Evidence of French colonial rule is dotted throughout Vietnam, particularly in the cuisine. Coffee, butter, roasting and beef are all French legacies, even if the coffee comes loaded with sweetened condensed milk and the beef is stir-fried with soy and fish sauces.
Baguettes also are everywhere, though they are crispier and lighter than the loaves found in France— and more likely to be stuffed with a distinctively Vietnamese riot of contrasting flavors. The result is the iconic bahn mi sandwich, which combines savory, sweet, spicy and herbal flavors, as well as a blend of crunchy and chewy textures.
