Lemon Grass (Clive, IA)

Dined - 2/23/08

Lemon Grass, at 12871 University in Clive (behind the Anglo International building) is on my short list of go-to restaurants in Des Moines. The restaurant is at the former location of the Belwood Cafe (French deli) which is no longer there & has no affiliation with the owner of the Belwood. Lemon Grass serves Lao & Thai cuisine. The first time I ate there I learned from the waitress that the owner or chef used to work at Cool Basil.

Lemon Grass' interior is warm (ok, it was chilly when I was there, but it looks warm & inviting). Warm tones of red & gold dominate. The dining area is small, probably around 12 tables, about the size of a larger Asian carry-out place. And while it seems they do a lot of take-out orders, the food is far from take-out quality.

Lemon Grass has a solid menu & the staff is nice, if not terribly formal with their customers. I have tried several things from the menu, including Larp, Ou Larm, Angry Fever (yes, the 5 chili version), Egg Rolls, Crab Rangoon, Curry Puffs, Seafood Asparagus, and Panang Curry.

The Ou Larm was really a soup, although they don't really specify that. It was very liquidy and not terribly flavorful. Seafood Asparagus was kind of run of the mill Asian flare, not a stand out.

The Angry Fever, and I just had a bite, was like eating a jalapeno pepper. There was some underlying flavor, but even with just one bite I could just feel & taste the heat. If you're a fan of that, by all means go for it. But the Angry Fever "Club" punch card is kind of a rip off: clean your plate of Angry Fever plate 5 times to earn a free beer, 11 times to earn a free entree.

Here's what does stand out: Crab Rangoon, yes you can get this anywhere, but rarely do you find this much cream cheese in the middle, also a little hint of peppercorn. The Panang Curry is a great curry with rich coconut milk and a hint of heat. Great flavor.

But in my opinion, the best dish on the menu is the Larp with ground chicken. It is the epitome of freshness with onions, scallions, cilantro, and bean sprouts. It is like eating spring. The sticky rice is not everyone's favorite, but it has grown on me. When I was there last, it was not warm enough temperature wise, and I asked them to heat it up. He said that it would hurt the flavor to cook the veggies all the way thru. I've had the dish many times & never had it this cool, but I didn't argue, but it wasn't as good. But that won't keep me from coming back.

http://lemongrassclive.com/

You can find a copy of the menu for Lemon Grass (Clive, IA) at: http://lemongrassclive.com/LemonGrassMenu.pdf