Tantalising Thai
We’ve always been big fans of Thai food so when we heard about the new restaurant, Lemongrass, boasting delicious Thai “comfort food in elegant surroundings” we didn’t need much arm-bending to check it out.
The restaurant itself is surprisingly spacious, with light coloured walls and wicker chairs that instantly remind us of Thailand. We settle into the comfortable seats and look over the extensive menu.
To start with we order the Tom Yam Yen, a drink composed of kaffir lime leaves, chilli and lemongrass juice. We’re a bit hesitant as the chilli floating on the top of our giant glass is a bit menacing, but the drink is surprisingly refreshingly and tangy. The chilli adds a zingy kick that wakes up our tastebuds and leaves us wanting more.
The staff are all from Thailand to truly deliver an authentic experience for diners and we must admit our server’s suggestions (often on items we’d overlooked) turned out to be our favourites.
We order a variety of appetisers including the ever-popular Lemongrass set. This includes fried cakes, rolls and a must-try marinated chicken wrapped in fragrant pandan leaves. Unwrapping the leaves reveals perfectly cooked chunks of chicken that are still juicy and lightly sweet. Another favourite is the Talay Pan Takrai, a deep fried seafood pancake wrapped around a stalk of lemongrass. Dipped into the sweet chilli and peanut sauce, these mouthfuls can only be described as absolute perfection.
On to the mains and another round of delicious food. We highly recommend the Pla Gao Samunprai (another of our server’s suggestions); a whole crispy fried hammour tossed in tamarind, ginger and garlic sauce. Served on a bed of jasmine rice, the fish still manages to be light and crispy whilst being drenched in the flavourful sauce.
To finish, we somehow manage to sample the entire dessert menu (lucky us!). A visit to Lemongrass would be incomplete without a scoop of Lanna – homemade pandan flavoured ice cream that’s filled with palm seeds, sweet corn, red beans and tapioca pearls.
The unusual filling actually complements the soft flavours of the ice cream in a surprisingly delightful way. It simply is a fantastic end to a lovely meal.
What? Lemongrass
Where? Mushrif Mall
Cost: Appetisers, AED 30 to 40, mains from AED 50 to 140 and desserts for AED 20 to 30
We say: Definitely made repeat customers out of us!
Contact: 02 650 0205
Sawaiba Khan
