Vietnamese chicken congee

Place: A local joint. Hanoi, Vietnam.

Bread and butter

Place: Hanoi, Vietnam.

While Vietnam has been independent ever since Chairman Ho came to
power many decades ago, hints of the colonial past are still apparent,
with bakeries and French-style pastry shops lining the streets of
Hanoi.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Hanoi cha ca grilled fish

Place: Cha Ca La Vong. Hanoi, Vietnam.

Cha Ca La Vong cooks local catfish at the table with an enormous
portion of fresh dill. The fish and dill are then mixed with
Vietnamese rice noodles and dried shrimp-infused nuoc cham, or fish
sauce with lime juice and cane sugar. The combination is a work of
modest beauty, with humble ingredients working diligently together to
facilitate a pleasing whole -- exactly the kind of social
collaboration Chairman Ho had in mind.

See the full gallery on Posterous