text: For years when going to the theater my friend and I have eaten across the street at Indian Spices or occasionally next door at Christos looking out one window and into the window of Lemon Grass They never looked especially busy but then during theater times I have rarely been anywhere downtown that really WAS especially busy and we really did not know anything about it So on this particular foray into a night with Lily Tomlin we thought we would try something differentnnI see all the growling reviews here complaining aboutwelleverythingfrom service to food and frankly I am not quite sure we were all at the same restaurantnnIm also a bit confused by most people calling it Thai when the menu says CambodiannnLemon Grass was pleasant They did seem to operate with minimal staff but they certainly seemed to keep up There was a small group of diners when we arrived and that number grew while we were there seemed like mostly people who were going to the same show we werennThe menu options were quite ethnic and unusual from things I would seen on most Asian menus which to me was very cool Could not pronounce them but the ingredients were certainly unlike the others so we decided to try a couple of dishes we would never tried before including an appetizernnThe appetizers were called Na Taings and were like little nonsweet rice krispie treats that came with a very yummy pork and curry sauce to top them with There were five on the plate Several of their appetizers came to the plate Ok folks what is UP with the odd numbers on appetizer plates around here lately If you are sharing with another person do we really want to incite a riot over who gets the last one Even Stevens is best on any shared plate Two for you two for me or three for you three for menot Oh no you go ahead No YOU go ahead reallynnAnyway the appetizer was quite tasty and hit the spotnnMy friend ordered hot tea which seemed to come in a magical pot The pot was only about two inches tall and about as round as a very small tortilla but it filled both of our normal sized cups three times It was a beautiful little creation of a pot I must say It looked like cast iron and was very ornamental and came with its own matching trivet to rest upon The tea was a very flavorful jasmine How six cups managed to fit in that tiny pot is amazingnnFor the entrees I cannot remember the names of the dishes nor can I find them listed online Lemon Grass does not seem to have its own website and all of the menu sites only appear to have a minimalist lunch menu or something outdatednnMy friend ordered something with many vowels and consonants that was a seafoodcurryvegetable mix on a bed of crispy rice noodles and I ordered another dish with many vowels and consonants that was a pork based curry and vegetable but lower on the veggie count also over a bed of crispy rice noodlesnnAfter the waitress took our order she came back from the kitchen to inform my friend that the dish she would ordered was out so my friend opted for the same as InnThe dishes arrived There was a giant mound of crispy white rice noodles and they were indeed crispy with a decent sized spot of the actual meat and curry portion nestled against it with a ginormous decorative flower made of beet my plate and carrot her plate on a landscaping of parsley We switched platesbeets make me gag Then the waitress asked if we wanted chopsticks and wellnot so functional for a blind woman but I opted to use themnnThe dish was unusual and quite delicious but a CHORE to eat with either a fork OR chop sticks The first bite I tried to take with the chop sticks literally thrust the end of a very rigid rice noodle right up my right nostril In my friends case even with a fork rice noodles were flying But all in all it was quite delicious It was pork a curry gravy some bean sprouts and fried egg strips Honestly except for the grrrrrr of trying to contain the crispy rice noodles to the plate it was a tasty and filling meal Quite pleasant and it was nice to try something new to usnnThe bill was not outrageous just under for two entrees an appetizer and a pot of teannWe both agreed that we would go backbut next time we will avoid the crispy noodles for something a bit more malleable like rice or soft noodlesnnThe staff was fine and helpful the food decent Heck the only thing that made the evening even slightly unpleasant was the cackling yinzer at one table who apparently thought she was in her own dining room at homennFor the pretheater or concert scenario I do recommend it It is worth a shot especially if you are an outside the box eater Try something you cannot pronouncewhat the heck