About

What is noodlepie?

From gutter grub to gourmet tables. Noodlepie is a blog about scoff & swill in Saigon. I do cover other topics, but only on a Friday, if the crows are nesting high, the cattle are in the lower paddock and the fortune teller says it's OK.

Brilliant name. Why did you call it noodlepie?

East meets west, bangers 'n' mash meets bun mam, noodle meets pie. Them's the bones of it. This is an ongoing project. There's plenty noodle, not much pie in there at the moment, but the pie's coming. All in good time.

I see, so who writes this incredible blog?

My name's Graham Holliday. I'm a British freelance journalist and I've been based in Asia for about eight years. I get paid to write editorial and advertorial copy for magazines, newspapers, websites and corporate publications around the world. Regular clients include Action Asia, The Guardian, Scotland Magazine, Sunday Herald, TIME Magazine and VisitScotland. I particularly enjoy writing features about travel/food, environmental issues/conservation, 'new media' and blogging but I'll consider any paid writing work. If you're interested, I have a portfolio website - but it's very out of date. I also blog for The Guardian's Comment is free mega-blog.

So if you're Graham, who the hell is this pieman dude?

Pieman is a nom de plume. It came about when I first started noodlepie and for better or worse it has stuck. In the early days I did think a total blogger-id blackout was the way to go. By the time I'd come to my senses, I'd already grown quite attached to my alter ego.

Aren't you that big shot, almost award winning blogger I've heard about?

Quite possibly. I've been close... real close. Was a finalist for best city and best overall food blog at the first annual Food Blog Awards in 2005. Comprehensively lost in each and every single category. I recovered by hitting the big time as a finalist in the 2005 Bloggies (think Blog Oscars). True to form, I lost that too. In September, 2005 the food folk at The Observer newspaper took pity and voted me one of the 'World's best food blogs'. Ace chef and food writer Nigel Slater sent me a nice email too. He "really enjoys" noodlepie. That's right, it's not just the hoi polloi hanging out here. I was a finalist again in the 2006 Bloggies and you'll never guess what...

Bummer. Nice about The Observer, though. What are you writing about at the moment?

Wildlife, green tourism, conservation stories and new media/online-trends - I wanna do way more on that subject if I can -  Samples: food blogging in The Guardian, citizen journalism also in The Guardian and travel blogging in TIME Magazine.

Your writing's great, can I hire you?

Sure, I'll consider any serious offers of paid writing work and don't think just 'cos I'm based in Saigon I only write about Vietnam. No, no, no, no. In reality I do very, very little about Vietnam. Although it is a great base. I frequently work on assignments overseas and I've written for quite a few big name outlets. Check out my portfolio and drop me an email if you're interested in hiring me.

You should sort out a book deal. I reckon a Saigon streetfood book written by you would totally rock...

It's a thought innit...  and you're not the first to have suggested it. I'm starting to think about it more seriously. What I'd like to do is select something in the region of 40 or 50 class 'A' street vendors, learn more about their lives, their speciality dishes, write some corkin' text about them and their nosh - bags of background, colour and depth all in my own style. Then maybe run some recipes alongside. It'd take a fair old whack of pavement pounding on my part and a decent translator. I'd also need a quality photographer on board. My snaps wouldn't do the thing justice. I'd want input into the design process too. I'm thinking big, I'm thinking bright, I'm thinking coffee table and classy. If you're an agent and interested - get in touch. Although I must say Hillel's latest free opus has totally blown me away. I'm toying with doing something along similar, yet very different, lines.

I'd love to visit Vietnam. Can you answer my list of questions?

Maybe. Please be very specific. As of this update to the 'About' page (Dec 2005) I'm getting around ten emails per week from people asking questions about food, travel, hotels, weather, the colour of my socks and the price of fish. Unfortunately, it's got to the point where, unless you have a very specific question that you can't find the answer to anywhere else and think I might be able to help, I'm afraid I probably won't return your email. Throughout 2005 I've become increasingly miffed at the number of people who have asked my advice - which I have given - but then don't bother to return a simple courtesy email. If that was you - I hope your ears are burning :( - if it wasn't - thanks for getting in touch :) Seriously, I'm happy to help if you're specific, it's just gone a bit mental these past few months.

I see you run advertising. What's the score?

