The Untold History of Saigon’s Milk-Forward Coffee
Imagine walking through the narrow, sun-drenched alleys of Cho Lon (Saigon’s Chinatown) in the 1950s. The air is thick with the scent of roasted Robusta beans and the sweet, comforting aroma of condensed milk. You hear the rhythmic clinking of spoons against glass and the chatter of locals starting their day. In the middle of this sensory symphony sits a glass of Bac Siu is not a variation of Vietnamese coffee. It is a historical adaptation born from scarcity, migration, and taste memory. It is a liquid map of Saigon’s multicultural history.
