Restaurant review: Thai restaurant excites palates in Whistler


Mekong Thai restaurant opened in Creekside Village with chef Angus An at helm.

Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected. Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page.

Article content

Mekong

Where: 2067 Lake Placid Road, Whistler

Article content

When: Dinner, daily. Lunch and après-ski during ski season.

Info: 604-972-1065. 88mekong.ca

Why, I’ve wondered, doesn’t Whistler have more international restaurants? Pepe Barajas asked himself that very question and, go-getter that he is, got busy expanding the diversity of cuisines, first with a Thai restaurant.

Advertisement 2

Story continues below

Article content

He travelled twice to Thailand which “profoundly” affected him.

“Beyond the food, I was deeply moved by the warmth and hospitality of the Thai people. Their passion for food and the way it brings people together was truly inspiring,” Barajas says.

He enlisted Angus An, respected chef-owner of Michelin-recommended Maenam Thai restaurant, to be culinary director. And, in July, he opened Mekong in Creekside Village as part of his Infinity Group collection of Whistler restaurants, which includes Mexican Corner and Tacos La Cantina for starters, and Rockit Coffee, a cool coffee bar with retro vibes he opened last December. Next up, he’s opening Balam, a Latin American restaurant, in spring or summer.

“We’ve secured a world renowned chef from Peru and I’m ecstatic about the unveiling his menu,” he says.

It’s not surprising he’s racked up awards such as Forty Under 40, Best Immigrant Entrepreneur in B.C., and Rising Star of the Year.

An, who’s also busy with six businesses — Maenam, Longtail Kitchen, Fat Mao in two locations, Sen Pad Thai and a partnership in Popina Canteen —  appointed Bonnie Khummuang as the on-the-ground head chef.

Advertisement 3

Story continues below

Article content

“She’s been with us in every single restaurant and worked through different roles and is very familiar with how I do things,” An says. The opening menu, however, was all his. Now transitioning to a fall menu, it will be more collaborative, An says. “It’s nice to have her native (Thai) palate.”

They’re aiming for relatable.

“We’re not trying to do David Thompson food. It’s food people can enjoy after a long day of skiing, presented in our unique way.”

Thompson’s Nahm Thai Bangkok restaurant nabbed the first Michelin star for Thai cuisine and he’s the Thai food giant who inspired An to open Maenam after his modernist Gastropod restaurant faltered during a recession.

“If I hadn’t worked for David, that would have been the end. Little did I know what that experience would morph into.”

Mekong’s food might be relatable, but a swish room, heavenly cocktails and service lifts it to a finer experience. Lunch and après ski menus, set to go live when ski season opens, will be much more casual.

After a good Thai meal, I feel an addiction. I want more. I can’t stop thinking about it. And that’s what Mekong did. The symphony of flavours and aromas are exciting and exhilarating, awakening so many tastebuds. Even the funk in some of the dishes appeals.

Article content

Advertisement 4

Story continues below

Article content

Tuna crudo
Tuna crudo dish. Photo by Mia Stainsby

A good Thai curry comes with the full orchestra, like the gaeng gari chicken ($32), an Indian-influenced yellow curry with coriander, cumin and fennel. “It’s one of the oldest styles of curry. The word curry came from the ancient word ‘gari’,” says An.

The Fraser Valley laong kong chicken in the dish is a cross between the flavourful but tougher free-run Asian chicken and the juicier Western roaster breeds. For the curry dish, the chicken is brined and dried to concentrate flavour.

A beef curry ($41) featured short ribs, fresh baby corn, and Thai eggplant in a rich green curry. The beef is braised in coconut milk, then fried for texture. I loved the sauce, and the beef was super tender. Until the kitchen is fully on its feet, curry pastes are made by someone in Thailand. “Whistler’s been a whole new learning curve for me, too, over the different seasons,” An says.

A fresh and bright-tasting tuna crudo ($21) leans Thai-ward with nam jim sauce, lemongrass, lime leaf and ikura. Pia goong prawn salad ($28) starts wth greens from Brew Creek Farm, a regenerative operation 15 minutes south of Whistler. The prawns are fried for a crisp contrast and the dressing is a spicy, sweet, salty, sour nam jim.

Advertisement 5

Story continues below

Article content

Who doesn’t like chicken wings? Mekong chicken wings ($24) are seasoned to taste like tom yum soup. A tom yum spice mix, galangal, lime leaf and citric acid are dehydrated and pounded into a powder for the wings.

