Is your palette in the mood for something sweet but spicy and full of rich, creamy flavor? Then head over to the locally owned and operated Lemon Grass Thai Cuisine and Sushi Bar located at 912 W. Lamar Alexander Parkway in Maryville. This place dishes out culinary masterpieces that are so exotic in flavor it’s hard to believe these traditional recipes have been around for centuries.
The moment you walk into the Lemon Grass, you are greeted with genuine enthusiasm that makes you feel right at home. After the friendly host leaves you at your table with a menu to pick and choose from a wealth of fine choices, you notice that the place is small, but very cozy with a simple elegance throughout.
For first timers of Thai cuisine, the experience can be a little intimidating. The meals sort of look like Chinese food but everything is covered in a reddish milky sauce. Even the ice tea is creamy but don’t worry.
If you like the traditional Asian fares like Chinese and Japanese and tend to like spicy foods, you won’t be disappointed. And feel free to ask questions because the waiters at the Lemon Grass are very knowledgeable about their entrees and are not at all shy to offer recommendations. And as for the creamy Thai iced tea – it’s absolutely delicious!
If you’re still not sure about the Thai food, Lemon Grass offers a complete sushi bar commanded by one of New York’s premiere sushi chefs. The rolls are fresh, beautifully prepared, and very savory. And no, sushi is not traditionally served in Thai restaurants, but owner and executive chef, Peter Dong, decided to include the bar for people who liked Asian foods but were wary of trying Thai for the first time.
For veteran eaters of traditional Thai and other Asian cuisine, you’ll have no problem appreciating the vast offerings at Lemon Grass. Their appetizers include Thod-Mun-Pla, a spicy fish cake marinated with red curry paste and Kaffir lime leaves, a stuffed shrimp plate called Sarong-Shrimp with Thai herbs which are wrapped together with the shrimp in a rice paper skin. For soups, there is soft tofu and vegetable, the creamy coconut Tom-Kha-Kai and the highly recommended Ton-Yum-Kung, a very yummy, slightly spicy both full of mushrooms and bursting with the flavorful aroma of spices and herbs – including the lemon grass herb which, I was told, fights cancer.
As for the entrees, there are too many to list, but they range from the traditional curry dishes to authentic Thai specials like Masaman-kai, a creamy broth flavored with masaman curry, chicken, pearl onions and green avocado. As typical of most Thai foods, the dishes can be spicy, but the restaurant will gladly “tone-down” any entrée or they can turn up the spice. They’re also very vegetarian-friendly; any dish with meat can be substituted with tofu.
Lemon Grass is opened seven days a week for lunch and dinner. Their phone number is 681-8785.

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