Lemongrass

Owner Khoa Nguyen has created an Asian fusion restaurant that doesn’t feel like a “fusion” restaurant. Instead, Nguyen has toyed traditional dishes while retaining authenticity to provide diners with “refined Vietnamese” — his words. The Vietnamese rib-eye carpaccio appetizer is an example of this. The thin slices of steak are presented in the authentic Vietnamese salad format with its traditional accompaniments of shrimp chips and fish sauce. Lemongrass’ banh xeo (a savory pancake made with rice flour), which Nguyen says is the restaurant’s specialty, is a favorite. Nguyen will likely recommend the charcoal-broiled lemongrass pork with vermicelli and the steak cubes with garlic and fresh pasta if he takes your order. In keeping with such inspired dishes, diners would do well to keep in mind such creativity comes with a higher price point.