CHEF PROFILE: HELEN NGUYEN Oset Babür-Winter

PROFILE: Helen Nguyen

By Oset Babür-Winter

As the chef/owner behind New York City’s buzzy Vietnamese spot, Saigon Social, Helen Nguyen knows a thing or two about building community during challenging times.

Having constantly pivoted her business, which opened in March 2020 just days before the city’s restaurants were ordered to shutter in an attempt to halt the spread of COVID-19, Nguyen is essentially the modern definition of what it means to be a chef –– versatile, patient, and above all, committed to creating shared memories over delicious dishes that both celebrate and build upon their origins.

We spoke with Nguyen about how she got into cooking professionally, what motivates her to keep serving customers, and her vision for Saigon Social’s future.

The following conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT WHERE YOU GREW UP.

I was born in California and my family moved to Houston, Texas for a couple of years before going back to California, and then it was Seattle pretty much my entire life prior to moving to New York.

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE COMFORT FOOD GROWING UP?

Braised pork belly and crepes that my dad would make. Or over rice. It’s still very much in my weekly rotation today –– I have to have my rice two to three times a week. I would say I’ve put my own twist on it, but honestly I don’t think there was ever technically a recipe for it –– my parents didn’t use cookbooks or anything like that. I would just mimic what they were doing, and as I got older and learned more about ingredients and cooking techniques, I was able to refine it over time.

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE INGREDIENT TO COOK WITH?

Fish sauce! I think it’s in almost every recipe or every sauce I make. Whenever I make spaghetti or any kind of pasta, it’s in there as well. My favorite in the last couple of years is Red Boat.

DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE RESTAURANT THAT NEVER DISAPPOINTS?

I would say there are two restaurants that fit this for me –– they’re both Vietnamese restaurants in Seattle, and they’re actually right next to each other, but they serve very different foods. The first one is called Hoang Lan, and they’re known for their spicy beef noodle soup, which really hasn’t changed over the past 25 years. It’s been the same family running the restaurant all this time. The other is called Huong Que, and they’re very much focused on homestyle cooking –– it’s been around for decades as well. The mom and the son who manage Hoang Lan have helped me on many occasions to tweak my spicy beef noodle soup that I’ve learned from them, and they’ve even offered to fly to New York to help me refine the dish here. Every time I go home, that’s one of my first stops.

WHO (OR WHAT) IS YOUR MOST SIGNIFICANT CULINARY INFLUENCE?

I grew up watching a lot of Jacques Pepin’s videos. He’s been a huge influence since childhood in that his videos have always been so approachable, even a child could understand. Even now, I catch myself watching them and they resonate so differently, but the foundations remain the same –– they’re very easy to follow! What made it so intriguing and helpful for me is that I obviously didn’t understand what an omelet was when I was much younger, but he breaks everything down by technique. He shows you how to cut an onion, for example, but also explains different ways to make a single dish, which I still find really interesting.

Photo credit: Gurvinder Bhatia

WHAT DO YOU DRINK AT HOME?

I drink a lot of green tea, but I also drink a lot of coff ee. I think the very fi rst thing I do when I get to work is to have a quart of coff ee. Before, I’d drink whatever coff ee was available at work, but over the last few years, I’ve been only drinking Nguyen Coff ee Supply. Sahra (the founder) and I became really good friends, and I try to support them as much as possible. I love the Truegrit blend, and I’m a big fan of the Robusta –– I don’t love the acidic aftertaste of Arabica coff ees as much. I feel like I used to drink coff ee with condensed milk, but over the last few years, I’ve just been having coff ee black.

WHAT KIND OF MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO WHILE YOU COOK?

Vietnamese music! That’s what’s always on at home and in the restaurant. I have a few diff erent playlists, sometimes it’s just classic, other times it’s more modern Vietnamese rap or pop. I personally think it makes the food taste better –– when you’re in a happy mood, it translates!

WHY AND WHEN DID YOU START COOKING?

