Saigoneer Audio Archive

This episode, our last before the Lunar New Year, is a simple one. We enjoyed a few beers and then discussed (1:19) burning questions such as: "How would the pig fare in a brawl between the 12 zodiac animals?"; "If you could only eat one Vietnamese dish for the rest of your life, which would it be?"; and "If you could add any food or activity to Tet, what would it be and why?"

As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (27:00).

Chúc mừng năm mới, and may the Year of the Pig begin auspiciously for you all!

This week's show features an extended conversation about superstitions (1:10), both Vietnamese and western. We also play a game where we guess which ones are real, and which are not.

Our interview guest (21:29) is Parag Khanna, the international relations analyst and author of the new book 'The Future is Asian: Commerce, Conflict and Culture in the 21st Century'. We talked about how Asian countries are reconnecting in the post-colonial era, and what this means for Vietnam, among other topics.

As always, we close with Bánh Mì Banter (48:26).

Happy New Year! On our first episode of 2019, we begin (1:22) by discussing food delivery platforms like GrabFood and GoFood. What benefits do they create for customers, drivers and restaurants, and what problems do they present too?

Then (18:25) we suggest some potential locations for Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un to meet if Vietnam is selected for their second summit. Could one of the country's many cable car systems come into play? Also, which Vietnamese dishes should they eat while here?

As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (27:48).

This episode originally aired on September 30, 2018. We will return with a new show next week!

On this week's show, we begin (1:24) with a look at nhậu culture in Vietnam. What does this age-old drinking tradition tell us about masculinity and gender in the country?

Then (13:00), we provide one of our periodic updates on recent street food and cafe finds, including an unexpected Greek spot on Hoang Sa Street and a roti cart near Ben Thanh Market.

Our interview guest (21:47) is Hang Tran, who goes by Sam. She's a Hanoi native now living in Saigon and working on pursuing a PhD in anthropology. She runs the Vietnamese Culture Space Facebook page and hosts Radio 18+, an in-depth interview series. We talked about why she likes having in-depth conversations with people, as well as her efforts to create her own radio program.

As always, we end with Banh Mi Banter (43:32). This one includes a special dispatch from 'the field' by Paul.

This episode originally aired on May 20, 2018.

This week we begin (1:22) with a look at the prevalence of fake goods and businesses in Vietnam, and whether or not they're a bad thing. This follows allegations that Mumuso and Minigood are actually Chinese companies, despite their Korean branding.

Then (11:36) we chat about some uber-successful Vietnamese millenials who are beating the stereotype that young people are lazy and lack business drive.

Our interview discussion (19:51) features Erik Harms, an associate professor of anthropology and Southeast Asia studies at Yale. He wrote the 2016 book 'Luxury and Rubble: Civility and Dispossession in the New Saigon,' which looks at two of the city's biggest planned developments. We had an in-depth discussion about Thu Thiem and the recent controversy swirling around the project.

As always, we close with Banh Mi Banter (51:53).

This episode originally aired on July 15, 2018.

On this week's show, we celebrate our 21st birthday by drinking a few alcohol-infused Japanese drinks and discussing vital matters such as:

- Which is the best district in Saigon?

- If you could remove three animals from Vietnam's Zodiac calendar, which animals would you replace them with? (Hint: we're big fans of the pangolin.)

- What do we expect people to try and bring onto Saigon's metro trains when the service opens?

- Street sushi?

And more!

There is no guest interview or Banh Mi Banter this week, so enjoy an episode full of nothing but banter! We'll return to our regular format next week.

On this week's show, our last of 2018, we begin (2:24) with a look back at our favorite segments, guests, moments and bánh mì banters from our first year on the air.

Then (20:39) we'll share some comments and feedback we've received from listeners over the last year, and also look ahead to some guests we'd like to speak to or segments we'd like to try in the coming year.

As always, we end with Bánh Mì Banter (31:29).

We'll be back in January, in the meantime, have a great holiday season, and thanks for listening!

On this week's show, we begin (1:16) with a discussion on what it would mean for English to be named Vietnam's second national language, as recently mentioned at a conference on startups and tech innovation in Hanoi.

Then (12:28), we break down several cliches about Vietnam that we're frustrated by seeing in international media. These include an over-reliance on war references and simplistic food coverage.

Our interview guest (23:26) is Soleil Ho, the San Francisco Chronicle's new food critic and co-host of the Racist Sandwich podcast. We talked to Soleil via Skype about her background, her rise to food writing prominence in the US, cultural appropriation in food and much more.

As always, we end with Banh Mi Banter (51:49).

On this week's show, we begin (1:19) with a chat about the retro/vintage trend that has spread through Vietnamese cafes, restaurants, design, typography and more over the last couple of years. What does this say about nostalgia among younger generations, and what's the deal with Cong Caphe?

Then (13:22), we weigh in on one of our periodic street food updates, though this one ranges away from Saigon to Quy Nhon, Hanoi and beyond.

As always, we end with Banh Mi Banter (27:03).

This episode was originally released on March 9, 2018, before we began recording in a studio. We'll be back with a new episode next week. Enjoy!

We’re back! This week we made up for lost time over our month-long break with an episode featuring two longer, in-depth conversations. Unlike in previous shows, this episode features just one staff discussion (1:18): a deep dive into contemporary Vietnamese literature, including poetry, fiction and graphic non-fiction, by both native and overseas writers.

Our extended interview segment (24:40) features a fun, wide-ranging talk on LGBTQ issues in Vietnam with Anh-Thu Nguyen, a lead organizer for Les Come Out, Saigon’s first queer women and trans-inclusive party series; as well as Ricardo Glencasa, Trinh Bang Ky Nu and Eddie Culbeaux from Full Disclosure, a group which hosts some of the largest LGBTQ-friendly events and parties in town.

As always, we end with Banh Mi Banter (53:16).