Dubai: I was in Bangkok in July for a few days and of the many things I brought back with me, memories of gorging on the local cuisine remain the most endearing. So a recent visit to Lemongrass, arguably one of the UAE’s more popular Thai food joints, was in many ways an appetising reprisal of that unforgettable trip.
From friendly and cheerful Thai-speaking staff greeting you at the door with a traditional sà-wàt-dee (Hello in Thai) to the smell of lemongrass and other Thai essences teasing your senses, there’s something infectious about this popular chain. I have visited their Oud Metha branch several times before. However, this time I swung by its latest outlet which opened recently on Shaikh Zayed Road.
A good way to start here is to order the Lemongrass set comprising pretty much all the best-selling items from its appetiser’s menu including vegetable spring rolls, marinated chicken pandan leaf, glass noodle with minced chicken, prawn cake and chicken satay served with the delectable peanut dip.
For those who think finding vegetarian food is a struggle in this cuisine, there’s a set ready to dispel that notion. A hot and spicy tom yum soup with lemon grass, galangal, chilli, kaffir lime leaves and the choice of prawn, chicken, seafood or vegetables comes highly recommended.
The staff will ask you for the level of ‘hotness’ but personally I felt the medium spicy variant strikes the perfect balance between hot and sour flavours.
Salads have as many as eight choices but there’s so much more to try out including the best-selling pad Thai or wok-fried rice noodles with bean sprouts, tofu and chive served in a fabulous fried egg wrap and gaeng kiew wan, the green curry with eggplant, chilli and sweet basil that’s almost attained an iconic status here.
Try the pad Thai with the deliciously thick pad priew wan or wok-tossed fish fillet (prawns and chicken options available) in sweet and sour sauce and the green curry with kao suay or just a bowl of steaming hot jasmine rice before finishing off with the classic sweet sticky mango rice.
Details:
Meal for two: Dh200
Location: Latifa Tower, Shaikh Zayed Road
Contact: 04-327 6237
Timings: 11am to 12am
We recommend: Prawn cake, chicken satay, Tom Yum soup, Pad Thai, green curry
Ratings:
Ambience: 4
Food: 5
Price: 4
Overall: 4
