Lemon Grass

LenR
LenR
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
Avg. Member Rating
2
Reviews
2
Photos

Gourmet Restaurant in Bangkok

  • July 27, 2008
  • Rated 5 of 5 by NiceGinna from Evanston, Illinois
Our favorite restaurant in Bangkok, which we went to twice, was the Lemongrass. It is housed in a charming converted teak residence (we're great suckers for ambience!), worth a visit just to see the interior and furnishings with many antiques displayed. The food is "nouvelle cuisine", with temperatures adjusted to more western tastes, perhaps a disappointment to some visitors, but welcome to us. We had the lemongrass chicken and a crispy duck dish, both of which pleased us. Coconut ice cream, a serving large enough for two, was the refreshing finale. The restaurant is rather expensive according to Thai standards.

From journal Two Weeks in Thailand

Editor Pick

Lemongrass.

  • July 27, 2007
  • Rated 4 of 5 by LenR from Townsville, Australia
Lemongrass.

This is a delightful restaurant in the center of the Sukhumvit Road area. There are several hotels nearby so it is understandably popular with regular visitors to Bangkok.

In the late 1980s this was my favourite Thai restaurant and I was a regular visitor. Then in the 1990s I was put off by the indifferent attitude of the staff as the popularity of the place soared. It almost became an effort to serve you and I believe the kitchen suffered the same problem.

But no more. I have been back here three times in the past 18 months and each time I have loved the food, the ambiance and the service. It is firmly back on my ‘favourites’ list.

The restaurant is in an old non-descript-looking building on Sukhumvit Soi 24, less than 100 meters from Sukhumvit Road and the Phrom Phong Skyrail station. From the outside it looks unimpressive, but once inside the situation completely changes. The building is filled with Thai antiques and there is a welcoming feeling of intimacy in each of the small rooms. There is a small garden out the back which can be especially pleasant in the evening in the cooler weather.

Nouvelle Thai cuisine tailored slightly to Western tastes is the specialty. This has made it an established expat favourite but many wealthy Thais also come here. There is an interesting menu with dishes from all regions of Thailand, including some fiery southern ones.

On my recent visits I have made a point of having something different each time and on a couple of occasions I had the opportunity to share with three others so I have tried quite a few things from the menu. These are some of my recommendations.

For appetizers try the Po Pia which is minced shrimp and salted egg-yolk wrapped in crepes (Bt 230 or about US$6.75) or the Laab Pla Tu, a minced fish salad (Bt175).

The soups are excellent and designed for two people to share. Try the Tom Yam Goong, a spicy soup with prawns (Bt290) or Gang Leang, a peppery vegetable soup with shrimps (Bt250)

I have a couple of favourites for mains but I have never had anything on the menu that I did not enjoy. I can’t go past Gang Keo Wan Ped Yang, a green coconut curry with roasted duck (Bt220) or the Goong OB Woon Sen, prawns cooked in a clay pot with vermicelli (Bt290). Steamed rice is Bt45 per person.

There is a good selection of wines, beers, and other drinks but my favourite is the iced Lemongrass tea. It is delicious.

Lemon Grass is not cheap but they don’t add a service charge to the bill so that helps and it is well below the top price you can pay in Bangkok. The restaurant opens from 11am to 2pm and from 6pm to 11pm. If you plan to arrive after 8pm, reservations are recommended.

From journal Bangkok's Best Thai Restaurants

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