Vietnamese Food Near Me

If you’re looking for a quick lunch or dinner that includes soup, salad, and a sandwich, then you should be thinking of stopping by a Vietnamese restaurant! Vietnamese restaurants are known for their healthy food options and exquisite vegetarian fare. They often feature contrasting flavors, varied textures, and exotic ingredients. What a way to spice up the day!

Are you interested in finding Vietnamese food near you? Simply browse Vietnamese food near me on the map below and find a list of Vietnamese restaurants located in a close proximity to you. Need a bit more information on Vietnamese food? Read on for interesting facts, trivia, and history on Vietnamese dishes!

Vietnamese Food Near Me – Find it on the Map

Vietnamese Food Near Me – Vietnamese Food Trivia

What are some classic Vietnamese Dishes?

If you’re unfamiliar with Vietnamese food and search Vietnamese food near me for the first time out of curiosity, you may be wondering what you’ll encounter once you hit the restaurant. Vietnamese cooking is full of some classic dishes you’ll find at nearly every restaurant. One of the most loved Vietnamese dishes you’ll find on your journey is “pho.” Pho is found all over Vietnam and pretty much anywhere in the world that boasts a Vietnamese population. This dish is a fragrant meal of rich rice noodle soup that is typically made with beef or chicken. It is typically served with Vietnamese basil, lime, bean sprouts and chilies. Although it is a quintessential Vietnamese dish, it has also found favor in countries such as China and France due to its use of spices and stock cooking technique. It is also a very healthful dish that won’t add any unnecessary calories or leave you feeling bloated! The key ingredients most often used in Vietnamese cooking are typically fish sauce, sugar, and rice. This is very similar to the dishes that are served up in Thailand and Cambodia. Unlike these countries, Vietnamese food is often less spice, lighter, more fragrant, and fresh. Meals in Vietnam are a leisurely affair, with many dishes being shared amongst family members all in once. A typical meal includes soup, rice, a grilled or steamed meat, a vegetable dish, fresh fruit, and salad. All are placed on the table at once for enjoyment!

vietnamese food near me

A typical Vietnamese dish prepared with balance and care.

What kind of food does each region offer?

While you search Vietnamese food near me, you’ll quickly find that there are many regions of Vietnam, each with a different type of food. Vietnam is composed of more than 50 provinces, but in terms of food, there are three distinct areas: the North, the Central Highlands, and the South. Each of these areas has its own climate, culture, and food traditions that have subsisted for centuries. The North is highly influenced by neighboring China and tends to reflect the colder climate of this region. The South draws upon Khmer and Thai influences. It’s extremely hot climate means there is a much greater emphasis on salads, grilled meats, and items known as “cooling foods.” Central Vietnam tends to be a blend of every style of food in the country. Most Vietnamese restaurants in the US will offer a blend of all three regions, with many being paired down to suit American tastes.

Vietnamese Food Near Me – Vietnamese Food Facts

Philosophical Importance

Unlike American cooking, there is a philosophical importance to the food prepared in Vietnam. As you search Vietnamese food near me, you’ll quickly find that there are rules to be followed concerning balance in this type of cooking. Vietnamese cuisine always follows a combination between fragrance, taste, and color. There are five elements that are put into play to balance these features and fulfill philosophical principles. The five fundamental taste senses found in Vietnamese cooking are: spicy (metal), sour (wood), bitter (fire), salty (water) and sweet (earth). Each of these elements corresponds to one of the five organs: gall bladder, small intestine, large intestine, stomach, and urinary bladder. Every Vietnamese dish also includes five types of nutrients: powder, mineral elements, water or liquid, protein and fat. Every Vietnamese cook also tries to include five colors: white (metal), green (wood), yellow (earth), red (fire), and black (water). In the US there is not such careful preparation or attention to balance and detail as there is in Vietnam. Asian countries tend to approach their food in a much more spiritual manner rather than a practical one. Dishes in Vietnam are meant to appeal to all five senses. Food arrangement attracts the eyes, sounds come from crisp and fresh ingredients, spices are detected on the tongue, aromatic herbs stimulate the nose, and finger foods tantalize touch. With this attention to balance, the senses, and the spirit, it’s no wonder eating Vietnamese food always feels so special to the diner.

The Ying Yang Balance

As you just read while searching Vietnamese food near me, there is a great emphasis on balance in Vietnamese cooking. This is why the principle of yin and yang is also applied when composing every meal. While contrasting textures and flavors are of the utmost importance, the principal primarily concerns the concept of “heating” and “cooling.” Certain dishes are served only in certain seasons to provide contrasts in temperature and spiciness of the food and environment in which the food is consumed.

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