"This light-filled Vietnamese cafe in the CID is operating on another stratospheric plane. The caffeine nerdism is on full blast, and part of the fun is watching their baristas tinker with scales and whisks like a baton-flicking maestro at the symphony. We’re fans in particular of the kem muối, which pairs electrifyingly strong iced coffee with a crown of salted cream. Sounds predictable, but it’s worth noting that said cream doesn’t taste sweet—as savory white fluff weaves through the stiffness of phin drip and sweetened condensed milk, it infuses more dimension. Add a crackly-chewy pandan waffle fresh from the iron, and enjoy what it truly means to feel awake." - aimee rizzo, gabe guarente