Greek cuisine in Saigon
Greek cuisine in Saigon Saigon is a city that looks out upon the entire world and beckons it to come hither. And hither so much …
Posts in category Sterling
The Enduring Charm of Saigon
It’s time for a little retrospect. And a little recognition of someone special to old Saigon. When I first came here in the early 1990s …
Restaurant Olé
My two favourite countries for food are Vietnam and Spain. Yes, I know that seems a weird combo, but there it is. Here I get …
Vietnams flowers and fruit
Vietnams flowers and fruit If you’re reading this in the beginning of the month, then Tet is once again in full bloom. And two things …
Chilli con carne
I sat at the bar in Mogambo, at 50 Pasteur Street, District 1. A very blond woman of a certain age sat primly two stools …
Vietnamese rice wine ruou can
Vietnamese rice wine ruou can It’s that time of year again. That time when we can be glad we’re (largely) spared the shopping madness of …
The Martini Man
The Martini Man On an afternoon in 1862, in the then young city of San Francisco, a man stepped into the saloon of the Occidental …
Mexican food in Saigon
Mexican food in Saigon How many Mexicans live in this city? That’s right, not many! So how many Mexican restaurants are there in this city? …
Spring rolls
The Vietnamese gastronomic specialty banh trang is usually rendered in English as “rice paper”. It is something of a misnomer. This stuff is not very …
A pretty mean bird
A pretty mean bird There is a memorable episode of Seinfeld that revolves around a Kenny Rogers chicken restaurant. Newman loves Kenny’s chicken, and he …
Cold Beer in a Warm Time Capsule
Cold Beer in a Warm Time Capsule I emerged from a fine dinner at Black Cat late one recent night. And following its little side …
To Market by Richard Sterling
To Market by Richard Sterling About a year ago, the first thing I did upon returning to Ho Chi Minh City from abroad was to …
Birth of the banh mi
Birth of the banh mi I don’t remember what bar I was in, but an Aussie elbow-bender once observed to me, “Only the Americans know …
Late-night eats in Saigon
Late-night eats in Saigon In the early 1990s Saigon at night was a setting in film noir. With extra noir. The city was almost in …
The Kitchen Gods
Every year at Tet the kitchen gods report to the jade emperor whether the kitchen is a place of love or strife, and the family …
Using Chopsticks
Riddle Q: Five boys use two long poles. They chase a herd of white water buffalo into a dark cave. What is this? A: A …