MEKHONG in the spirit

BLENDED THAI SPIRIT Mekhong is celebrating its 74th anniversary this year with a series of dining experiences on the theme Mekhong Elite Table, where fine cuisine is paired with Mekhong-based cocktails.
Set to create a new model for food and spirit pairing, Mekhong Elite Table brings together teams of talented chefs and mixologists who work closely together to create unforgettable flavours.
The series kicked off recently at Osha, the newly opened fine-dining Thai restaurant in Soi Ruam Rudee under the supervision of chef Thaninthorn “Noom” Chantrawan.
“Thai recipes are a key part of the country’s heritage and have been collected and handed down for generations,” culinary expert and chef Teeravee “Jaguar” Ditsayachaipong told the assembled guests.
“Thai food has become widely known as one of the country’s unique traits and is an important part of Thai culture. Mainly based on spices and herbs, the perfect match for Thai food is a spirit that also incorporates Thai herbs.
“Thai menus can be categorised into five major groups, namely spicy salads, curries (with or without coconut milk), deep fried, stir fried, and grilled.
Each of these categories can be paired with different types of drinks.”
Made mainly with molasses and infused with assorted Thai herbs, Mekhong has a unique and prominent tincture bitterness, ginger nose and slightly tart finish, making it a cleansing and aromatic base for cocktails with strong herbs.
The first dish, squid tossed in salted egg, was paired with Siam Sparkling, a concoction of Mekhong, sparkling wine, lychee syrup and lemon bitters with a cube of brown sugar at the bottom. This light yet flavourful cocktail was a thoughtful match, as it counterbalanced the greasiness of the salted egg and soothed the strong flavour of the squid. Any stir- or deep-fried food would go well with this elegant drink.
Next up was spicy beef salad with lots of herbs and chilli. It was paired with Mekhong Thai Sabai, a gentle drink with a medium sweet-and-sour flavour and herbal undertone that complemented rather than overwhelmed. The drink is simple too, using just Mekhong. fresh lime juice, simple syrup, a dash of soda and sweet basil to garnish.
Curries, especially ones with coconut milk, are trickier to pair with cocktails as they have a thick texture and need something light, clear and cleansing to reduce the oily feel. As the kitchen served up seared snow fish with red curry paste and massaman curry with lamb as third and fourth courses, thne bar churned up a Mekhong Mantra to complement them. The cocktail, which is a simple mixture of Mekhong and ginger ale, worked well in cleansing the palate and cut the oiliness of the coconut milk while simultaneously enhancing the herbal flavours and aroma of the curry.
Mekhong Mantra also goes well with curries without coconut milk, such as gaeng som, gaeng pa and spicy and sour soups like tom yum, as it delivers an aromatic bouquet of herbs headlined by ginger. which is used in most curry pastes.
The dishes and paring cocktails are available at Osha till further notice.
The next events will be at Blue Elephant and The Dara Dhevi Chiang Mai.