Mekong Kitchen

King Mekong

Vietnamese Soul Food in the Castro

None 9 Photos Mekong Kitchen
If, long ago, you were signing fondue’s yearbook, you might’ve written “Never change.”

That was before you knew better.

Here’s Mekong Kitchen, an intriguing new Vietnamese soul food spot in the Castro, with off-menu fondue involving filet mignon and bone broth—it’s open now (but closed Mondays). Here’s the menu, and here’s the slideshow.

The spot feels affably low-key: bamboo on one wall, cooking utensils and a bunch of hot-sauce bottles on another. Good for a quick bite before Brewcade, or after a day at Dolores Park. Kiting, or whatever.

You’ll start with the sriracha wing lollipops, because they exist. The same guy who was once behind the menu at Poleng Lounge is to blame for this and everything else to follow. There are five different types of pho, but the slow-cooked oxtail option just seems to matter the most.

And yes, you’ll need to make an off-menu request for their fondue that’s more like... you dipping filet mignon into bone broth.

“And a side of marbled tea eggs,” you hear yourself whisper.

This place makes you do things like that.

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