Street Food Hanoi

Street Food Hanoi plays an important role in solidarity, attachment to family, friends and acquaintances within the community, are leading to the country becoming a united, stable entity once more. When can this feeling be better experienced than when we are sharing the same dish or meal at home or eating Hanoi street food in the French Quarter.

Following the opening up of Vietnam to the west, the markets are blossoming again. A walk through the bustling market is a real delight with any number of colourful vegetables and spices on display. The innate commercial character of the people is returning and contributes a positive atmosphere. Vietnam is a country in a period of transition and is currently bubbling with energy.

To define the Vietnamese cuisine, we should first clarify the distinction between the various regions. The geography, climate and culture of the area determine the menu.

Street Food Hanoi with its Influence

The cuisine in the north of Vietnam or Hanoi street food has a more pronounced Chinese influence and has a purer taste. Pickled vegetables and dried fish are a necessity during colder periods. The people use less strong spices in the dishes they prepare than those in the south, while they make abundant use of fresh herbs such as basil, shiso, coriander and dill.

The tropical south offers more variation in its products and produces a more vibrant cuisine. There are more influences from Indian dishes, and the food has a sweeter taste. The incredibly fertile Mekong Delta provides Vietnam with a rich palette of different varieties of tropical fruits and coconuts. It is also the rice granary of the country.

The Northern Vietnamese find the southern recipes to be excessive, while those in the south see the northern cuisine to be bland.
In the central region, we can discover the refined “royal” cuisine of Hue.

Three things give the Vietnamese cuisine and Street Food Hanoi its unique character and distinctiveness. Rice in various forms, fish sauce to add flavour and an abundance of fresh herbs that enhance dishes and lift preparations to a new level.

With China as the big brother, India as the supplier of spices and herbs. Japan and France as the sources of inspiration for cooking techniques, this possibly is the worlds first fusion cuisine. Very subtly, the Vietnamese cook knows how to find a balance between taste, texture and presentation.