Totems of a universal cuisine—savory and sweet, to drink and to eat, born from the four corners of the world.
Banh Mi
The Most Hybrid
Are the days of the sacred "jambon-beurre" numbered? The baguette has been caught in the act of infidelity, embracing a Vietnamese filling—thus forming the banh mi, which translates to "cake and crumb." Layered within are Vietnamese pork pâté, lacquered pork, lemongrass beef, grilled chicken, or sardines in tomato sauce, paired with pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro, chili, mayonnaise, and the final touch: a few drops of Maggi seasoning. A hybrid sandwich born from colonization, it emerged nearly 10,000 kilometers away, seventy years ago, when the French-introduced baguette began to gain popularity in the streets of Hanoi and Saigon. Today, it is an icon of street food, not just in Vietnam from north to south, but also in France, where its influence continues to grow.
Bubble Tea
The Most Instagrammable
Flashy colors, tapioca pearls, jelly cubes, and oversized straws—there's nothing more photogenic than bubble tea. On Instagram, it crushes the competition with millions of views. Beloved by younger generations raised on Asian pop culture, this bubble tea phenomenon originated in Taiwan in the 1980s. Initially, it was simply black tea with milk, enjoyed through a thick straw that allowed the chewy tapioca pearls to pass through. Thanks to social media’s appetite for fun and interactive drinks, bubble tea has spread worldwide. The trend encourages endless variations in tea types, milk, flavored syrups, and toppings. Bubble tea chains are flourishing, riding a wave that shows no signs of bursting! According to the American firm Allied Market Research, the market is projected to reach $5.4 billion by 2033.
Fried Chicken
The Crispiest
Is the traditional Sunday roast chicken on the verge of being outshined by its American cousin—fried chicken? A frenzy is sweeping the fast-food industry, where crispy drumsticks are overtaking the universal pizza in popularity. Fried chicken’s rise has been years in the making, thanks to pioneers like KFC and McDonald’s, whose "tenders" and nuggets have paved the way for new competitors. French, British, and American chains—including Chicken Street, Pepe Chicken, Chicken Stop, Wingstop, and Popeyes with its Cajun-inspired recipes—are vying for a share of a booming market: in France, chicken consumption has doubled in the past twenty years. Meanwhile, Asian cuisine is stepping up to the challenge, with Japanese street food offering its own fried chicken varieties—karaage and katsu—while Korea enters the fray with its sweet and spicy dakgangjeong.
Ramen
The Most Comforting
Among the dense and intricate world of Asian noodles, ramen—the iconic Japanese dish with Chinese roots—has had to fight for recognition outside its homeland. In France, it took time to build its reputation, but today, it has finally earned its place among the aristocracy of comforting soups. Thanks go to manga fans who popularized it worldwide, as well as to Japanese and French chefs and renowned restaurant chains that have outshone countless imitators. Ramen is an art form: in a steaming, fragrant, and delightfully rich broth, thick and firm noodles mingle with bamboo shoots, nori or wakame seaweed, green onions, a marinated soft-boiled egg, sometimes seafood, a salted plum, and delicate slices of roasted pork, carefully picked up with chopsticks. Customization is key—each person creates their own ramen experience. There are as many regional variations as there are types of ramen: in Sapporo, it’s miso-based; in Tokyo, it features chicken and soy sauce.
Hot Dog
The Most Nostalgic
The hot dog is dead—long live the hot dog! Only those with graying temples may recall the old hot dog machines, with their metal spikes keeping buns warm while Frankfurt sausages steamed inside, ready to be topped with a bold stripe of mustard. In Quebec, they call it a "chien chaud" (hot dog), and back in the day, it was a simple pleasure enjoyed standing at a counter. That experience may have disappeared, but a revival has arrived—this time from the U.S. There, the hot dog remains Americans’ second-favorite sandwich (after the burger), served fresh from food trucks. No true sports fan would attend a baseball game without one, nestled in a soft bun, drizzled with ketchup, and topped with relish (pickled vegetables) and crispy fried onions. Now, outside its American stronghold, the hot dog is earning new street food status with its adaptable format and diverse ingredient options: pork, beef, poultry, turkey, and halal versions, along with a variety of sauces (mayonnaise, curry, samurai, honey mustard, etc.). These combinations transform the hot dog into a complete dish—one that’s irresistibly desirable.
Donut
The Most Indulgent
Once dismissed as a cliché of American junk food, is the donut finally earning its place in a country where pastry is an art form? With over 300,000 donuts sold daily in France, this hole-in-the-middle treat, with its colorful glazes, is experiencing an unprecedented boom. Sensing an opportunity, two American giants are making their move into the French market. Krispy Kreme, founded in 1937, launched a massive 550-square-meter flagship store in Paris last year, with plans to open 500 more locations by 2028. Meanwhile, Dunkin’ Donuts, the top U.S. chain, seized the moment during the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games to announce its upcoming arrival in the capital. But will these corporations succeed in adapting to French culinary culture? The market is already packed with artisans—both French and American—offering more refined donuts that successfully blend the original American spirit with France’s high standards for taste and quality.
By Jean-Pierre Montanay
