Mekong Merchant is an underrated restaurant that you could walk by for months without realizing how great the place is. It serves primarily European cuisine and has a bit of Vietnamese cuisine. The service is over the top here. It’s not what you would expect from a laid-back unimposing local eatery in District 2. The staff can communicate in English well, placing your order and asking questions about the food is easy and frustration-free.
Be greeted at the door by a member of staff and sit where you please. An air-conditioned quiet place with relaxing soft music to soothe your senses as you dine. The simple wooden tables and cushioned rattan chairs make it seem like a café in a resort. The overhead fans on the terrace allow those willing to brave the warm temperatures and humidity some respite as they watch people and traffic flow by.
- Address: 23 Thao Dien, Thao Dien Ward, District 2, Ho Chi Minh City
- Hours: 10am – 11am
- Website: Mekong Merchant
- Facebook: Mekong Merchant
- Contact Information: +84 028 3744 7000
- Prices: 50,000 – 550,000 VND
- Food: Multi-Cuisine
Atmosphere
Seating
There are four seating areas. The seating choices are inside the restaurant, on the covered terrace of the restaurant, in an open courtyard, and along the sides of the courtyard are tables sheltered by a roof overhang.
Décor
The restaurant is furnished with medium-high wooden tables and wooden chairs with cushions. There are lovely subdued pictures on the wall and neutral earth tones for interior décor. The furnishings are complemented by retro light fixtures. Overall, the atmosphere is mellow, easygoing and amicable. The staff greet you as you walk through the door. Diners can make ingredient substitutions. The place is kept cool, and fans help to circulate the air.
Menu Options
Breakfast Menu
The prices are low to mid-range with iced Vietnamese coffee with sweet milk being 45,000 VND. There is all day breakfast that will melt your mouth. Breakfast choices include omelets, poached eggs, fluffy pancakes, and granola muesli. There are four different versions of eggs benedict, like smokes salmon spinach hollandaise. These dishes will cost you 250,000 VND. Croissants, bagels, and muffins will cost you 40,000 – 50,000 VND.
Plus, you can add some side dishes to your breakfast order, like hash browns. If you are really hungry order the full English breakfast.
Breakfast Options
Croissant – 53,000 VND
Egg and Bacon Muffin -115,000 VND
Fresh Fruit Salad – 126,000 VND
Homemade Granola Yogurt with Fresh Fruit – 136,000 VND
Fresh Fruit Salad -126,000 VND
Homemade Granola Yogurt with Fresh Fruit – 136,000 VND
Pancakes
Banana – 89,000 VND
Chocolate – 89,000 VND
Beverages
The drink choices include smoothies, lassies, freshly squeezed juices, teas, soft drinks and health drinks. There is no need to go to the vitamin or supplement store after dining at Mekong Merchant.
If you need wine or champagne to enjoy your meal, it is available here. The wine list on the table has offerings from the cheapest (South Africa) to the most expensive (Napa Valley, France, and Australia). Drinkers who prefer port, champagne, Prosecco, and beer will also have some options to choose from here.
Smoothies
Berry – 89,000 VND
Mekong Delight – 89,000 VND
Lunch and Dinner Menu
Lunch and dinner menus include soup sandwiches, seafood, and desserts.
Soup
French Onion Soup Gruyere Croutons – 105,000 VND
Lightly Spiced Pumpkin – 79,000 VND
Sandwiches
Ham and Cheese Panini – 168,000 VND
Club Sandwich – 168,000 VND
Lamb Kofta Pita – 230,000 VND
Sides
French Fries – 74,000 VND
Char Grilled Vegetables – 74,000 VND
Nicoise Salad – 74,000 VND
Pizza
Margarita – 95,000 VND
Pepperoni – 115,000 VND
Spicy Chicken – 131,000 VND
Four Cheese – 126,000 VND
Recommended Dishes
One of the best times to dine at Mekong Merchant is in the morning. Treat yourself to a nice breakfast or brunch. If you have a medium-sized appetite order the banana pancakes, omelet and iced Vietnamese coffee with sweet milk. There are many other breakfast options to fill any remnants of hunger.
Final Thought…
Mekong Merchant is a laid back a casual dining venue. It is suitable for everyone, although small children will be quickly bored with the place. Its atmosphere is geared towards people who want to relax and dine in a pseudo-quiet environment. While evening celebrations here may be quite fun, this is not a place for foolish drunkenness, even though it seems the perfect place for it.
