Vietnam
Vietnam is a long stretch of a country, with Hanoi in the north roughly 1000 miles from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in the south. The differences in climate between the north, central, and south influence the types of dishes available. It is a street eater’s paradise for those who enjoy eating like a local, couching over a bowl of rice or noodles on a sidewalk.
Northern Vietnam, where its capital Hanoi is located and where I had a motorbike accident last winter, is the birthplace of some of the signature dishes such as bun cha (grilled pork and noodles that President Obama and Anthony Bourdain ate during their visit to Hanoi in 2016), banh cuon (rolled rice sheets), and perhaps the most famous – pho (rice noodle soup), Vietnamese national dish.
Go slowly toward Hoi An in Central Vietnam, one might experience a gradual flavor explosion as the flavors become more bold. The abundance of spices produced by the mountainous terrain makes Central Vietnamese food more flavorful. Cao lau (noodles with pork and greens) is originated in Hoi An.
Go further south to Saigon in Southern Vietnam, food gets more international due to influences by nearby Cambodia. Hu tieu (noodle soup) Nam Vang (Vietnamese word for Phnom Penh, Capital of Cambodia) is originated in Saigon.
#Vietnam
