French newspaper introduces Hanoi’s must-eat street food

French daily Le Figaro recently ran an article introducing Hanoi’s most renowned street food.

Using the words 'refinement', 'finesse' and 'freshness' to describe Vietnamese food, the author said: 'There is no shortage of qualifiers to define the thousand flavours of Vietnamese gastronomy.' (Photo: Le Figaro/VNA)
Using the words 'refinement', 'finesse' and 'freshness' to describe Vietnamese food, the author said: 'There is no shortage of qualifiers to define the thousand flavours of Vietnamese gastronomy.' (Photo: Le Figaro/VNA)

The article was headlined “In Vietnam, eight wonders to taste in Hanoi – a temple of street food”. The eight dishes featured were pho (noodle soup), bun cha (grilled pork with vermicelli), bun rieu cua (crab noodle soup), banh cuon (rolled rice pancakes), banh mi (Vietnamese baguettes), banh goi (fried donuts), cha ca (fried fish) and ca phe trung (egg coffee).

Using the words “refinement”, “finesse” and “freshness” to describe Vietnamese food, the author said “There is no shortage of qualifiers to define the thousand flavours of Vietnamese gastronomy.”

The article also listed addresses of favourite stalls and shops for each dish while advising tourists not to try high-end restaurants that often have high prices.

“Throw yourself at the pots that are bubbling in the alleys of the old town, enter these stalls that may sometimes seem unattractive but conceal the treasures of Vietnamese cuisine,” the article said.

The article also mentions food tours to wholesale markets in Hanoi, such as Long Bien Market, one of the largest wholesale markets in Vietnam, Quang Ba Flower Market and Dong Xuan Market.

Those who like to cook and want to share their culinary discoveries upon their return to France can take cooking lessons offered in a traditional house on the outskirts of Hanoi.

The article concludes that a visit to Hanoi is an invigorating getaway where tourists will be welcomed like chefs.