Stir-fry, congee and chopsticks came from China, while from the French the Vietnamese accepted white asparagus, potatoes and a taste for coffee and baguettes made with rice and wheat flour. Curry made its way westward from India and mingles with coconut milk. Vietnamese share a love affair with pungent fish sauce with their Thai neighbors. The result of history and geography is three regional cuisines. In the North, watered by the Red River Delta, the Chinese influence is strongest.
Food here tends to be simple and hearty, and the most famous regional dish is Hanoi soup or pho bac.
Food in the slim center of the country, barely 30 miles across in some points, is dominated by the sophistications of the Hue imperial court. Dishes have been refined to single exquisite bites, served in multiple courses. Southern dishes reflect more French influence, brightened by notes of cilantro, mint, basil, fragrant leaves and chilies. Just about every table in Vietnam holds the indispensable nuoc mam cham, the Indochinese answer to salt and pepper. Stir in the water, lime juice and nuoc mam.