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Vietnam is a long stretch of a country, so it makes sense that the tastes of the locals and thus the cuisines change depending on location.
Travelers come to Vietnam with an intention of seeing its surreal landscapes of which the country has no shortage. From the cascading rice terraces of Sapa in the north to the silky-smooth red and white sand dunes of Mui Ne in the south, each major city of the country has something for everyone to see which makes Vietnam a backpacker’s paradise. However, your itinerary is incomplete if you do not make it a priority to interact with the curious locals, learn of their war-torn past, and of course, eat their food. It makes sense that the type of food available throughout the country changes as Vietnam is a long stretch of country with many different climates. Here is an in-depth look into the regional differences in Vietnamese cuisine.
PS: I’ve included links to easy recipes for each dish I tried. All you have to do is click on the first mention of each dish you come across 🙂
Vietnam is a long stretch of a country, covering a total of 331,210 square kilometers. In the North it borders China and Laos and further down south, Cambodia. The geography and differences in climate throughout the country influence the types of dishes available regionally and most of the time, the differences are rather noticeable, even to an untrained tongue.
After a few meals, it will be evident that northern Vietnamese cuisine is heavily influenced by its giant (and intrusive?) neighbor, China, with its stir-frys, noodle-based soups, the regular use of soy sauce and of course, the bane of my existence, chopsticks – which are by the way, extremely impractical on slippery food. Another important note to remember as you slurp down some noodle soup is that the cooler northern climate is less hospitable for cultivation. This limits the production and availability of certain ingredients such as chilies, therefore people use black pepper instead as a substitute which is why you will find these dishes barely spicy. Overall the flavors up north are more subtle and harmonious and not bold in any particular taste, which is not what you can say when you try various other dishes as you head slowly towards central Vietnam.
Finally, things get sweeter in the south! You can even go so far as to say that the food here is a general reflection of the people in the region – they appear to be more laid back and happy. Maybe it’s the weather. The dishes down under are lighter and much smoother on the tongue, taking tips from Cambodia and Thailand. Saigon is also “international” unlike Hanoi which is more “cultural,” so foreign influence is readily apparent here, for example with ca ri (curry that is inspired by Indian and Malay flavors) and the many fusion restaurants you come across in the city (ie: Bloom, Café Restaurant, The Log, etc.) This city would be that cousin in your family who is too foreign for home but also too foreign for elsewhere.
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