I run BlogAds. Current rates range from US$65 per week - $600 for 3 months. I also have a rate card for locked in positions and tailored deals. Email me if you're interested. At the moment noodlepie gets something like 60,000 hits per month. Apart from apppearing in The Observer, this 'very nearly award winning' blog has stuffed the column inches of the New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Washington Post, The Guardian (by me - shameless tartlike, self-promotion there - apologies) and several other mainstream media outlets. If you're new to blogvertising and think it's all a bit 'out there' I suggest you read what Jeff Jarvis, blog-god, says. 

Can't I just buy you sommit. A gift? French lingerie? iPod?

Feel free. Some very kind readers occasionally buy me stuff from my UK Amazon Wishlist. Others send me Amazon gift certificates or Flickr Pro account renewals. Gifts are always appreciated. Hell, if I ever get that book done and dusted I might just fire off free copies to extra specially loyal readers... maybe ;)

Need more? Hit the comment box.

Comments

[Winnie]

Hey Graham,

Nice site.

Have you been to the Sesame Restaurant? Great set western menus and wonderful professional service from kids in training. If not, check it out - 153 Xo Viet Nghe Tinh in Binh Thanh District.

Take care,
Winnie

[pieman]

Thanks Winnie - yes I have been there, but it was quite a while ago. Good idea though, must pop by again sometime. Cheers.

[pieman]

Hang on. I just read Christine Buckley's review in the Vietnam News She says Sesame is new. I could swear I've been to a place with the same name in Binh Thanh and a similar training scheme going on. I went to a party there a year ago and was told all about the work they do. Did I get the name mixed up, is this a revamp, or have I completely lost the plot?

[Winnie]

No it's not new - it opened for the first time in 2003 but, according to the ladies that run the place (Claire and Karine), closed soon afterwards due to some problems with funding and administration. Now it's reopened.

I've been going there once a week and the food and service is always great. Not too keen on the Asian menu but western menu is always fabulous. It's usually quite empty so I'm trying to spread the word.

Take care,
Winnie

[pieman]

Ahaaa. I am not going insane just yet then. Thx for the info. The word is now spread a little further.

[Hien Lam]

Hi
As a Vietnamse who live in the US ....Your blogg is bring me so much joyce.......thank you so much

[Karin]

Hi pieman,
when I stumbled across your website last w-e I had the feeling to have struck a goldmine: great read, great tips! That is, as far as I can tell re the latter; tried the “Ngu Vien” last night and left happily satisfied, to be back soon... So much so that our first-time experience with noodlepie’s suggestions was certainly not the last. Just like I’ve been revisiting your delightfully crafted site every single day since I happened to discover it, tired of both our regular trinity (quan an ngon-com ngon-Ben Thanh) - even if IMHO they are v. good resp. good value - and the press-released resto-“reviews” in gazettes like The Guide & Co... (couldn’t you write e.g. for The Guide and with one single article per issue improve its readworthiness by 100%?)
Once that glossy classy coffee-table book of yours has taken shape and turned into a huge success, please think of me as your most devoted translator to render it into German for next to nothing (that is, the sheer pleasure of it, which I suppose would be a lot ;-), even if I'm a pro, though you’d better not mention my disposition to the editors upfront ‘cause they’d probably pay a misery anyway... (IMHexperience, in translation fun and fee are reciprocally proportional)
Anyway thanks a lot for your wonderfully entertaining website and the many smiles I owe it!
atb
Karin

[Karin]

ahem, I'm a bit surprised to see my comment flash on your site in the wink of an eye - actually, it wasn't meant to be a public comment, but a personal one to The Author Himself!
cheers
K.

[pieman]

Don't be surprised Karin - this is a blog. If you're new to blogs, comments don't get censored and they appear automatically, even before I see them :) Thanks for your very kind words. Glad you're finding noodlpie of some use and you're right Ngu Vien is a bit of a winner.

About the local food press etc. The only contact I had with The Guide was about four years ago when I noticed they nicked a crappy old feature I did for a US publication. I complained, they paid me for thieving and mentioned the possibility of doing some restaurant reviews for them. I never chased them up on it and they never got back in touch so I forgot about it. From memory they offered something like 300,000VD per review plus a freebie dinner/lunch whatever. Don't mean to sound arrogant, but at that rate it's not really worth my while. In my first year in Saigon, three or four other local publications contacted me to do various things, but nothing suitable ever came of it.

Although, I would be interested in a noodlepie column in the local press. I think it'd be a bit of a laugh and who knows maybe quite useful and a bit different from the usual unreadable crap - IMO.

