Great drinks can bring out each dish’s greatest flavours. This much is true. But do you know that the premium Thai spiced rum, Mekhong, has been favoured by leading chefs across the country? The Thai spirit has stood side by side with Thai society for more than 80 years, proving itself as “The Spirit of Thailand”. In addition to representing unique Thai flavours, this pride of Thailand goes extremely well with Thai cuisine, complementing the tastes of each dish and helping you indulge in more deliciousness. At times, it can become an ingredient and inspiration for creative menus, especially Thai-flavoured cocktails.
These 5 chefs from leading restaurants recommended by MICHELIN Guide reveal the reasons they fell in love with the premium Thai spiced rum. They are eager to create and share flavourful experiences – from a revitalising creation to pairing signature dishes with cocktails based on The Spirit of Thailand.
Tatchai, Supanniga Group’s CEO, pairs premium Thai spiced rum-based “Samui Sangria” with “Pad Thai with Crab Meat” at Supanniga Eating Room (Phra Nakhon). (© Anuwat Senivansa Na Ayudhya/ MICHELIN Guide Thailand)
Tatchai Nakapan, CEO of Supanniga Group
Supanniga Eating Room (Phra Nakhon) (Recommended, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2024)“Mekhong is a quality Thai spirit. We can craft it into various cocktails. For example, our ‘Samui Sangria’ blends Mekhong’s unique flavours of spices and herbs with red wine. The drink gives out a sweet taste and refreshing smell of herbs and citrus”.
“This cocktail, created from premium Thai spiced rum, goes very well with Supanniga Eating Room’s signature ‘Pad Thai with Crab Meat’. The chewy rice noodle (Sen Chan) is stir-fried with grandma’s original chilli paste. Jumbo chunks of crab are then added. The result is a mouth-watering presentation with the unique taste of sweet and sour and a hint of spiciness. Pair the Pad Thai with Samui Sangria mixed from Mekhong and their blending tastes complement one another greatly”.
Chef Chantrawan from Chim by Siam Wisdom presents “Bang Yi Khan Grilled Chicken” that incorporates the premium Thai spiced rum with “Muay Thai” cocktail inspired by the world-renowned martial art, the pride of Thailand just like Mekhong. (© Anuwat Senivansa Na Ayudhya/ MICHELIN Guide Thailand)
Chef Thaninthorn “Noom” Chantrawan
Chim by Siam Wisdom (One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2024)“Mekhong is a quality Thai spiced rum with various flavour profiles. The hint of spices and herbs blends well with Thai food. ‘Bang Yi Khan Grilled Chicken’ is Chim’s seasonal menu. It’s inspired by the early Rattanakosin Era, when Thailand’s first distillery, Bang Yi Khan, was established”.
In addition to marinating chicken with an array of herbs, Chef Chantrawan adds Mekhong, which contains similar herbs, before grilling the chicken on a charcoal stove to bring out the aroma. The premium Thai spiced rum can greatly enhance the flavours of meat and grilled dishes. It can also be used for sauces that add more flavour. “This dish pairs well with Chim’s ‘Muay Thai’ cocktail, inspired by Mai Tai. Muay Thai is a refreshing fruit punch combining several lip-puckering ingredients such as passion fruit, pineapple, and orange. The glass is rimmed with salt and chilli to ‘kick off’ the taste buds, simulating the feeling similar to getting knocked by the Thai martial art. Mekhong is an unmissable ingredient that helps deliver the experience”.
Chef Kamnag adds an extra dimension to her stir-fried ribeye with green curry paste with rum. The menu goes extremely well with the Mekhong Thai Sabai cocktail. (© Saneh Jaan)
Chef Pilaiporn “Toi” Kamnag
Saneh Jaan (One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2024)“Saneh Jaan is committed to using ingredients which are the pride of Thailand. Mekhong is a spiced rum that originated in Thailand. Its unique taste and fragrance add extra dimensions to our food. We have created several menus with Mekhong, including stir-fried chicken with wild basil leaves curry, stir-fried basil, and other delicious dishes”.
