Mekong Vietnamese Restaurant
Richmond, VA 23230-2222
Phone: (804) 288-8929
- Hours:
- Sat 11am-11pm, Sun-Fri 11am-10pm
Editorial Review for Mekong Vietnamese Restaurant – by Carter Trumbo
The Scene
Seats fill up fast with the lunch crowd here. The drawing card? Interesting combo platters under $5, the giant screen TV in the back room tuned to ESPN, a special smokers room and full-sized bar. At least half the dinner crowd opts for chopsticks; you'll want to pick up a pair too when you see the extensive six-page menu.
The Food
Lunch combo platters include a delicate wonton soup, healthy steamed spring roll and jasmine rice. Break out of the chow mien rut with basil chicken, spicy squid with lemongrass or curried tofu. Dinner choices can be an overwhelming; don't hesitate to ask for suggestions or interpretations. Don't miss out on the French-Vietnamese yellow pancakes, pho soups (a meal in a bowl) broken rice dishes and chef's specialties. Vegetarians will be delighted with the vegetable and egg noodle menu. Think hot and sour soup with tofu, pineapple, basil and sprouts in a tamarind-flavored broth.
Editorial content is independent of paid advertisers. Any expenses are paid for by Citysearch.
Insider Tips
What to Wear:Casual dress
The Service:Short staffed doesn't mean skimpy service. Somehow they manage to carry it off.
To Drink:Full bar.
User Reviews for Mekong Vietnamese Restaurant
11/26/2007 Posted by fakeplastickim
I love this place. I've been more than a dozen times, and it's my favorite place in Richmond. They have such flavorful, fresh, well-priced dishes. My favorites are the grill platter (make your own spring rolls, basically) for about $13 and the rice noodle salad for about $6.50 -- both of which have plenty to fill you up, and the former almost always provides enough for leftovers. It's a lot healthier than American-style Chinese, too. When I get takeout, it's always ready before they say it will be and is always delicious. They even gave it to me for free once, probably because they'd already closed the register. I took a friend from Northern Virginia there when she came to visit, and she liked it so much she wanted to go back the next day, which I thought was great. I took other friends there, and they enjoyed it, too. The service is attentive, but sometimes they are rushed. Also, the vegetable soup I tried once was bland. I'm not crazy about the decor, but it's clean. Lots of vegetarian choices. Reasonably priced drinks with an incredible selection of beer and Belgian ales. I'm sure I'll be eating Mekong food again in the near future.
Pros: Good prices, extensive food and beer menus, super-fresh ingredients
01/28/2007 Posted by gdon
I'm aware that the Mekong has been criticized in previous reviews, and those reviewers surely visited some other Mekong restaurant. I've been to the one at 6004 W. Broad on several occasions, and both my experience and the experience of friends has been that of consistently delicious food, well prepared, courteously served, at a more than reasonable price. I've been to a number of Vietnamese restaurants throughout this area and Southern California, and the Mekong can stand up right alongside any of them. From their own delicious Vietnamese (as opposed to Chinese) version of the old and familiar hot and sour soup through the grilled dishes to the various meat and vegetables in a sauce offerings so typical of many Asian styles of cooking, the Mekong was consistently first rate. I do agree it is not a world-class restaurant, it is not spectacular, but it is consistently delicious, I'd say in the B+ to A- range...which is a marvel in Tidewater, Virginia....especially at their very low prices! I look forward to going there again and again. And to risk ending on a somewhat grumpy note, I'd say that anyone who expects much from "take-out" food, who expects high quality food to survive the lengthy journey from the chef's hands to a much later reheated plate at home deserves whatever the food is like at that point and has no grounds for complaint to the original chef.
Pros: Delicious food, extensive menu, reasonable prices, friendly service
Cons: Spare decor
Users Like You Also Viewed
Hardee's
7917 Midlothian Tpke
Richmond, VA 23235
Saigon Gourmet Restaurant
11033 Hull St Rd
Midlothian, VA 23112-3254