I think I’ve always had an interest in cooking. When I was younger, my cousins and I used to play house and restaurant a lot; they used to watch me while my parents were working, and we’d cook eggs or fry spam. As I got older, I really enjoyed hosting weekly dinner parties for friends. Several years before moving to New York, I would volunteer at my church kitchen, and I think that was my fi rst experience with large volume cooking. They had a community kitchen that off ered hot meals to those in need, and I was a parishioner at that church, which is how I learned about the program. I would work two to three times a week to cook between 150 to 300 meals. I found a lot of joy about that –– I never thought it would become a career, but I always loved cooking.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE WHAT YOU WANT OUT OF COOKING HAS EVOLVED OVER THE YEARS?

When you’re doing it recreationally versus professionally, your outlook changes. Yes, I have a restaurant now and I cook as a profession, but I see us as more than a restaurant –– it’s a strong foundation for a community. I get a lot of joy out of conversing with regulars, or with people who are coming in and tasting this food for the fi rst time. When I opened the restaurant, it wasn’t to make money –– everyone knows how slim the margins are. But it’s something that made me so physically and emotionally exhausted at the end of every night, but I’d wake up every morning energized to do it again!

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR SAIGON SOCIAL MOVING FORWARD?

Honestly? Stability. We’ve been stop-and-go for so long that I’m waiting for the day that everything we’re doing becomes second nature rather than constant pivoting. That’s what I’m excited for.

Photo credit: supplied by Helen Nguyen

Scan the QR code for Chef Nguyen’s recipe for Banh Xeo

The majestic condors soar above the Andes capturing in their flight Argentina’s finest wine appellations.

2019 Flight of the Condor Cabernet Sauvignon 91 Points James Suckling

2019 Flight of the Condor Malbec 90 Points Tim Atkin MW

Photo credit: ABC Kite Fest

A Local’s Guide to

By Jessica Dupuy Austin TX

It’s often been said that Texas is a state of mind.

As a native of Austin, it’s not a stretch to say that the Capital City is the epicenter of the Lone Star State. For food, music, recreation, leisure, and school spirit at the University of Texas, Austin has quickly garnered a reputation as one of the most popular U.S. cities in recent years. And it has a booming population to prove it. But it hasn’t always been this way.

When my family arrived on the scene more than 40 years ago, the population was a diminutive 415,000. Today, the greater metro area is home to more than 2.1 million wouldbe Austinites. Newcomers to town, whether recent transplants or visiting weekend warriors, are often searching for the hottest new restaurants, bars, and shops—for that, South Congress, Clarksville, downtown, and the east-side districts won’t disappoint. And while locals usually have a good pulse on the latest points of interest to hit the scene, there’s a definite layer of standard, longtime favorites that rest beneath the surface of all that is shiny and new. There are plenty of boxes to check when you visit Austin, but this is what you do when you live in Austin.

For a city known as the “Live Music Capital of the World,” Austin certainly lives up to its name. But not every venue is created equal, and sadly, in recent years, some stages don’t live up to the standard to match the hype. Still, there are a few spots that remain tried and true. Iconic spots such as The Continental Club on South Congress, Stubb’s Bar-B-cue, and The Mohawk on Red River are worth checking out for local and touring acts. The White Horse Saloon is a favorite East Austin honky tonk, and the Cactus Cafe at the University of Texas features a tremendous local lineup. The Broken Spoke is a must for a classic country-western vibe with ample space to do some boot-scootin’ on the dance floor.

There was a time when fans could line up outside the old Austin Public Broadcasting Station (PBS) station to earn free tickets to a taping of Austin City Limits, the longest-running American television music series in history. It was one of the most intimate venues in town to catch acts such as Stevie Ray Vaughn, Willie Nelson, Robert Earl Keen, and the Black Pumas, but these days you have to buy tickets for tapings at the new Moody Theater downtown. (You can enter to win “space available” seats via a random lottery drawing online.)

Though it lacks the vintage feel, the modern venue is one of the best in town for acoustics. As for festivals, the SXSW music festival in the spring and the ACL Festival in the fall were once musical celebrations of Austin-based talent, but in recent years, they have grown beyond their local caché. Instead, smaller options include the Hot Luck Food & Music Festival in late May.

When it comes to dining, there are typically two cuisines most visitors should investigate first: Barbecue and Tex-Mex.

