Sydney, 21 April 2016 – Kensington Street's newest dining venue will soon set sail; a restaurant whose menu offers a communal travelling feast down Southeast Asia's Mekong River, dallying in every region it passes. And for its soft opening stage, Mekong is offering a 50% discount on all dishes!

This exclusive offer only coincides with the restaurant's soft opening and expires on Saturday 7 May.

Sample the Indochine feast before Mekong opens up to the wider public and becomes one of the finest venues not only to open on Kensington Street, but city-wide. Further more you can BYO for the perfect accompanying drop.

BOOKINGS - email nickyginsberg@kensingtonstreet.com.au
DOWNLOAD THE MENU - click here

Limited bookings only, so be quick!

Photography by Lauren Commens

At Mekong, we drift down from Burma cloud country, trace the Lao border, wake up to Thai sunrises, pause by gilded Cambodian pagodas and wade through rice paddies in Vietnam. Each Asian fusion dish is an escapist's wish. Each shareplate invites companions for the voyage. You there, traveller – this shall be your map.  

Chef Tiw Rakarin, formerly of Mama's Buoi (Surry Hills) and Alphabet St (Cronulla), launches Mekong as his newest venture. The culinary terrain crosses entrees, shared mains and desserts to map out recipes that generations have passed through the Indochine provinces.

Photography by Lauren Commens

Test the waters first with an entree.

Squid ink dumplings are steeped in a clear broth. Tea barramundi is slow-cooked in Vietnamese nuoc cham sauce. The Indochine shareplate offers a bite for all onboard, with Lao pork sausage, pork-flossed Dutch carrot, pineapple stack and prawn crackers. Starters stay afloat on scents of holy basil, star anise and lemongrass -- we let fragrances begin the storytelling.

Main dishes chart the river's course as it meanders equatorial-bound. Waterfalls roil hungry waters into spume and the air swells with greater heat, pierced by regional spices.

Cruisers can choose the relaxed route of stir-fried eggplant and tofu ('The Holy (Basil) Grail') and 'Young Ginger' soya chicken. Or wander ever so slightly into foreign territory with 'A duck at sunrise', duck confit laid on red Thai curry with fresh tomato and pineapple.

Photography by Lauren Commens

For adventurers eyeing the Isles of Spice, steer yourself towards 'Spice of the omelette', a crispy Lao omelette stuffed with sliced pork, morning glory and doused in soy chill sauce. Or 'Fisherman's Catch', steamed barramundi with green Thai chill and mint. Head for that burning horizon.

We dock our vessel at port and disembark with the signature three-tiered dessert of rosewater lychee mousse, mango puree and meringue drops. The dish is flecked with elderflower, rose petal and raspberries. This is a ten-piece pinpeat orchestra sounding the sweetest music in botanical notes: welcome back to the mainland.

Photography by Lauren Commens

Mekong's interior styling also pays homage to the river's topography. Natural light ripples through the high glass walls into a space buttressed by bamboo; the same foundations supporting floating villages on the riverside. Diners recline against a wall swept up in seafoam blue eddies while fishing nets are cast across the ceiling, cradling exposed lightbulbs like their catch of the day.

So take a barge down the Mekong River, loaded with the richest cargo: its cuisine.

Let us know what you think, we welcome your feedback - contact nickyginsberg@keningtonstreeet.com.au

Mekong is located at 14 Kensington Street (upper level) and will open Thursday – Saturday for lunch 12 – 3PM and Tuesday - Saturday for dinner 6 – 10PM.

For further information please visit www.kensingtonstreet.com.au or follow Kensington Street on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.