Lemongrass Gets Four Stars (Business Lunch)

Lemongrass
Thai Cuisine
3404 S.E. Macy Road
Bentonville

When we stepped out of the searing sun into Lemongrass, we weren’t sure if we were still in Bentonville or had somehow made it to a trendy L.A. day spa.

The waitress asked if we’d like to be seated at a regular table, or to sit on the floor. We opted to sit cross-legged.

As we were seated on the elevated half of the dining area, we realized there were cutouts in the floor below the tables. They allow for diners’ legs to dangle as if seated normally.

The cushions are comfortable and added to the total relaxation mode and overall experience.

As an appetizer, we ordered the shrimp blanket ($7). The shrimp were swaddled in wonton wrappers and deep-fried. We thought the shrimp was perfect, not overly crisp or greasy and tasted great with the sweet and sour sauce.

The menu had 89 individual items, so making up our minds was a bit of a trick. But our male diner stuck to a Thai favorite, the lunch portion of chicken cashew nuts ($9), which was served with rice, two tiny egg rolls and a salad. He also had a Thai iced tea ($1.50), the Far East’s version of sweet tea.

The entrée was served in a pair of wooden bowls without a plate, which made it difficult to eat. He was disappointed with the spice on the dish. Although he was promised “three stars” on a one-to-five index, the spice was virtually nonexistent.

The female diner went for the Yellow Chicken Curry ($9), which was served with red peppers, onions and potatoes in a soup-like sauce. She swapped the rice and egg rolls for broccoli, and both the chicken and greens tasted creamy and spicy with the aromatic curry sauce on top.

We ordered a Thai dessert that was sweet, sticky rice with coconut milk and a Thai egg custard ($4). The rice was warm and the custard was cold, so it had a sharp contrast that worked well.

We thought Lemongrass was a great place to hang out and have a good conversation. Though the food we ordered didn’t blow us away, we’re banking on the potential of the other 87 menu items and the atmosphere.