurant 乌连海鲜餐厅

Marcus, a Vietnam foodie veteran was full of enthusiasm and eager for us to try out Ut Lien seafood restaurant. Indeed, it is the hyperlocal type of seafood place I would come back for and recommend to others. It serves excellent fresh seafood and prices are reasonable (codeword for not cheap 😄 ).

Pork Chop with Broken Rice @ Cơm Tấm An Dương Vương in Ho Chi Minh City

Buddy Marcus brought me to a chup chai png or Singapore economic rice type affordable restaurant which serves rice with lots of side dishes.

Eco Ca Phe Vietnam · Best Here is Pure Coffee Beans with Nothing Added

Vietnam is perhaps best known for pho, banh mi and ca phe or coffee. That, of course, is a gross simplification - Vietnam has a lot, a lot more than that (more next time).

Tiệm Cà Phê Linh 1975 Cafe @ Ho Chi Minh District 1 · Best Here is the Nostalgic Decor

After a satisfying brekky at Pho Viet Nam, I walked back to my hotel. Just steps away, the rustic coffee shop at the intersection of Pham Hong Thai street and Truong Dinh street caught my attention.

Stopped me in my tracks 👣

Pho Viet Nam Michelin District 1 Menu Review · Best Here is their Fresh Rice Noodle

I came here with some healthy scepticism. This wasn't really my first choice but today I have a plane to catch and I don't want to wander too far from the hotel. I also don't want hotel breakfast.

100 Year Old Traditional Teochew Bakery · Trieu Minh Hiep in Chinatown Ho Chi Minh Vietnam 赵明合

Trieu Minh Hiep 赵明合 Teochew bakery in Ho Chi Minh City's Chinatown (Cho Lon) really doesn't need anymore introduction. Many people including tourists know about the century old Trieu Minh Hiep and come to buy their traditional hand made bakes for gifting.

Cháo Gà Vân Hương Vietnamese Chicken Rice in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam

I asked buddy Meng to bring me to a Vietnamese chicken rice place.

Phở Miến Gà Kỳ Đồng · Soulful Chicken Noodle Soup in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam

Stumbled upon Phở Miến Gà Kỳ Đồng while on my way to a meet up. When travelling I like to walk and see where it takes me. Like the late Anthony Bourdain once said, you can't really see a city from the window of a taxi (or something to that effect).

Reboot Bistro for Singapore Food in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam

When I am overseas, I don't normally miss Singapore food because I am eager to explore the local cuisine. But, I know many people who crave for the taste and smell of Singapore food, especially people who have to be away for long periods of time. I would be keen to try Singapore food overseas too, if I am abroad for a long time.

Snakehead Fish Porridge · Cháo Cá Lóc Cây Sung · 55km Southwest of Ho Chi Minh City

Secretly, it was quite a relief for me that we decided to have fish porridge for dinner. I had eaten way too much the last few days in Ho Chi Minh City and besides, I love fish and porridge 😁

Pork Noodle Hủ Tíu Mì Cật in Ho Chi Minh City District 1, Vietnam

Buddy Marcus was raving about this Vietnamese noodle shop. Marcus is an independent foodie, meaning he prefers to seek out his own favourites rather than rely on guidebooks or influencers. He travels widely from America, to Europe and Asia, and has been in Vietnam many times in the last decade.

Hủ tíu mì (rice noodle) shops are common in Ho Chi Minh City but this Hủ Tíu Mì Cật is Marcus' favourite.

Phở Phượng 25 · Vietnamese Beef Noodle for Supper in Ho Chi Minh City

Any trip to Vietnam must, of course, include at least one pho stop. For this trip, we had the beef noodle soup at Phở Phượng 25. (The pho shop is just steps away from the Lunch Lady stall made famous by Anthony Bourdain.)

Stall name: Phở Phượng 25

Address: 25 Hoàng Sa, Đa Kao, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Tel: +842 8 3910 2421

Hours: 4:00pm to 12:00 noon

Famous Lunch Lady of Ho Chi Minh City 2022 · Anthony Bourdain's Hyperlocal Vietnam Food Corner

For this foodie trip to Ho Chi Minh City, I left myself in the good hands of Aaron and family who know the city very well. So, when Aaron brought us to this little corner of old Saigon on a rainy afternoon, I didn't know what to expect, except that it's going to be another interesting hyperlocal experience.

Stall name: The Lunch Lady · Nguyen Thi Thanh

Address: Chung Cư, Lô D, Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, Đa Kao, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Tel: +849 3388 7922

Hours: 10:30am - 4:00pm

Quán Hủ Tiếu Mỹ Tho Thanh Xuân in Ho Chi Minh · Taste of Old Saigon @ Fourth Generation Noodle Legend

I was last in Ho Chi Minh City more than a decade and so was eager to join foodie buddy Aaron on his family trip. Our first meal soon after we checked in at the hotel was this saucy, lor mee type noodle dish which I have never tried before.

Stall name: Quán Hủ Tiếu Mỹ Tho Thanh Xuân

Address: 62 Tôn Thất Thiệp, Bến Nghé, Quận 1, Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh, Vietnam

Hours: 7:00am - 2:00pm (close at 7pm on Sat & Sun)