Latest news with #Vietnamese-style
The Star
17 hours ago
- The Star
Agoda's picks for 'best cities to walk around' in Asia
Walking is the best way to get around in Hanoi, especially if you're headed to crowded tourist areas like Train Street. — dpa The million-lawnmower din of careening scooters might have some thinking otherwise, but according to hotel booking website Agoda, a mix of Asian and European architecture help make Vietnam's capital Hanoi, Asia's best city to walk around. 'The area's pedestrian-friendly layout makes it easy to wander and discover local delicacies like pho (a herby, meaty broth) and banh mi (a Vietnamese-style baguette sandwich) from street vendors,' according to Agoda, which put together a list of seven of Asia's best cities for a dander. Not mentioned by Agoda, but old Hanoi's appeal lies in part in its colonial-era art deco piles and in Hoan Kiem Lake, which sits next to the old town's array of tiny art galleries and cafes. The lake features the famously red Huc Bridge and Jade Mountain Temple on a tiny island near its northern end. Agoda's list of seven places includes Melaka, a Unesco World Heritage Site on peninsular Malaysia's west coast. Its mix of Dutch colonial buildings and Peranakan-Chinese shophouses make for an interesting wander. And – also not mentioned by Agoda – not forgetting its A Famosa, the remnants of a brick fortress built by Portuguese traders in the early 16th century during the heyday of the Iberian nation's far-flung naval exploits. Melaka is also one of the best cities to walk around in Asia, according to a survey by Agoda. — Pixabay For a more modern or efficiency-first type of perambulation, Taipei, Taiwan makes the Agoda list for its '... wide sidewalks, clear signage and shaded boulevards for the perfect city adventure, complete with an efficient MRT system that connects walkable hubs seamlessly'. Singapore arguably offers much of the same, including the chance to amble around Pulau Ubin, a tiny island off the city-state's main island, with trails along mangroves. (On Pulau Ubin, you will find no skyscraper or any of the modern glitziness that are abundant on the mainland.) Agoda's list includes arguably less well-known spots such as Chiang Khan in Thailand, which sits along the mighty Mekong River with a car-free avenue offering what Agoda describes as 'well-preserved wooden shophouses, cosy guesthouses, quirky cafes and local boutiques'. Many of the region's big cities – the likes of Bangkok (Thailand), Jakarta (Indonesia), Manila (Philippines), with populations of 10 million and up – are known for being difficult to walk, with searing heat, downpours, heaving traffic and here-and-there footpaths. But for visitors to Indonesia and Thailand, towns such Yogyakarta on Java – more Dutch colonial heritage – and Chiang Rai in Thailand's north – it has a Walking Street, after all – are worth a look around on foot. – dpa
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Thrilling new food options are giving this 25-year-old Bay Area mall a second wind
On a typical weekend lunch rush, Grand Century Mall rumbles with hundreds of hungry bellies. Elders sporting their spiffiest hats go on food court dates, deepening their love over broken rice plates. Young couples pushing strollers analyze what patrons are eating in search of dining inspiration. Virtually every teenager in the building wields a beverage: coffee topped with foamed cream, fresh sugarcane nectar, pandan milk tea. For 25 years, this 150,000-square-foot mall has been a fixture of the Little Saigon neighborhood in San Jose, the city with the largest population of Vietnamese people outside of Vietnam. But the shopping center is on the mend from the pandemic, when food court tables were threaded with caution tape and several businesses shuttered. Many of those vacancies remain today. In recent years, Grand Century Mall has evolved its food offerings — comprising about a 10th of the building's 100 spaces — to adapt to the tastes of a new generation of Vietnamese Americans. Among the new options are a choice cơm tấm kiosk and two full-service restaurants: one specializes in bánh cuốn, the other in contemporary street food marvels like rice paper salad. With this tasty new cohort, I can't help but feel like the mall is finding its groove again. Developer Lap Tang opened Grand Century Mall in 2000. A refugee and innovator of Vietnamese TV show dubbing, Tang wanted to build a place of business specifically for the Vietnamese. He enticed entrepreneurs, he told NBC, by not charging a deposit. Before Grand Century hit the scene, Lion Plaza, a strip mall a few miles south, was the hot spot. 'Everything that Lion Plaza was, Grand Century was bigger, but [Grand Century] was more of an American mall,' said Paulette Tran, an east San Jose native and chef-owner of 3 Bottle Fish in Oakland. That said, unlike many American malls, Grand Century doesn't have an Old Navy or a Macy's, and the food court eschews chains like Sbarro and Panda Express. Tran saw how the mall drove Vietnamese folks to Little Saigon. On weekends, she'd go to pick up CDs and tapes, then snack on crispy, spicy Vietnamese-style beef jerky, which was harder to find then, she said. 