Hoi tort ($23) is a lovely, light, crispy turmeric egg crepe enveloping Salt Spring Island mussels, bean sprouts and served with a sweet chili sauce. An likes whole fish on his menus but simplified the eating process for the tourist market. Instead, for a sea bass dish, he deep fries the whole bone and places it in a swim position, curled around a vegetable and fish stir fry.  It’s served with a sweet, sour, savoury sauce.

Pad see ew beef noodles ($32) reminded me of Korean sweet potato starch noodles (japchae) with its bouncy chewiness, but these noodles are made in Victoria with tapioca and rice flour. It’s wok-fried with sweet soy sauce, beef hanger steak and Chinese broccoli.

For dessert, try the Thai iced tea semifreddo, crowned with a deep-fried lotus blossom cookie — you might have seen them at the Richmond Night Market. There’s a black sticky rice dessert but personally, I’d have preferred the cliché-but-heavenly mango sticky rice.

Advertisement 6

Story continues below

Article content

Thai food is regional variations, and Mekong’s food has wanderlust for all of it. But winter dishes will reflect the hardier foods of northern Thailand and summer fare will tend to be southern dishes. Diners can order a la carte or choose the prix fixe for $37.

The wine list is modest but aims to complement the intense and aromatic flavours of the food. There’s lots on offer by the glass. Both zero-proof and bespoke cocktail lists lean to the fun and tropical. I loved my Aroi Mak Mak Thai, floral and refreshing with St. Germain, prosecco, mint and cucumber. “I wanted cocktails to be more flavour driven, not spirit driven, to work with Thai food,” says An.

As for Barajas, with a company name like Infinity Group, you know he’s not done yet. And yes, he’s got concepts brewing, not just in food and beverage but other industries, all in Whistler.

“It’s home. As an immigrant who arrived in this country 15 years go, I embarked on my entrepreneurial journey with no resources. My belief is that with unwavering determination, any goal can be realized or achieved,” he says. “Stay tuned.”

Advertisement 7

Story continues below

Article content

[email protected]

twitter.com/miastainsby

instagram.com/miastainsby

vancouversun.com/tag/word-of-mouth-blog/


SIDE DISHES

drinkmate

Super fizz

Sodastream has added fizz to my water for a few years but I recently replaced it with Drinkmate. Gotta say, it’s a step above. It adds tons of fizz at the slightest touch with a patented technology. It comes in black, red, white and aqua and is compatible with C02 cylinders from any brand, should you want to transition like me. It’s one of the few soda makers that can be used to carbonate any liquid, not just tap water. You can add bubbles to juice, cocktails, mocktails, wine, cold coffee or tea or any cold liquid, without damaging the machine. They provide recipes like Winter Margarita, Grapefruit Mimosa, Canadian Cream Soda, and Lemon Lime Soda on their website. It also features a pressure-release valve that controls the amount of carbonation, cutting down on excessive foam and countertop spills. Find them at drinkmate-canada.com.

Chocolate fundraiser

Purdys Chocolatier’s seasonal fundraising program helps schools, sports teams and other organizations raise funds during the holiday season. Here’s how it works. Your organization registers with the program — it’s free to join — creates a campaign, and spreads the word by sharing a weblink with supporters. Supporters can then shop from the wide variety of festive chocolates found in the Purdys annual Christmas catalogue. Organizations can earn up to 25 per cent of profit made through the fundraiser program, depending on total sales. To register, and for more information, visit fundraising.purdy’s.com.

Advertisement 8

Story continues below

Article content

Related Stories

  1. Yukiko Iikura, of Wa-Bagel.

    Unique bagels from Japan and Turkey land in Vancouver

  2. Delara owner and chef Bardia Ilbeiggi.

    Restaurant review: Delara delivers Iranian cuisine with a difference in Vancouver


Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add VancouverSun.com and TheProvince.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.

You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber: For just $14 a month, you can get unlimited, ad-lite access to The Vancouver Sun, The Province, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. Support us by subscribing today: The Vancouver Sun | The Province.

Article content

Comments

Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Comments may take up to an hour for moderation before appearing on the site. We ask you to keep your comments relevant and respectful. We have enabled email notifications—you will now receive an email if you receive a reply to your comment, there is an update to a comment thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information and details on how to adjust your email settings.

Join the Conversation

    Advertisement 1

    Story continues below

    This Week in Flyers


    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *