On the trail of one of the capital’s favourite dishes, Huyen Tran checks out some of Hanoi’s best bun cha. But this is not the dish as you know it. Photos by Julie Vola

While most streetfood snacks are struggling to beat off competition from imported fast food — think donuts and frozen yoghurt — the merry banh ong la dua is still beating out a fine trade. Words by Vi Pham. Photos by Owen Salisbury

Baby black chicken served up in a broth with noodles. Could this be the Vietnamese version of that miracle cure, chicken soup? Words by Noey Neumark. Photos by Julie Vola

The Vietnamese version of the waffle has long been a street snack of choice. But as ‘fast food’ and ‘convenience stores’ take hold, so the demand for these tasty morsels is starting to wane. Words by Vi Pham. Photos by Francis Xavier

The Truc Bach area of Hanoi is known for far more than just its pho cuon joints. Deep-fried pho with beef sauce anyone? Words by Noey Neumark. Photos by Julie Vola

Most street food that makes its way to Saigon from elsewhere gets adapted to the local palate. One such dish is pho chua. Words by Vi Pham. Photos by Kyle Phanroy

Bun noodles seem to be served up with anything and everything these days. One variation? Bun served with be be, a type of shrimp from Halong Bay. Words by Huyen Tran. Photos by Trung Del