Mekhong is a spirit with authentic Thai taste. It’s filled with Thai herbal scents that go well with a wide array of Thai food. Chef Kamnag provides some examples. “Mekhong is a secret ingredient in our stir-fried ribeye with green curry paste. The curry contains sweetness from both coconut milk and Mekhong. We add Mekhong last to make the fragrance more evident. The spirit also enhances the taste. It pairs well with ‘Mekhong Thai Sabai’, Mekhong’s signature cocktail with refreshing taste and scent from Mekhong, lime juice, syrup, and Thai basil”.
Chef Steppe of Blue Elephant (Phuket) and “Magic Galangal”. The Mekhong-based cocktail contains galangal and white turmeric for added health benefits and wild honey for smoothness. (© Blue Elephant)
Chef Nooror Somany Steppe, Chef-Owner
Blue Elephant (Phuket) (Recommended, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2024)“I loved creating cocktails from Mekhong to enjoy with my friends. I tried the spirit with spices and several ingredients. I was impressed with the quality and taste. The spiced rum can be used to create various drinks. After that, I was curious, so I tried it as a food ingredient. I made ‘Khi Mao Nuea Flambé’ with Mekhong. With the flambé technique and the spirit, the fragrance of Thai herbs becomes more prominent. When we opened Blue Elephant by the Phuket sea, we used Mekhong as an ingredient for ‘Fisherman Prawn Mekhong Flambé’. Fresh tiger prawn is stir-fried with pepper and chillies and flambé with Mekhong. The spirit softens the prawn as well as adds sweetness. The dish is then served with black Peruvian quinoa and rice berry garlic fried rice”.
Chef Steppe loves pairing the menu with Blue Elephant’s “Magic Galangal”. The cocktail blends beneficial herbs like galangal and white turmeric with smooth wild honey, an ingredient in countless recipes of Thai traditional medicine that helps harmonise the five elements and enhance appetite. Chef Steppe adds “key lime adds sweet and sour taste. The quality spiced rum like Mekhong adds another dimension of fragrance and taste. Together, the cocktail taste becomes balanced. It pairs very well with Fisherman Prawn Mekhong Flambé”.
Chef Kallayanamitr of Khao recommends pairing “Tuen–Toom” made from Thai spiced rum with Sun-Dried Beef. (© Khao)
Chef Nattakit “Toey” Kallayanamitr
Khao (Vadhana) (One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Thailand 2024)“Mekhong is a traditional spirit that has been recommended from generation to generation. I heard the name Mekhong since I was young. The reason I love pairing Mekhong with Thai cuisine is because it’s made from local Thai ingredients. Sugarcane and broken sticky rice are mixed with Thai herbs and spices. The varieties of ingredients are similar to Thai food. This makes Mekhong go very well with Thai cuisine.
“We choose the rum for our Thai-inspired ‘Tuen–Toom’ cocktail. You’re guaranteed to feel refreshed. The first ingredient is Mekhong, followed by coffee and bael. Upon sipping, you can smell the pleasing fragrance of coffee and Mekhong’s spices. The last note is bae fruit’s sweetness. This Khao-exclusive cocktail pairs well with our appetizer ‘Sun-Dried Beef’. Our beef contains the right amount of fat, making it the right level of chewy. Sip the Mekhong-based drink after the fragrant beef to feel the taste of spices lingering in your mouth.
Mekhong is a quality Thai spirit that has been recognised on the world stage for Its unique taste. All 46 herbs and spices in the Thai spiced rum are 100% local. The brand has perfected its secret distillation techniques for over 80 years. The signature Mekhong taste starts with spice profiles just like Thai cuisine, followed by a mellow aftertaste, comparable to the Thai spirit of humility that inspires Mekhong’s slogan of ‘The Spirit of Thailand’. Apart from being a great pairing with Thai food, Mekhong can be a secret ingredient in delicious dishes. There’s no limit to creativity inspired by Mekhong”.
RELEVANT: Restaurant Secrets: How Bangkok’s Top Thai Restaurants Cook With Rum
Hero photo: © Anuwat Senivansa Na Ayudhya / MICHELIN Guide Thailand, Blue Elephant, Saneh Jaan
Hero photo: © Anuwat Senivansa Na Ayudhya / MICHELIN Guide Thailand, Blue Elephant, Saneh Jaan
This post is brought to you in partnership with Mekhong