Texas barbecue is best defined by large, iron off-set smokers slowly smoking meats (primarily beef brisket) bearing a secret recipe of peppery dry rubs—no sauce, please. The holy trinity of any barbecue plate includes brisket, sausage, and ribs (pork or beef), but you’ll also find chicken and turkey on many menus as well. And it’s worth noting that barbecue, BarB-Q, and BBQ spellings are interchangeable.

In Austin, there aren’t many smoked meat lovers who haven’t heard about Franklin Barbecue. This east Austin icon does serve some of the best brisket, well, anywhere. I’ve even called it “unicorn meat.” But plenty of other places rank up there as equally impressive, namely Interstellar BBQ, a north Austin spot heralded for its peppery smoked brisket and peach tea-glazed pork belly. Leroy and Lewis BBQ is another go-to central Austin spot for next-level ‘cue (the Mexican-inspired barbacoa is remarkable, and the Deluxe Frito Pie with spicy beef chili is pure Texas soul food). Valen-

Photo credit: supplied by Treaty Oak Distillery

Treaty Oak Distillery Entrance to the Cactus Café at the University of Texas

Photo credit: supplied

Pool Burger The Broken Spoke is a must venue for classic country-western vibe

tina’s Tex-Mex BBQ is a South Austin favorite serving up a delicious hybrid of barbecue and Tex-Mex (breakfast tacos here with brisket and scrambled eggs are legendary).

And let’s talk Tex-Mex. Of Texas’s many influences in its culinary tapestry, Mexico has undoubtedly been one of the greatest. After all, much of the Lone Star State was actually a part of Mexico at one point in its history. But as the cultural landscape evolved over the past century with German, Irish, and Polish immigrants along with settlers from other parts of the country, the amalgamation of cuisines became more Tex than Mex, yielding a unique identity that was a departure from authentic interior Mexican food.

Today Tex-Mex incorporates a few significant dishes and sides, namely enchiladas (with corn tortillas, not flour), tacos (crispy beef is a Texas original), nachos, and fajitas (grilled skirt steak, onions, and peppers served in flour tortillas). No Tex-Mex meal is complete without salsa and an order of chile con queso, locally referred to as “queso,” served with tortilla chips. House-made guacamole is also a standard. And don’t forget the margarita. Frozen or on the rocks, this salt-rimmed, tequila, and lime-based cocktail is a thirst-quenching refreshment that owes its origins to the Tex, rather than the Mex side of the cuisine.

In Austin, there are a few iconic spots long loved by locals, including Matt’s El Rancho on South Lamar, where you can find almost every combination of Tex-Mex delight you can think of. Originally opened in 1952 by the Martinez family, every longtime Austinite pays a visit here every so often. Cocina ATX gives Tex-Mex a dressed-up feel and is worth the higher price tag (the tequila selection is excellent). Further north, La Mancha and Taco Flats are local haunts that more than satisfy.

Of course, most people prefer to stay near home when getting their barbecue or Tex-Mex fix. It’s sort of like having the neighborhood pub or watering hole. Fortunately, good options tend to be plentiful. In my case, I opt for Treaty Oak Distillery or The Salt Lick for barbecue, and Flores, a small family-owned chain for Tex-Mex. Each is about 15 minutes away, which is all you need if you want to avoid a big production of heading into town for dinner.

But Austin has much more to offer than smoked meats and cheesy Mexican-inspired fare. Dan’s Hamburgers is a classic with three park-and-order locations around town for good ole greasy-spoon burgers. Pool Burger near the historic Deep Eddy Pool—a spring-fed swimming pool off Lake Austin Boulevard— serves up excellent burgers, tiki cocktails, and a fresh, vibrant scene. Mighty Fine Burgers and P. Terry’s checks all boxes as local chair fast-casual burger joints.

For fine dining, it’s hard to beat longtime sushi favorite, Uchi. The original location on South Lamar opened in 2003 under the helm of James Beard Award-winning chef Tyson Cole, and has since grown to include sister restaurant Uchiko, and fellow Uchi locations in Dallas, Houston, Denver, and Miami. Here, traditional sushi and Japanese heritage are honored, balanced by innovative presentations and unique preparations of some of the freshest cuts of fish from around the world.

Jeffrey’s on West Lynn St. is the place for delicious steak and expert service. It is well worth arriving early for pre-dinner drinks in their chic living room bar. Fonda San Miguel has long been a north-central favorite for an interior Mexico feel. Tucked in a neighborhood alcove off of North Loop, this enchanting eatery serves up classic Mexican fare such as enchiladas mole poblano, and carne asada a la tampiqueña in a luxe Hacienda-style environment reminiscent of Puerto Vallarta. Among the newer additions to town, the Caribbean-inspired Canje is the latest rage, and sister restaurant, Hestia, a modern American grill,

Photo credit: David Reyes

Fonda San Miguel serves up classic Mexican fare

Photo credit: supplied by Uchi

Photo credit: Logan Crable

Tyson Cole on the line at Uchi

Oysters at Uchi

is equally as enticing. Pecan Square Café in Clarksville offers a flavorful, upscale menu of local, seasonal ingredients.

Lately, great wine bars have increased in variety. For a well-appointed diversity of offerings, Apt 115 is an excellent little wine bar tucked into a mixed-use development on the east side. On the same side of town, the Cape Bottle Room is a popular stop for a wide selection exclusively devoted to South African wine. Over on the west side, the Austin Wine Merchant is the go-to place for the best wine retailer in town, but to sit and enjoy a glass, the new Neighborhood Vintner in the Westlake neighborhood is a swanky wine bar and shop worth stopping in for a glass or two.

When it comes to apparel, By George on South Congress, Adelante Boutique on North Lamar, and Vintage Soul in Dripping Springs are go-to spots for unique frocks and accessories. For him, Austin-based Howler Bros. Outfitters offers a laidback Texas vibe to outdoor threads. And you can’t say you’ve experienced Austin without selecting a pair of real-deal cowboy boots from Allen’s boots on South Congress. Here locals have already stocked their closets with at least two or three pairs from shelves upon shelves of this landmark boutique.

For a wide selection of vinyl records and the latest releases from Texas musicians, Waterloo Records has been an Austin institution since 1982. It’s also a great spot to catch live music from acts such as Spoon, Norah Jones, and Willie Nelson. Food aficionados need to check out Central Market, which offers a culinary paradise as fresh as the weekend farmer’s market, and stocks of ingredients equally as diverse in flavors from around the world. The market has north and south locations on Lamar Blvd.

For a taste of artistic inspiration, the Blanton Museum of Art is a regular haunt for checking out the latest exhibits. Boasting one of the country’s largest private collections of old master paintings and drawings, the Blanton is part of the University of Texas’ center for research and training in visual arts. It is the largest university art museum in the country. Permanent exhibits include Renaissance and Baroque work along with 20th and early 21st century American and Latin-American art. Still, it’s worth keeping tabs on the calendar of special visiting exhibitions as well.

While it’s true Austin is no longer the small college town it once was—and it has the traffic to prove it—the deluge of attention and fanfare hasn’t diminished the city’s charm. Though locals may sport t-shirts that offer the tongueand-cheek slogan “welcome to Austin. Please don’t move here,” the underlying sentiment is that the Capital City is a great place to be, especially if you can look beneath the surface of the trendy newfound veneer.

Jessica Dupuy is a wine and spirits columnist, certified sommelier and WSET Diploma candidate. She is the author of several books including Uchi: The Cookbook; The Salt Lick Cookbook: A Story of Land, Family and Love; The United Tastes of Texas; Tex-Mex: Traditions, Innovations, and Comfort Foods from Both Sides of the Border. Her latest book, The Wines of Southwest U.S.A. covers the emerging wine regions in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado. Dupuy lives in the Texas Hill Country, just west of Austin, with her family. Among the things she enjoys most are cooking with her kids, sharing great wine with friends, and fly fishing with her husband.

Agencies on the rise - Ontario’s wine middlemen By Brie Dema

Over the last few years, I’ve noticed a greater selection for wine lovers in Ontario.

This is largely owing to the rise of ‘bottle shops,’ retail-esque displays in restaurants that sprung up after the provincial government, prompted by the shutdown in-person dining due to the pandemic, permitted alcohol to be sold to-go (with takeout food orders) in 2020. The ‘bottle shop’ selection is unique from what you would see on the shelves at an LCBO (Liquor Control Board of Ontario) store (ie. retail stores operated by the provincial monopoly), making them exciting places to shop. Many businesses have kept the model after in-person dining was reinstated, though there are reasons why we may not see the trend continuing. First, the profit margins for retail sales are lower than a restaurant model, and second, there still exists strict policy as to who can retail alcohol in Ontario (spoiler alert, this does not include restaurants).

