#thuy-pham

#thuy-pham

"I think Phnom Penh has become far more confident in its own voice. A few years ago, much of the retail and lifestyle scene felt either NGO-adjacent or heavily expat-driven. Now there's a noticeable shift toward Cambodian-led creative businesses that are designing for a more discerning local audience."

Nan Xiang Soup Dumplings is known for its handmade soup dumplings, made in an open kitchen where diners can observe the preparation process. The menu features traditional dim sum and noodle dishes, including Shanghai Siu Mai and pan-fried crispy noodles.

When the students or workers don't have money, it is easy to grab it and go. It's cheap, that's how we started it. When people don't want to spend a lot of money for lunch, it's five bucks, and you're satisfied.

The Leica Vibrant mode was in its element here, pulling stunning color out of these flamboyant buildings that surrounded the central canal. The telephoto camera has excellent image quality, and while the 3.2x-4.3x optical zoom range did seem limited, a quick punch to the 8x mode produced exceptionally usable results.

I spent the first half of 2025 in Paris, and while I loved living in a walkable city overflowing with art and culture, I often found myself craving a taste of home. Fortunately, Paris has not one but two Chinatowns: Belleville and the 13th arrondissement. Belleville is an artsy, historically progressive neighborhood shaped by centuries of immigration from Europe, Africa, and Asia. At its center is Parc de Belleville, known for its rotating street art and sweeping sunset views of the Eiffel Tower.

Christmas is lovely, but my kids think Chinese new year is by far the best holiday. I might be biased, but, unusually, I am inclined to agree with them. As my eldest puts it, New clothes, cash, booze and food what's not to love? There's the added bonus that cash is absolutely more than acceptable in fact, it's de rigueur, so there's no shopping for mundane socks and smelly candles. Chinese new year is full of rituals and, just as at Christmas, every family has its own, but they are all variations on a theme. Symbolism looms large in Chinese culture, and at new year it centres around messages of prosperity, luck and family.

My late 30s were hard. Living alone in Cape Town, South Africa, I was holding out for a partner and children while my friends moved through weddings and baby showers without me. My parents and sisters (including my twin) lived in another province, freelance writing work was drying up, and as 40 approached, I felt stuck - single, lonely, and unsure what came next.

The first thing to know about the Paper Bridge (Bún Chả Cầu Giấy) is that the fresh, springy rice noodles are made in-house. The second thing to know is that there's a 14-page menu. Do not be overwhelmed. The latter half of the tome provides detailed descriptions of the history and components of the Northern Vietnamese dishes. You could easily spend 10 minutes reading - or you could talk to your server. Either way, make sure you order some of the following.

Despite the constant churn of new development on SE Division, the labyrinthine amalgam of interlocking structures that once housed the original Pok Pok has remained vacant for more than half a decade. The Northern Thai comfort food chain began as a food cart and ended as an empire, with outposts in LA, Las Vegas, and Brooklyn, along with a small constellation of Portland locations.

Filipino food is the kind of thing everyone should try at least once, but it's such a varied cuisine that it bears coming back often. Often bold, bright, and playful, Filipino food is full of life. And, unless you know a very ambitious home cook, there's nowhere better to have your first Filipino food experience than at your local Filipino restaurant.