[ducoutumany]

I'm just another new reader of your blog : its GREAT !
I'm a Vietnamese Frenchman living in Lyon, but I grew up in Saigon, and about to fly back there today for july & august .
Keep up the works, youre doing quite a FINE job !
Anthony D.

[Kellie]

What bloody brilliant timing! I'm off to Vietnam on July 2 for a few weeks and have just come across this blog.

Being a first time visitor (from Australia) I've been searching high & low for recent, relevant reading, and this definitely fits the bill.

[Kellie]

Ooops... make that Jul 7. ;)

[maryb]

Dearest Pieman,

Someone on the SlowTrav.com message board (a French blogger-- don't hold the Chirac comment against her!) pointed me in your direction & I will be forever grateful to her and, I'm sure, to you as well. Tons of questions to throw your way but to start with...

We'll be in Ho Chi Minh city for about 3 weeks in Oct. (then on to Hanoi & other areas) consulting on a dragonfruit export project and scouting out possibilities/planning for an upcoming group tour next winter. Whilst hubbie is busy, I'd love to take some cooking classes btwn touring & doing a bit of volunteering. Know of any possibilities for a hands on lesson on the local cuisine? I'm most interested in seafood/poultry/vegetarian dishes. Or perhaps you know of a restaurant that would allow me to sit in the corner for the night for a fee as a food voyeur?

Also, we are searching for a few interesting speakers in Vietnam to give presentations regarding social, political or historical issues to a group of approx. 35 people in Feb.'06. The group is comprised of professionals in an agricultural leadership development program from throughout CA. Not all are farmers but come from a variety of backgrounds that interconnect with ag. Topics such as adult orphans fathered by American soldiers during the Vietnam war, the future of VN in the world economy, changes since American tourism opened up, sustainable agricultural practices or any current relevant topics presented by qualified speakers would be most helpful. Know of anyone that we could connect with there during our scouting trip?

In addition, (yes, there's more... :)

Noticed your main gig is focused on issues pertaining to the environment/conservation, etc. Our personal focus is the same primarily in regards to organic/sustainable agriculture, poverty/hunger/development issues & a variety of related issues in addition to less serious areas of food, wine, adult beverages of all sorts. My husband is a third generation bug dude, which is Californian for a guy that produces/consults/sells good bugs that eat bad bugs as an alternative to nasty pesticides. (No, he's not an entomologist-- too nerdy! Studied ag. biz/econ & hires the sweet nerds that love squinting through microscopes. And, no, our offspring do not have antennae.) We'd love to buy you dinner & pick your brain a bit if it's possible for our paths to cross. I realize we're not extending ourselves too far with the price of a great meal there but I imagine the bar tab will exceed the food bill!

My first time posting to a blog. Is it bad form to prattle on so long?

Look forward to your response & MANY THANX for the throughly entertaining & useful info I will no doubt be spending hours more perusing.

maryb

[maryb]

Realizing I should have e-mailed you all of the above rather than cluttering up your lovely blog. I was so overwhelmed by the wonderful content I didn't see alternative contact info.

Oh, well...! Feel free to remove or purge it after responding.

[Bert Dickerson]

Check out my Thailand Culinary Excursion......I loved your pics on Flickr!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bertd/show/

[jenn]

Hi there,

Great site. Am totally in love with Vietnamese food right now. I really dunno what hit me, but after a visit to Hong Kong (where I'm originally from, live in Toronto now), I love Vietnamese food more than ever. And you know what one of my past times are? You would never believe it, but I actually google images of pho..! And thats how I stumbled to your website!

Your site is spectacular. Lots of vibrant pictures, yummy pho! Best of luck on your food book!

[danang nick]

Glad I found noodle pie + will recommend.
Does anyone know of organic vegetables in VN? Shipped to the customers door? Asking because....I live in Danang....say no more.

[pieman]

Cheers Nick - this might help. Not sure if they deliver to Danang though.

http://thericebowl.blogspot.com/2005/07/organik-vietnam.html

[Toan Thai]

Pieman,

Interesting site and writing. Wish I had the talent to write like you. BTW, my Korean, American friends and I have Pho for lunch once a week. Can't go too long w/out it. My second fav is Bun Bo Hue. I didn't see Bun Mang Vit (Duck noodle soup) on your menu; however, before I try to comment it, I had to google it to get the correct spelling. Needless to say, you wrote something about it already. haha. Happy eating.

