Brentwood
has been screaming out for a good Thai restaurant for years now and finally we
have one – hello Lemongrass! I had previously ordered a takeaway from there,
following a friend’s recommendation and knew it wouldn’t be long until I dined
in.
My
auntie and uncle were over from Madrid and as they both like Thai food, I
suggested to mum we book a table for the Saturday night. Booking is definitely
recommended, especially if you’re a larger party – the restaurant only has two
tables that accommodate six and they were both occupied that night. However,
there was only five of us, as Robert couldn’t make it.
We
were trying to work out what Lemongrass was before, but couldn’t remember and considering
the size, the interior is lovely and modern. Brentwood’s other Thai restaurant
is very dated and lacks atmosphere, but Lemongrass is the complete opposite.
The section by the bar is quite narrow and can be a bit of a squeeze when busy –
especially with people calling in to collect takeaways – but the space between
the tables is reasonable. We were sat at the far end of the restaurant and didn’t
feel out of the way, nor were we forgotten about.
Enough
about that – let’s talk food... and what a feast we had! When we previously
ordered a takeaway, the portion sizes were large and we made the mistake of
ordering a portion of rice each – and we certainly made the ‘order too much’
mistake again! But it’s so hard not to, as there’s lots of choice and the food
is incredible.
To
start, we ordered the Lemongrass mixed platter (for five) – a selection of hors
d'oeuvres and accompanying dipping sauces. We sampled golden vegetable spring
rolls, chicken satay sticks, prawn toasts, filo prawns and Thai fish cakes –
with satay sauce, sweet chilli sauce and a vegetable relish. I particularly
loved the prawn toasts, which were crisp and golden – and not at all greasy,
like you often get at a Chinese. The chicken satay was tender and fell off the
skewer; while the sauce was also divine.
We
decided to order a main course each, with the intention of eventually
sharing... not that I tried many other dishes, I loved mine too much. I ordered
my favourite: beef penang, which is what I ordered when we got a takeaway – and
it was even better second time round, possibly as it was fresher. There was
plenty of beef and the sauce was the perfect consistency, while also being mild
enough for my palate. Ashley chose the Thai green chicken curry, which I did
try. It was lovely but a lot spicier, with coarsely chopped chilli in the
sauce. There was plenty of chicken and vegetables and rice mopped the sauce up
well. Mum picked her favourite: lamb massaman; while my uncle opted for the roasted
duck red curry and my auntie chose the lightly battered chicken with cashew
nuts, vegetables and dried chilli. We had a good selection of dishes between
us.
We
shared three bowls of jasmine rice and a portion of prawn pad Thai, which was
very good – with all the condiments around the edge of the plate, ready for us
to dress the noodles to our personal tastes. This was more than enough.
The
drinkers shared a couple of bottles of rosé, which is always my drink of choice
when having a Thai, because it complements the variety of flavours, fragrances
and spices well. Unfortunately, I couldn’t partake – despite the waiter trying
to get me to taste it. He also offered it to mum, who was the designated
driver. He was such a character and the staff overall were friendly and
efficient – the service couldn’t be faulted at all.
We
had a really good evening: great food, atmosphere, company and service. There’s
no doubt we will return to Lemongrass and I am so pleased there’s finally a
decent Thai restaurant in Brentwood. And when we can’t secure a table, there’s
always the takeaway service!
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Love, Lucy xx