Melbourne city is populated with a huge population of Asian, and as many other Western countries, a decent portion of those Asians are Vietnamese for obvious reasons if you’ve ever watched Nam: Tour of Duty (which also has the awesome title song – Paint it Black).
While Victoria Street north of Richmond, some 2km away from Central Business District has the most Vietnamese restaurants, there are quite a number of them right at the city center too, and none can be more famous than Mekong Vietnam at Swanston in CBD. I just had to go there since Mell was raving about it ever since I knew her.
so Bill Clinton had 2 bowls, I had one.
The restaurant is like many typical Asian outfits, with almost no effort spent in interior decoration, just lines of tables and chairs to maximize the number of patrons at any one time.
The one distinction at Mekong are the walls. Instead of low grade artworks, they have photos. Photos of many famous people who dined here, including Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung, and even Bill Clinton (the restaurant claims that the President had two bowls of pho)
there’s always free water or tea at restaurants
The menu is typical of many Vietnamese restaurants, with pho (rice noodle soup), cold spring rolls, hot spring rolls, rice, vermicelli, some sides, and drinks. The pho dishes are priced at $8 and $9 (big) while the most expensive vermicelli dishes (those with spring rolls and meat) at $11.50.
pho with beef and plenty of tendon, yums
As usual, I ordered a bowl of Pho with tendon, tripe, and brisket while Mell got the version with raw slice beef. We also had some free hot tea to go with the noodles, I love the fact that almost all restaurants will serve you either tea or water for free around here.
The soup was pretty mild at Mekong and the pho used was actually just the normal “kueh teow” type instead of the more traditional Vietnamese noodle that is slightly harder in texture. However, the tendon, tripe, and the meat were all very tender and juicy. The overall taste was actually rather good, especially after asking the server for more basil (as I usually do anywhere outside Vietnam).
we certainly enjoyed our pho
It was actually a very satisfying meal, warm soupy dishes with cold weather always go very well together. $18 for 2 person is also pretty cheap for a meal in the city short of fast food joints.
Mekong is just a block off QV and Melbourne Central
Address:
Mekong
241 Swanston St,
Melbourne VIC 3000
GPS: -37.812157,144.964921
Tel: 03 9663 3288
hmmm. never liked pho. don’t know why
Pho is an acquired taste I think, it’s not as rich as most Malaysia food so it’s quite subtle.
Malaysia beef noodles still rocks it 😀
Mmmmmm omg now I feel like having this for dinner tonight …
er uh oh kay….
KY
Mekong isn’t the best in melb..
You should try the other one at russell st .. that’s my favourite as compare to mekong .. mekong more commercialize since bill clinton & choi lan also go thr.
You should try the other one in russell st. Try the thin beef + tendon .. drooling …
arghh .. i miss melbourne so much …
hey .. not sure if your friends in melbourne know this place that serve greek buffet .. it was big plate with meat.. ribs, sausage, steak and chips .. gosh .. the plate is so big that it cover 2 tables for single … go try it.
i ate here before! i fucking love pho omggggg mell can send some over ar wtf
Mell, eat for me pls! *mwahh* 😛
Yeahh..i was actually waiting for you to blog this. Used to eat here at least twice a week. I think the first thing i wanna have when i touch down in Melbourne is to have a bowl of good pho!
hahaha.. I like ur shirt.
suanie,
Cos you love siu yoke!
ShaolinTiger,
They are different tho, and I do like both versions. 😀
Mellissa,
Make it happen <3
joshuaongys,
?
LX,
I agree it is probably not the best but pretty decent nonetheless. Will try to remember the other place when I go there again, thanks! 😀
aud,
OK i tapao next time!
sotong,
Hahaha
Precious Pea,
Woohoo, nice nice. 😀
ruby,
Thank you 😛
I think Paint it Black is awesome too!
Actually, I’ve always had a question – why are the bean sprouts served at the restaurant full of green shoots? I’d prefer them nice and yellow. I’m told that’s the way it is with Pho..
KY,
I realised the difference between the food review u did in aussie and in malaysia…
nope, it’s not the food.
it’s the map.
aussie ones all straight, either vertical n horizontal
malaysia ones, all bengkang bengkok…
well, i guess that could well represent how our working mindset are here…haha
Hi KY, you should take a train to SpringVale (Zone 2)for the Vietnamese Pho next time. It’s taste much better than Mekong and their spring roll rocks!
Suertes,
Yah I like younger sprouts too but oh well, you get what you can I suppose. 🙂
axiao,
Hahaha you’re so terrible, that’s the funniest comment I’ve read for a long time!
YSMM,
Ooo interesting, zone 2 is the far but we shall see! Thanks 😉
ky still in ur pajamas ka XD
KY y your T-Shirt is so kiut?! LOL
Yaloh, I was thinking is this a rule for Pho – must use sprouts with green shoots, or issit because this is the best that Australia can offer in this department?? If the latter, then Ipoh beats them in this sector. But lose out in others..
hahah ur shirt!
I second YSMM too… plenty of nice places further out from central Melbourne too!
damn niceeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
wah your T-shirt very cuteeeee
that shop is famous cuz located in the city.. me and my friend used to dine the 1 in north richmond. That is the best compare to the 1 in city.
panda aka racoon,
Hehee, nice right? 😛
Jade Zheng,
Cos I got it from Reflections@Bangkok! 😀
Suertes,
Hahhaa, I think Ipoh beats them in quite a few other things too, for example the ahkua at the lorong behind those bean sprout chicken places. LOL
shaoweii,
Best!
sweatlee,
Yesss 😀
eiling,
Thank you 😉
taufulou,
Yah I heard it’s better at Richmond too. 😀
I’m looking forward now to my plan to Australia in JUly already!! hehe.. THanks for the heaps of info on food! wooot`
like ur baju man – though bit gayish, but really fashionable. ä½ å¾ˆç‡ƒåž‹ä¸«ï¼
My eyes are not good.. but the sign look like it says “Bill Clinton had 2 Bonks..how many can you have?”
I must confess I ate Beef Pho exclusively (almost) throughout my honeymoon in Cambodia 2 years ago.
drewnity,
You’re welcome! 😀
aeroplane1234,
Hahhaa thank you thank you.
Jeff,
LOL horrible!
davidlian,
Wah that’s hardcore, honeymoon 2 years ago makes you sound so old :X
The picture of the food looks nice, but never really like Vietnamese….I think too plain to my liking.
KY, y u draw ppl’s map so straight one, y malaysia one so luen sui one?
JD,
Ah, an acquired taste of sort. But Vietnamese food isn’t restricted to pho tho. 😉
ruiten,
Cos their streets ARE square & straight :S
do you not think that you are too old for mellissa?
jess,
What is this age thing you’re talking about? 😛
I think richmond area has great tasting phos and other mouth watering asian food… try the lobster noodles…
I is ATE HERE BEFORE!!!!
eksk,
Yah, but Richmond is a bit further :X
yapthomas,
Wohoo!
Man.. I miss this place.
Glad to see that it still looks the same. 🙂
Angie Tan,
Nostalgia huh? 🙂
Hey….ya…its this…Mekong. I always ordered the Chargrilled Chicken / Pork. It will made the soup taste better. Fragance with a little burnt taste. Fantastic! And must eat together with a lot of the chilli oil. How I missed Melbourne!
mnhl,
ooo interesting. Hahah yah Malaysian style always lotsa chili oil!
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