Lemon Grass: A Guru Review.

There are very few places to get Thai food in the entire Syracuse area but there is definitely one place that holds the crown as the best. Being a lover of extremely hot foods from all Asian food cultures, Thai cuisine has always fascinated me. Maybe not quite as much as Vietnamese classics like pho (take that, SOPA) but it’s very close to the top of my list. There’s something about lemon grass (the spice) that gets me every time–the biting, zesty lemon flavor and aroma works wonders in dishes like Tom Yum (Thai hot and sour soup).

Contrasting this very unique flavor is coconut milk, which is in a huge range of Thai recipes. On a freezing cold day, there’s nothing like a coconut milk-laced plate of Thai red curry. And then there’s the heat; the various red and green chilies that impart a spicy wallop (or sometimes slow build up that makes your forehead sweat). In many ways Thai cuisine (Americanized version obviously) is a search for the perfect balance–you don’t want to bite into Pad Thai and taste Jiff peanut butter–you want a subtle mix of heat, citrus, sweetness and nutty flavor. In my experience Armory Square veteran restaurant Lemon Grass–owned by Max Chutinthranond–is the finest Thai place in ‘Cuse.

I’m constantly eating at Lemon Grass, despite its high-end nature and have never once been let down by the experience. The dining room features various large Buddha (and other) statues, giant South Asian art while huge windows line the entire space. It’s a very nice spot to relax and enjoy a great glass of wine and stunning Thai food–and is one of the iconic restaurants of the Armory. Let’s get one thing straight, Lemon Grass isn’t some low rent place–in fact, I’d describe it as formal. With white table clothes, a reserved, choosy wine list, top notch service, veteran waiters and high-end pricing it definitely feels somewhat business-like in certain ways. I’ve often seen fellow patrons suited-up with ties and cuff links, but to me Thai food by definition isn’t about stuffy, outmoded dinner jacket-required dining (to each their own, I suppose). Luckily appearances are misleading, because despite all of this Lemon Grass still feels welcoming. It’s rare when you get the chance to establish a relationship and actual rapport with a server–they know regulars by name and if you’re a regular you can get away with simply ordering, “the usual”. That’s simply not the Syracuse restaurant experience, though there are exceptions (see bc Restaurant– hint, hint).

Now what about the food? For some reason I tend to stick with the same, tried and true order at Lemon Grass. I always get the Tom Yum (a special they always have–synonymous with Thai hot and sour soup) with either shrimp or chicken. My entree is either red curry, Panaeng curry or Mussamund curry. I’m sorta stuck on curry, as you can see–but when it’s this consistent and delicious, there’s nothing wrong with being close-minded. Back to the soup. On my last, very recent visit I went with Thai hot and sour soup. This is a Syracuse menu item that I simply can’t resist or get enough of. It’s a very tart and spicy experience. A thin, cloudy broth sits over a single skinless, stewed tomato, what I assume to be diced cilantro and small, flavorful straw mushrooms. The shrimp are generally quite large, but of late I haven’t liked them–go with chicken. From my research this version of Tom Yum is most likely a modern derivative–”classed up” for American/tourist tastes–but is still very satisfying. The flavor of traditional Tom Yum remains (that lemon grass!) and you simply can’t go to the place without trying it!

Next was the red curry with chicken. Being a bit wary of the intense heat associated with red curry, I asked them to keep it as mild as possible. Our waiter explained that you can only tone down the fiery red chilies to a certain extent–ah, what the hell, I said, I’ll take the risk. What came out was a bright, vibrant dish comprised of orange, green, bright red and numerous other colors associated with flavorful Thai fare. You’ve gotta hand it to them, Lemon Grass can match (or even exceed) anyone on presentation. As you can imagine, the dish was amazing–hot but not overly so, creamy but not too rich. It represents some of the finest food in Syracuse, all the flavors–lemon grass, chilies, curry, saltiness, sweetness, pure heat–balancing out to create something sublime. I absolutely love red curry at Lemon Grass, just be careful–order it hot and I’m pretty sure you’ll surrender after a few bites. They supply you with plenty of rice to soak up the heat and also fill you up for around $20. Guru recommended, I guarantee heat lovers will be happy.

For something less spicy go for the nutty, rich, sweet and savory Mussamund curry. It has tamarind, fingerling potatoes, fresh ginger all topped with cashew nuts. Another one to try is Panaeng curry. Fresh pineapple, sweet peppers, basil, lime leaf and dried figs. While it still remains pretty spicy, it’s lower on the scale than full-on red curry.

A few notes. Lemon Grass serves Certified Angus New York Strip, rib-eye, filet and even New York Strip Kobe beef–all of which you can pick for any of the items I mentioned. Just be prepared to pay top dollar. I know I raved about Lemon Grass but one thing I really have to mention are the desserts. Many people love them, but I can honestly say I’ve never enjoyed ANY of them. The desserts always taste processed and frozen. I’ve had almost all of them and it’s now something I simply skip. Sushi at Lemon Grass is a similar story. Nothing particularly wrong, I just didn’t enjoy it and never have. If you want sushi so bad, why don’t you just go to the Guru Approved Tokyo Seoul? Bottom line: go to Lemon Grass for amazing Thai food and an excellent selection of wine (I love Cellar 13 Merlot), you’ll be too full for dessert anyway.

Dinner for two with drinks, appetizers and entrees runs between $65-100, in my many experiences.

Excellent Thai cuisine, finest ingredients, perfect service and an enjoyable, consistent experience equals:

Lemon Grass
238 West Jefferson Street (Directions)
(315) 475-1111

Lunch:
Monday – Saturday: 1:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Dinner:
Monday – Thursday: 5:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 5:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Sunday: 4:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

© 2012, Michael Rotella. All rights reserved.