Vietnamese food was thrust into the international spotlight when the late chef and TV host Anthony Bourdain joined President Barack Obama for a $6 dinner at a local canteen in Hanoi. The now-famous meal? Bún chả, an iconic pork noodle dish, washed down with cold beers. Bringing together bún (rice vermicelli noodles) and chả (pork patties), the dish is believed to have originated in the early 20th century in Hanoi—once described by 20th century Vietnamese food writer Vu Bang as “a town transfixed by bún chả.” Though it’s sometimes referred…