'Vietnamese American culture is what the Grand Century represents, it's a centerpiece for refugee gathering,' said Hieu Le, co-owner of Hết Sẩy, a southern Vietnamese cart and popup based in San Jose. Growing up in Sacramento, Le would often make the pilgrimage to San Jose and the mall. Now, 'it's so much more vibrant,' he said, with far more activities. Last year, the mall hosted a night market event in the parking lot and got a strong turnout — so much so that the mall has programmed monthly night markets through the summer. Hết Sẩy was one of the inaugural vendors; Le said the event 'helps so many businesses inside that mall, not only the outside businesses.' This promise comes at a moment of resurgence for other Bay Area malls focusing on younger Asian Americans. Grand Century Mall remains a culturally rich landmark and a great place to eat that will hopefully be around for generations to come. These are the three best new places to try on your next visit. Buôn Mê Cafe Buôn Mê Cafe, located near the front entrance, bridges the generations with a vintage, pre-war aesthetic mixed with the eye-catching colors of a trendy boba shop. The star is a rice paper salad ($14.99), a dish originating from the Tay Minh province that has become a highly sought-after street food in Vietnam. You can watch as the staff makes the salad at the station near the register, two baskets adjoined by a shoulder pole filled with over 10 ingredients like quail eggs, beef jerky and kumquat juice. The cook gingerly dresses rice paper with a sweet-chile sauce, followed by a layer of garnishes before repeating the process a few times. It's salty, funky, perfumed with citrus and a masterclass in texture: chewy, crisp, crunchy. Do like the youngins and order a coffee crowned with coconut-flavored cream top ($6.95). 7 a.m.-11 p.m. daily. 1111 Story Rd., # 1003, San Jose. It doesn't take a detective to realize that the current most popular kiosk is Cơm Tấm Sài Gòn, whose platters of broken rice with charred meat appear across tables. To find it, search for the bright green sign splashing viridescent light onto the food court. I suggest opting for a dac biet combination, like #54 ($22.72), which includes a tender egg cake; a sticky, smoky pork chop; and shrimp two ways: wrapped in tofu skin and fried, and minced then grilled on sugarcane. The sleeper hit is #65 ($19.15), a dish centered around woven nets of vermicelli noodles known as bánh hỏi, accompanied by grilled pork, a crackly egg roll and fresh greens. Like Vietnam's capital city, cơm tấm has become a representative dish of the mall's current dining scene, which is apt as the dish is of two cultures. 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Thursday-Tuesday. Food court at 1111 Story Rd., #1019, San Jose. Opened six months ago, Bánh Cuốn Hồng Hạnh is a rice flour pro, fashioning it into rice cake snacks, slippery udon noodles and steamed rice rolls known as bánh cuốn. While the crab udon is good for a cold night, you're really here for the wobbly bánh cuốn. Solo diners will want to stick to the straightforward options like #26 ($15.75), stuffed with smoky pork, or #21 ($15.75), accompanied by ham and fried shrimp cake. But if you bring friends, opt for the combo plate, a feast of every variety of rice rolls stuffed with eggs, mushrooms and ground pork. Every table in the easygoing restaurant is equipped with crushed, needling hot bird's eye chiles — use them sparingly. The restaurant is located inside the mall to the left, before you hit the food court. 9 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. 1111 Story Rd., #1007, San Jose. 408-908-8080
Eater
09-06-2025
- General
- Eater
The Best Dishes Eater Editors Ate This Week: June 9
The editors at Eater LA dine out several times a week, if not per day, which means we're always encountering standout dishes that deserve time in the limelight. Here's the very best of everything the team has eaten this week. Vietnamese-style lomo saltado from Nam Kitchen in Gardena Over the past year, I've determined that Nam Kitchen has become the South Bay's best overall casual Vietnamese restaurant thanks to stellar pho and a handful of creative dishes like this Vietnamese-Peruvian fusion lomo saltado. The kitchen takes slightly sweet soy flavors of bo luc lac and tosses them with classic lomo saltado ingredients of red onion, tomato, and French fries, topping them with cilantro and serving with a side of creamy aji verde and a mound of white rice. The tenderloin pieces are as easy to eat as marshmallows, savory and covered with black pepper. Frankly, this could be one of the best lomo saltado preparations anywhere in the city, and it'll be something I crave. Nam Kitchen's other fusion dishes are worth exploring, but even the pho đặc biệt is top-notch, piled high with quality beef and a spice-laden broth. 1530 Artesia Boulevard, Gardena, CA 90248. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Steak tacos from MidEast Tacos in Silver Lake Silver Lake is lucky to be the home of MidEast Tacos, an Armenian-Mexican taco restaurant from Mini Kabob's Armen Martirosyan. Operating out of a brick-lined corner space along Sunset Boulevard, right across from the former 99 Cent store, the restaurant serves up toum-topped tacos, crispy potatoes with Aleppo pepper, and burritos stuffed with marinated chicken. But for me, the best way to experience MidEast Tacos is with the simple steak taco, with a corn tortilla instead of the flour tortilla it comes with. The steak is reminiscent of the flavors of Mini Kabob's own beef, with a slightly smoky and well-spiced profile. The meat is chopped to a size reminiscent of a street taco, just large enough to get the entire flavor without it being overwhelming. A size of crispy papas brings the entire meal home, which is best enjoyed at one of the tables on the sidewalk. 3536 W. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90026. — Rebecca Roland, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Spicy salami pie from Little Goat Pizza House in Glendale As a Northeast LA resident who loves grubbing on pizza from the comfort of my home, my options are often limited. Especially when comparing neighborhoods that are flush with celebrated pizza spots, I frequent the same restaurants more often than I care to admit. That doesn't serve my job very well, so after branching out into Glendale, I took home two pies from the Little Goat Pizza House. The results were worthy of a return, particularly the spicy salami pie. Though the margherita was respectable, the combination of the Neapolitan-style crust covered in San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, salami, garlic, tarragon, and a respectable amount of spicy honey made my day. I assumed my patented pizza-consuming position next to the low coffee table, opened the box, and dug in. I was impressed by the consistency of the beautifully leavened sourdough placed in a wood-fired oven. I will happily sit down on-site and consume it hot out of the oven next time. It tasted perfect the following morning for breakfast. 942 N. Brand Boulevard, Glendale, CA, 91202. — Mona Holmes, editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Whole grilled branzino from Zinqué in Century City Of all the homegrown restaurants in Los Angeles, I didn't peg stylish French hangout Zinqué to become a fast-growing chain. Armed with key locations in West Hollywood, Downtown, and more recently in Century City, the restaurant has grown to Scottsdale, Westlake Village, and even its spiritual homeland of Paris, France. Given its prime locations, I'm starting to see Zinqué as a viable alternative to places like Cheesecake Factory or Houston's, serving reliable if sometimes predictable food with generous portions. Zinqué's strength isn't in innovation, but rather in serving high-quality ingredients without much fuss. Their charcuterie board is ample and quite good, while their mushroom bucatini could've used a touch more salt. The bistro burger is delightful and satisfying for meat-and-potato types. The whole-grilled branzino gets a gorgeous golden brown interior and a hefty pile of shaved fennel and arugula. For $45, they serve a fish big enough for the table to share. And the branzino was juicy, fresh, and nicely seasoned, the dry-herb chimichurri bringing a vegetal punch when needed. You could see why Zinqué has mass appeal, an easy option for fussy palates and large groups. 10250 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90067. — Matthew Kang, lead editor, Eater Southern California/Southwest Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
11-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Market at Malcolm Yards to add World Street Kitchen this month
Uptown restaurant World Street Kitchen will open a second Minneapolis outpost this month inside The Market at Malcolm Yards. Brothers Sameh and Saed Wadi founded World Street Kitchen over a decade ago, beginning with a food truck before establishing their popular neighborhood restaurant. At the soon-to-be food hall location, which takes over the former Mr. Paul's Po' Boys and Jams space, World Street Kitchen will continue to offer dishes from across the globe. "World Street Kitchen is cooking without borders," said Chef Sameh Wadi in a news release. "We source diverse ingredients worldwide to create unique and bold flavors. We can't wait to showcase our favorite dishes and celebrate global cuisine." Yum Yum Rice Bowls, made with steamed rice, soft-cooked egg, and a "secret sauce", are perhaps World Street's Kitchen most-loved dish. Both the Yum Yum Rice Bowls and Bangkok Burritos are made with Korean-style BBQ short ribs, crispy marinated tofu or chicken. Lemongrass meatballs and Vietnamese-style turmeric and dill fish are also offered on the rice bowl menu. "We are excited to enhance our offerings and provide a diverse culinary experience for our guests," Patricia Wall, owner of The Market at Malcolm Yards, said in statement. "World Street Kitchen brings a new global and flavorful cuisine to The Market." In a recent interview with Twin Cities Business Magazine, Wall confirmed she's looking to bring The Market at Malcolm Yards to the west metro. Wall told the magazine she's eyeing St. Louis Park for a second location, which will ideally feature a rooftop patio.
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Where are the best chicken wings in Austin? See our picks for your Super Bowl watch party.