Toan

[Nhan Vu]

I know this site through my friend's blog. I'm so curious about your site's name and I come to your blog right away.
Your blog is really great. As a Vietnamese, of course I know noodle and pie foods of my country, such as "Pho", "Mi Quang", "Bun Mam", "Banh Cuon", "Banh Trang", "Banh Xeo", ... and I have enjoyed them in my province or in my friends' province. Are you agree that all of them is delicious? I prefer them very much.
Thanks to your blog. It helps me know how to decribe noodles and pies in English (that helps improve my English so much :))and know foreigners' feeling about my country and its foods.

[pieman]

Thanhks for dropping by Toan, Nhan :) I appreciate your kind words, although I wouldn't rely on my English to learn English Nhan... Yikes...

[Phu]

Dear Mr. Pieman,

Great site, period. Although you stated you don't write much about Viet Nam, I wish otherwise. Then again, I am a little bias.

Write that book and I definately will buy.
Thanks for the work.

-Phu

[drifter1dc]

Noodledude,

Just came across your site and found a gold mine for my next visit to the "Nam". Will definately visit some of your "finds". All your comments are worth while and add great flavor to the bloggness.....keep up the good work.

[Frits Mulder]

Hi Graham,

Just found your blog and your post about food in Cambodia. Pity that you didn't find any good food in a restaurant. You are right that some street food/snacks are very good, but next time you come to Phnom Penh I invite you to visit my restaurant and have your honest opinion about the Khmer food on offer.

[Quynn]

Hi Graham,

My girlfriends and I plan to leave NYC on Dec. 3 to Vietnam. I'm so excited to finally visit a county that I was born in but never knew. We left when I was six and now I have the opportunity to go back. We will arrive in Saigon(2 nights), fly to Phu Quo, then to Nha Trang, then to my birthplace, DaNang, Hoi An, and finally to Hanoi with a cruise to Ha Long Bay.

Any suggestions on "must visit" restaurants while we are there? I'm also traveling with a Brit, she's an attorney in NYC but loves to party! Maybe we'll see you at one of the local hangouts?

Take care,

Quynn

[pieman]

Have a good trip Quynn. I get asked for recommendations *alot* - gonna have to write a post. Search the categories on the right, but here are a few highlights I would strongly recommend.

Quan An Ngon
Banh xeo
Bun cha
Banh trang phoi suong
Bo tung xeo
Chao ca

You never know you might bump into me :)

[Lil]

just thought i'd drop by to say hello, and will take my time browsing through around here... :)

[Albert]

NICE blog! I don't read much blog, but this one shock me, and leaving me wanting more. Great job Graham. I recently created and host a site about vietnamese food places in the US, specifically in OC area called whattoeat.net. Do you have any pointer for me? Please please please help with any comments or thoughts to make it a fraction as successful as yours :)

Albert

[jerry]

During my year (1970)in Vietnam(courtesy of the USAF), I came across a drink called-as close as I can remember- "nha gao py". do you know of this drink-if so, what can you tell me about it? Any info is appreciated. Really enjoy reading your posts.

[World business for sale]

Hi Graham,

This is a great site with lots of useful links from recent post.
We would be honored if we could be added to this great blog. We are from http://www.worldbusinessforsale.com/

Good work keeps it up!

[lesley]

love what iv been reading great stuf. keep it up lesley

[Van Anh]

i'm very suprised with Bun ta restaurant. It is actually a traditional restaurant. I like Bun very much, therefore I specilly pay attention to types of Bun: bun cha gio, bun oc, bun rieu, bun bo hue, bun ca, bun thang, bun moc. . .I have thought of openning a restaurant specilized in Bun as Bun ta.
Now, I am living in Vungtau city, a tourism, high-income city and I 'd like to "buy" your "Bun ta" trade mark in order to open a similar restaurant in Vungtau City (Pho 24 also has a branch in Vung tau city).
If you interest my propose, please advise me as soon as possible.
Thanks a lot.

[j.fisher]

Hi noodlepie,

I love your posts thus far. I've just settled down here in Hanoi after a trip down south to Saigon and the Mekong Delta -- your descriptions are pretty accurate.

I'm still looking for that sangri-la of pho place in Saigon; the best one I've come across is Pho Binh in Cholon. If you're ever in the states, check out Orange County for pho -- I find the ingredients here in Vietnam are a little on the rough side.

PS - I live close to Quan An Ngon here in Hanoi and they do a pretty good job at 'middle class' prices.