Why and how do restaurants have wines that you can’t find on LCBO retail shelves? Because they do most of their wine buying through the LCBO consignment program. If you live in Ontario and this channel is not on your radar, it should be, as it has always been a fantastic way to find artisanal and unique wines. What is also exciting for wine lovers is that it is growing in scale.

While the LCBO provides a good selection in its stores (specifically in Vintages and Destination Collection) and online, consignment relies on the participation of agents - folks who source and vet international producers, acting as brand ambassadors and salespeople on their behalf. The LCBO does the importing and warehousing both of retail and consignment products, in consignment it is the agents who choose which wines will be imported, and whose livelihood rests upon their success.

Each agent’s portfolio acts as a catalogue, comprised of unique and oftentimes small producers or niche styles that may not fit the broader retail landscape. Historically each wine was only available to purchase by the case (which appeals to restaurants but not necessarily consumers), agents are now permitted to sell in mixed cases; another pandemic related government policy change. Portfolios can be

browsed online from the comforts of home, most agents host ‘taste and buy’ events for both restaurant buyers and consumers, and many deliver or ship province wide. By buying direct through an agent you also avoid the bottle shop markup.

Now, consignment is not new, but it has had a recent facelift. The LCBO moved its current warehouse to a larger facility in 2019 “(as a) result of the sale and development of LCBO’s Head Office land which included the Toronto warehouse. It led to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to modernize our operations and ways of working, providing…more opportunities for agents to partner with the LCBO to bring new and innovative products to Ontario’s market,” says an LCBO Spokesperson.

We are seeing more agents as startups, with the AGCO (Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario) reporting a rise in agent licenses granted; in 2019 there were 858 active licenses and to-date at the time of writing there are 1100. Jim Lisson, president of Drinks Ontario, a membership-based organization that advocates for wine/alcohol agencies, reports a roughly 20% increase in its membership base, which is now at its highest in its history (est 1970’s). We are on the upswing, wine a-flowin’ circa the ‘roaring twenties’… but unlike a century ago, without the pesky prohibition part.

So, how does a new agent stand out from the pack in the eyes of the consumer and restaurant buyer as well as potential producer partners? Many new agents are building their portfolios with focuses such as regions or philosophies, and while not a new concept, it is useful in providing the agent with an identity. Some focuses might be quicker to become over represented though. Take for example The Living Vine; an organic, biodynamic and natural wine focused agency that Mark Cuff started over 15 years ago, well before these style of wines became trendy (in Ontario).

It is safe to say Cuff and his team have a deservedly dedicated fan-base; they are among the best for many reasons. But today, there is a plethora of new agencies that sell only such wines, and though demand is still high, it remains to be seen how they will differentiate themselves without a track record like Cuff’s.

It has also been relatively easy in the past to find an agent that specializes in Italian or French wine, but we are currently seeing underdog regions and new-wave/artisanal producers dominating agents’ portfolios.

One newcomer who is filling a void is former Yugoslavian native Vedran Lesic, owner of Azra Wines, an agency that works with up-andcoming Balkan producers. In his words, “There is definitely great interest in the wines from Eastern Europe, especially from the Balkans. The style of winemaking and the indigenous varieties in the region make for very distinctive wines. I think Slovenia is a great example of that, especially noticeable with their beautiful textural white and skin contact wines. When I started the agency there were very few wines from Eastern Europe on wine lists around the city (Toronto), and now you can find them in celebrated restaurants like Grey Gardens, Pearl Morissette or Alo, and in the great wine bars and bottle shops in the province. Azra works with winemakers that practice lower intervention winemaking and I have noticed that consumers seeking wines made following this philosophy are less concerned whether it comes from a more renowned winemaking country like France or an emerging one like Serbia.”

Restaurant buyers that I spoke with cited reliable service as the most important trait for an agent. Things like timely deliveries, organized invoicing, and an understanding of their programs are paramount. For consumers, choice dominates from whom they would buy. The question becomes how many agencies can the market support, and at what