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Kyle Lee

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Stories by Kyle Lee

6 stories

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: A Bún Bò Breakfast in D3

Tucked away in a narrow storefront along District 3’s Nguyen Thien Thuat is a mean bowl of breakfast bún bò Huế .

Kyle LeeMar 10, 2017

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Bún Sứa Serves Up a Jellyfish Medley Without the Sting

The menu at Bun Sua Co Hanh is geared towards diners with a hankering for seafood, and not just your regular fish and company. They serve something out of the ordinary at this slightly drab riverfront restaurant, which I initially thought was noodles and milk (apparently my Vietnamese really needs some work: bún sứa refers to noodles with jellyfish, while bún sữa means noodles with milk). While the cuisine here is not quite as strange as milk noodles, it manages to offer something almost as unique.

Kyle Lee

Aug 26, 2016

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Good Bánh Bèo Comes to Those Who Wait

The most memorable eating experiences are the ones that take time. Of all the meals Saigon’s sidewalks can offer, the best require a pilgrimage to some faraway district and a series of trial-and-error expeditions down darkened alleys in search of your meal’s exact location. Once you finally arrive, there’s another wait – perhaps for a place to sit, perhaps for the food itself – before the final prize arrives at your table.

Kyle LeeJul 15, 2016

Saigon Hẻm Gems

[Video] Hẻm Gems: The Long but Worthwhile Wait for Xôi Chiên

They say the best things in life are worth waiting for. In the case of the elusive xôi chiên , they're right.

Kyle LeeJun 3, 2016

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: Saigon's Street Food Unicorn

Not only are unicorns real, they are edible. In fact, these beauties are an animal of such mythic deliciousness that you should count yourself lucky to even catch a glimpse of one, much less feast on its flesh. On a busy corner in District 1 during rush hour traffic, I had the privilege of spotting the great cá da bò – known to English speakers as the unicorn leatherback – before it promptly disappeared at the hands of our hungry dining group.

Kyle LeeMay 6, 2016

Saigon Hẻm Gems

Hẻm Gems: On Eating (Chicken) Ass

Let’s play a game. I tell you a word and you tell me the first thing that comes to mind. Here goes: chicken.

Kyle LeeApr 8, 2016