The Grass Is Greener, and Better

Lemongrass Cafe is a treat of many sorts. It's next to Auntie Pastos on Bellarie, and after the diappointing lunch at AP's, Ginny and Wendy and I said we'd wished we'd gone there instead. So the very next week, we tried Lemongrass.

A superior find. It's an Asian-fusion that surpasses the stigma of such a combination.

The decor is trendy with a very kind, capable wait staff. They bring warm milk buns and spicy dipping oil to your table. The buns are delicious: crunchy outside, soft, pillowy inside. We even requested a second batch.

As we were there for lunch, I ordered a sandwich with Chinese barbeque off the lunch menu. It was amazing. Soft meat, flavorful vegetables, and a zesty barbecue sauce that's not quite the red stuff you get at Goode Company. It was thicker and slightly creamy. The best part of my lunch, however, were the sweet potato french fries. They were a sweet/savory hybrid which made them hard to resist.

Wendy got a soup flight... three cups of soup. She raved about them all, preferring the coconut chicken so much that she went back within a week to get a bowl. Ginny got the pad thai, which came wrapped in an egg omelette. It looked akin to a sloppy burrito. It looked good, and once she got past the slightly strange exterior, said it was quite tasty.

A few days later, the Supper Club (a group of girls who gets together for dinner once a week) was looking for a place to dine. Wendy and I both chimed in to recommend Lemongrass, despite the fact that it was only four days since our previous visit.

This time, I had the summer rolls and a salad. The summer rolls come with your choice of shrimp, chicken or tofu. I chose the shrimp and found them to be very tasty, indeed. I liked the touch mango added to the rolls, and their peanut sauce was superior. I am ashamed to admit that I actually finished the extra sauce with a spoon. My salad was a gorgonzola salad with pecans. A tasty, light salad, but not quite enough to make a meal. Maybe next time I will take them up on the offer to add meat.

Those who got the short ribs raved about them. Apparently, it was a stellar choice.

Lemongrass Cafe not only outshines its stripmall competition, but many other Houston restaurants as well. I recommed it highly.