(CNN)Not only did President Barack Obama sample some of Vietnam's finest local eats in Hanoi in May, but his guide was none other than "Parts Unknown" host Anthony Bourdain.
"There is no better place to entertain the leader of the free world, in my opinion, than one of these classic, funky family-run noodle shops you find all over Hanoi," says Bourdain. "Dinner and a beer costs about $6. I'm guessing the President doesn't get a lot of state dinners like this."
President or not, you don't need a celebrity guide to make the most of this nation's eats.
The cheapest and one of the most delicious places to find Vietnamese cuisine is in a traditional open-air market.
Here, single-dish food stalls, run mostly by women, offer finely crafted dishes passed from mother to daughter for generations.
Ready to pull up a plastic stool?
Here are 10 foods that will give you a perfect introduction to Vietnam's best street eats