Some people love watching football just for the excuse to eat chicken wings. They are the perfect bar food (unless you're one of those folks who hates to get their fingers a little dirty) and great for throwing in a massive bowl for your, um, Super Bowl party. (I see you and your Uber Eats ads, McConaughey.) Whether you're a drumstick or flats person, into Buffalo sauce and bleu cheese or like to get a little spicy with some Szechuan peppercorns, Austin restaurants have endless variations on the food that was allegedly invented in the Anchor Bar in New York in 1964. (Pro tip: If you're ordering a batch of wings for the Super Bowl, or anytime, an air fryer works great for reheating. And if you know you're going to be reheating and don't have access to an air fryer, order your wings dry, and reheat on a sheet pan at 425 degrees sans sauce and toss them after they reach your desired level of crispiness.) Classic wings tossed in a medium Buffalo sauce is the go-to order at this bar. 2108 S. Lamar Blvd. 512-707-2744, Fish sauce lends umami to these mildly sweet Vietnamese-style wings, or you can get them dry with an East-meets-West Asian ranch. 8817 Limestone Commercial Drive, Suite 400. Pflugerville. Brined and fried to a juicy, amber finish. Start with the wings and then move onto the burger. 2400 Webberville Road. Quintessential wings at a quintessential bar from an owner with roots in Buffalo. 1133 E. 11th St. Gotta love a dive that throws some tangy Korean flavor on their crunchy wings, though the Texan in you may wanna try the barbecue sauced handhelds. 2538 Elmont Drive. A brown sugar brine gives color and caramelization to these wings with a glassy finish. A chefy spin on bar traditions finds a Frank's Hot Sauce pumped up with butter, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice and horseradish along with a buttermilk ranch dressing elevated by white soy sauce, sour cream, dill, cayenne and Duke's mayonnaise. 1208 W. Fourth St. Co-founder Jen Scoville Strickland grew up about an hour from Buffalo, so you know these crunchy classic wings are done right. 501 E. 53rd St. A spicy tamari glaze and a dip of some lime ranch give these wings an East-meets-West vibe. If you wanna feel the burn and get, well, kinda tropical, go for the ghost pepper-mango wings. 3501 E. Seventh St. One of the best new restaurants in 2024, chef Bob Somsith's open-air restaurant delivers some of the most complex wings in town, with a caramel fish sauce enriched with the salinity of crab fat giving the bird a unique sweetness. 9909 FM 969, Building 4. Restaurant review: Journey to a night market at Lao'd Bar, one of Austin's best new restaurants The passion fruit garlic chili sauce is what makes the Vietnamese wings. 9070 Research Blvd. #303. The steaming bowls of pho might get top billing but the garlic-fish sauce wings at this Vietnamese cafe pack an umami punch like few others in town. 11800 Dessau Road, Suite 302. Dallas chef Tiffany Derry's fried chicken joint inside the Mueller H-E-B serves craggy, crunchy bird that's been fried with duck fat. 1801 E. 51st St. The North Austin spot makes some of the city's best ramen, but don't sleep on their fried Indomitable Wings that hum with curry spice. 6929 Airport Blvd. #146. This pizza truck at Meanwhile Brewing Co. confits its chicken wings in duck fat overnight before bringing them to a smoky crisp in the oak-fired oven. A toss in housemade Calabrian chili Buffalo sauce will appeal to pepper heads, while the lemon-Parmesan offer equal umami with less singe. Both styles are bangers. Bonus points for proximity to some of the best IPAs in town. And the pizza, of course. 3901 Promontory Point Drive. You can get flavors from Thailand and Korea to spice up the boneless wings at these trailers that specialize in fried chicken sandwiches and bone-in bird. Multiple locations. The post oak flavor is bone deep at these sibling restaurants. And why choose between tangy Alabama white sauce and honey bbq when you can just double dip? The Switch also makes a traditional hot sauce but subs butter for brisket fat. Uh huh. 6610 N. Lamar Blvd. 166 Hargraves Drive, Suite G-100. Cilantro and green onion cool these fiery wings glazed with Thai chili and tamarind. 11601 Rock Rose Ave. Florality and dimension comes from lemongrass, garlic and peppercorns on these fried Thai wings. 5501 N. Lamar Blvd. Brothers Neil and Shawn O'Quinn specialize in the French-cut lollipop wings Neil learned while at culinary school for the trailer they opened in 2012. The result of all that labor is an incredibly juicy wing, lightly floured, fried to order and tossed in a sauce of your choice. My favorite is the traditional Buffalo. Or maybe it's the sweet chili. But the spicy pineapple packs a nice sweet punch. I don't know. You do you. Multiple locations. Grilled, smoked, fried, bone-in or boneless and served with one of more than 25 sauces, this is the spot for variety. 1000 E 41st St. Suite 210. Where are the best restaurants in Austin Check out the 2024 Dining Guide. Bucket list? From sushi to steak, these are 7 new Austin restaurants to try that opened this winter Want more Austin entertainment and lifestyle news? Sign up for the Austin360 Weekly Picks newsletter for restaurant recommendations, music picks, event info, celeb sightings and tips on how to explore this city we share. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: These are the best chicken wings in Austin for Super Bowl watch party