[Louis Bonneau]

Mon cher Graham félicitations pour votre reportage sur les restaurants de Saigon - Cholon. Photos très évocatrices et cela me met en appétit. Je vous encourage de continuer sur cette voie. Merci.

[D & T]

Pieman,
If you ever go to Da Nang/Hoi An, please try "cao la^`u" and "Mi` Qua?ng" if you haven't already done so. I heard (never had the chance to try it for myself) that "cao la^`u" is delicious and only in Hoi An can it be so delicious. And please do blog it :)

[Nini]

if you ever stop by Vo Van Tan Street, i recommend you try Hu Tieu Nam Vang there and the place is called Lien' Hua'. The best hu tieu of Sai Gon so far. Hong Phat is nothing compare to it but the price is a bit high, around 40,000 a bowl, but definately worth it!

[janani]

I've been a secret fan of your blog for a couple of years now. I'm a vegetarian, but I take such guilty, vicarious pleasure in the spread portrayed... especially the spring rolls. A good spring roll (that is also vegetarian) is hard to find. I'm afraid a softie like me would never be able to survive the Viet streets, so all I can do is follow your adventures from the other side... so keep making our mouths water with your fantastic writing.

I heart noodlepie.

[Anne]

I've just read your blogs after reading in Tuoi tre magazine. I really recommend u to try "Banh uot" in Nguyen Tri Phuong Street, Dst 10. It's really good. I know it since I was 5 years old. :) Only one stall in Nguyen Tri Phuong street sells "Banh uot"( it's really crowded on SUnday) :)

[Copular Timber]

Chào Graham !
Em là một người con Việt Nam, do đó khi được biết về blog này của anh, quả thật là rất vui và cảm phục anh nữa.
Không hiểu sao lại nghĩ là anh sẽ đọc được những dòng chũ này và sẽ hồi âm đến địa chỉ e-mail của em.
Anh biết không, thực sự sẽ vui lắm đấy, àh quên, tuy là người Việt và sinh ra lón lên ở Việt Nam, nhưng em không ăn được món mắm, hic !
Love !

[Ann]

Hi Graham,

Well, I really love your webpage, I am introducing it with my friend who was living in Sweden. I am sure that he is interested this.

I love all kind of food in HCM city.

By the way, if you have free time, you can go to BUN OC store in Dinh Tien Hoang street,Distric 1, it is near Hoa Lu stadium, I am sure that you will enjoy with this course. It is very cheap: only about 15,000 VN dong

Ann

[pieman]

Nice tip. New and noted. Cheers :)

[thuan]

hi graham !
I am thuan, and i have just heard about ur wedpage, it is really interresting .
if u free, come to this restaurant( not really big)but it has a dish called "MI VIT TIEN" it is very tasty. it is in district 4 oposite Nguyen Tat Thanh bookstore ,on right side if u come from dictrict 1, at the conert.
hope u enjoy it

[Tuan Anh]

Very nice Graham!I even don't know much about VNese foods than you do. Your pictures really make me miss my home. Keep updating your blog with pictures please
cheers, mate

[Titty]

Hello! I found your website through Google. Being Vietnamese, I love sharing my culture with others, especially my boyfriend who is Italian. He loves Vietnamese food! I couldn't find satisfying enough pictures of some dishes I missed, so I went searching through Google.

Thank you so much for all the wonderful pictures and writings. :) I want to link you!

Titty

[Phan Truong Duy]

Tôi yêu món ăn Việt!Đơn giản 1 diều vì tôi là người Việt Nam.Tôi đang học tâp và làm việc và thương xuyên tiếp xúc với thức ăn việc để tạo nền tang cho ước mơ thay đổi cuộc đời mình!
Sẽ là món qua lớn đối với tôi nếu được tiếp xúc và lam việc với Anh(nhà tôi khong xa chợ Bến Thành lắm!)
Mong thư và sớm găp Anh.
Tháng 8 tớii tôi sẽ đi Hànội!Nếu Anh có thời gian hãy đồng hành cùng tôi
Chân thành!

[Truong Duy Phan]

I wish i could meet you as soon as possible!
Maybe you 're busy!But ...rely for me!
Sincerely!

[Lan]

Hi Graham
There's a new place in Hai Ba Trung St - HCM City called the "Wrap and Roll" . Everything is either rolled or presented in a cylindrical shape. Have you tried it?

I like to try new places too. And I enjoyed noodlepie.com tremendously. I have friends coming to VN who haven't heard of noodlepie.com so I'll pass the word.

