Vietnamese food-lovers will be able to tuck into quintessential Hanoianfare during a six-day festival that started on Oct. 6 at Ho Tay Park onLac Long Quan Street to mark the capital's millennium.

About 500 dishes – three-fifths of which will be Hanoian, will be available at 130 stalls.

Pho (rice noodle soup), banh cuon (rice pancakes wrapped with meat),bun thang (rice vermicelli served with shredded chicken, pork pies andfried egg) and bun cha (rice vermicelli served with grilled pork) willbe among Hanoi 's signature dishes available at the festival.

Replica of gates at Hanoi 's Dong Xuan Market, Hue 's Dong Ba Marketand HCM City 's Ben Thanh Market have been erected to representthe three regions of the country.

Hanoi Foodfestival will also have a cultural space featuring re-created scenes ofConfucian calligraphers, a traditional Hanoian wedding, an exhibition ofDong Ho folk paintings and a photo exhibition on Hanoi .

There will also be folk games such as swing and walking cau khi (trunk bridge) and cock fighting.

Entrance to the festival is free. Guides will also be on hand.

Hanoi 's cuisine has been influenced by successive dynasties,which give visitors a perfect insight into the local culture, organiserssaid.

"It's a chance for Hanoi to advertise itscultural values and delicacies to international visitors," said TruongMinh Tien, deputy director of the city's Department of Culture, Sportand Tourism, which organised the event./.