The museum building itself — the former French École Française d’Extreme Orient, built by the French colonial architect Ernest Hebrard in the 1930s in the “pagoda” style — reflects the complexity of cultural influences in Vietnam.

It is only one example of French colonial architecture in Hanoi; others include the cathedral and the opera house. And the colonial Hotel Metropole is now fully restored in all its luxury — complete with an exhibit on the celebrities who stayed there before, during and after the war years (including Charlie Chaplin, Catherine Deneuve, Jane Fonda, Joan Baez and John McCain). At the Metropole, lobster thermidor is on the menu, and guests are advised to dress appropriately for dinner. But we had other meals to pursue.

One of those meals was xoi, made with sticky rice with mung beans and onions, among other toppings. We found the dish at Xoi Yen, another couple of steps up the ladder from street stall to restaurant. We ordered xoi with chicken, which was delicious, but also saw bowls going by topped with fried eggs, pork, vegetables and other combinations.

Xoi Yen feels more like a real restaurant, with a corps of busy waiters, and a balcony crowded with families and sociable groups, all eating xoi. Again, much of the cooking is at a counter right out on the street.

Near the end of our stay in Hanoi, we sought out Cha Ca La Vong, a restaurant that, like the Metropole, has hosted celebrities and inspired famous chefs around the world (although a New York Times article did call it a “dive” a few years back).

Unlike the Metropole, it is a one-dish place with food that you might easily find on the street; a single preparation of freshwater fish prepared in a pan. At the restaurant, the fish is grilled on an electric skillet at your table, flavored with turmeric, herbs, green onions and shrimp paste. Once again, the dish was better than any version we ate at restaurants with tablecloths and more extensive menus.

After Hanoi, we moved south to Da Nang, the booming city that is the economic heart of central Vietnam, but actually dates from the Cham empire. The Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture, established by French archaeologists in 1919, has spectacular works: dancing apsara ladies, playful elephants, a galaxy of monsters and divinities.