Springvale has changed so much since the 1990s. Buckingham Avenue used to be the main street where all the restaurants and grocery stores were located. Slowly, over time Springvale grew to what it is today with Springvale Central and other complexes. It’s much larger than and more crowded than it used to be.
Mekong is a recent establishment, popping up during the lockdown period in Melbourne, and to this day manages to capture the attention of the locals and visitors. The reason for this is that it offers affordable dishes from AUD$13-14 for a plate of rice or noodles and around $20-35 for share dishes, plus the restaurant’s hosts are very friendly and accommodating. (Every time I visit, I always feel welcomed because of the owners positive demeanor and seem to enjoy the banter.)
The food is great as well with many different cuisines being represented, including Vietnamese, Cambodian and Thai. I usually enjoy their noodle and rice dishes but notice that a large number of people really enjoy their family sized Sweet and Sour Soups for $35.
On one of the days, I tried their Special Beef Pho and their Rice Noodles with Beef and Gravy. Both were very affordable dishes. The Special Beef Pho had a lot of sliced meat, beef ball and other offal. It doesn’t compare to places to Hung Vuong or Pho Thin, but it was fine. The Rice Noodles with Beef and Gravy was just hearty and packed with umami! The gravy and the texture of the slice beef and vegetables is delicious on top of the slightly charred flat noodles.
The restaurant used to be home to another popular restaurant, but it closed due to the owner wanting to move on to do bigger and better things. I am glad that Mekong has taken the mantle to offer really nice food at an affordable price point.
The Mekong Restaurant is located at 30 Buckingham Avenue, Springvale VIC 3171:
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