Cheers!

[Tu Nguyen]

Hi Graham!
You're website is great!
I have some England friends who would like to know more about VietNamese food! They were absorded when i told them about noodlepie.com. It's great,right?

[DangKhoa]

Hi Graham,
I'm just back from VN week ago. Your website brought me back there instantly as I saw the pictures of delicious dishes. I love to taste Vnmese food with wine. Any suggestion? Thanks for the great site.

D.

[Thanh Hien]

Graham,
Have you ever wondered how many lives you have touched by your amazing website? =^__^= Well, the number is too big to think of. =P
Especially for those who live far away from VN. I am one of them. I miss Vietnamese food like crazy. The pictures you posted look so inviting.
Keep up your GREAT work! Thanks a ton. =^__^=

[Thien Anh]

I had had the same idea as the noodlepie.com for such a long time but couldn't do it since I am very bad in design website things, anyway, you did it now. The reason I wanna do is to promote VN (I love my country like you do I believe). Can you suggest me if I build a website to post all uptodate news to promote????? Cheers

[trang nguyen]

Hi Pieman,

i'm Trang from Hanoi, with a group searching on vietnamese food. Your blog helps us really lot. Thanx. We did some in Hue, Hoian and about to do Hanoi and Saigon. We are going down to Saigon in the next 2 weeks. Wonder if you would be around to talk food?

[bayi]

Hi Graham. Fantastic site. I came here via Eating Asia and I wish I had come earlier! I have not visited Vietnam but I am now seriously think about it, now that I have read some interesting things here.

[helene rosenthal]

thanks to your blog we had an amazing trip to vietnam last december. we're off to thailand this time and i was wondering if there were blogs you could recommend.
thanks,
helene rosenthal

[Graham]

Thanks for the note. Always good to know the blog is of use to other folk :) Best Thai food blog I know is real thai, from Bangkok (mostly)

http://realthai.blogspot.com/

i am planning to visit vietnam soon. i find your site to be informative. thanks.

[haly]

just want to thank you for such a wonderful and informative web site. i've written down nearly every street address of every food stall/restaurant that you've covered in hopes of hitting all the spots during my trip in a few weeks. have you any recommendations for hotels/guesthouses? i'm hoping to visit saigon, nha trang, qui nhon, hue, hanoi, and sapa.

[Graham]

Thanks for you kind words Haly. I hope you enjoy eating thru Vietnam. Things change so quickly and it depends upon your budget, but I quite like the Caravelle in Saigon and the Bong Sen II which is a bit cheaper.

I don't like Nha Trang I'm afraid to say, but the Ana Mandara was good last time I was there. It's expensive.

Life Resort in Quy Nhon is a bit odd, food's not that great, but big rooms and a very quiet spot.

I haven't been to Hue in years, well not to stay overnight, so best ask elsewhere for advice there.

Likewise with Sapa. I stayed in the Victoria, doing the whole Victoria Express train thing. This was 6 yrs agos or more. I enjoyed it, esp. the train, but found the hotel a bit shabby. Maybe they've done it up by now, or maybe there's a better option in Sapa. I don't know :)

[Rice Burner]

Dudes,
You're asking waayy too much from a Flintstone airline, their food and service will stay at that level until their manners and English improve. Besides, you should feel fortunate that you're not one of the "Overseas Vietnamese". These people have to pay bribe to go through customs, higher prices in everything that they buy, bullied by the authorities, threatened to be deported or thrown in jail if they dare to complain, etc.
They're not welcome there, only their$$$

[Demi Fantasy]

I'm a Saigonese. I am looking around for some photos for "trà đá" (ice tea) and found your blog! It's really cool! So happy to know that you love Saigonese food!

May I borrow some article or photos and blog em onto our blog about saigon? Please check back at www.cafesg.com! Thank you in advance!

[Bostonian Girl]

I just think your website is awesome! I'm going to email a link to my mom to take a look at; she'll love your blog. I hope you keep up the good work. =)

Are you currently living in VN?

M. Nguyen

[David Graves]

Hello Graham, Enjoyed the article on Bourdain. I'm a NYC chef currently visiting Ho Chi Minh City. Banh Xeo on Dinh Cong Trang------I'm there tomorrow. I also have a report that it's good at Banh Xeo 46A. I enjoy eating banh mi sandwiches when in NY. I've come to learn that banh mi means bread here. Can you recommend a place that serves banh mi sandwiches? Thanks a bunch. DG