Wrapper for Vietnamese Deep Fried Spring Rolls (Cha Gio)
 

It seems to me that in North America, some Vietnamese restaurants use Chinese egg roll wrappers as opposed to rice paper (the same kind used for salad rolls) to wrap their spring rolls (cha gio) before deep frying.

So which is the authentic version? I am assuming the rice paper.

With so many Asian grocery suppliers and wholesalers in the major cities, why are some Vietnamese restaurants using Chinese style egg roll wrappers instead?

Even when I watch cooking videos on youtube, it seems like that some families prefer the egg roll wrapper to the rice paper wrapper.

Traditionally it was rice wrappers for sure. However, there are several issues with rice wrappers.

1. You need to soak them first, which adds an extra step in the preparation.
2. They don't brown as nicely so minus points on presentation.
3. They don't stay crunchy for very long and become soggy and chewy. You basically need to eat them within a few minutes of taking them out of the fryer.
4. Finally, and I think this is the most important point, rice wrappers tend to burst open when deep fried. This leads to hot oil entering the roll and overcooking the filling.

This is why most people/places have switched to egg wrappers.

FWIW, I’ve yet to find any place outside of Vietnam that uses wrappers as thin as those commonly used in Hanoi. But rice wrappers are traditional for sure.

My Mom used to make cha gio with rice paper. More work to prepare, but not as much as you think. My Mom would have a big bowl of hot water to dip the rice paper in. She uses the smaller size rice paper. The main difference I find is the ones with rice paper is a bit more chewy, while the egg wrap would be more crunchy. Just personal preference whatever taste you like. I myself prefer the ones made with rice paper as it reminds me of my Mom. She's 95 and certainly not making them any longer :)

I'm glad you like Vietnamese cooking! So much to enjoy ... and should go to Orange County in California if you're ever in that area!