Lemongrass supplies Thai food with a twist

If you are looking for great Thai food with a great atmosphere, look no further than Lemongrass Thai Bistro in downtown Macon.

Located at 442 Cherry St., Lemongrass offers a variety of options, including traditional Thai food with a modern twist, both everyday and unusual types of sushi, and handmade signature cocktails alongside an extensive selection of wines and craft brews. Additionally, Lemongrass specializes in making food vegetarian and vegan-friendly and can easily alter menu items to accommodate patrons with food allergies.

Upon entering Lemongrass, I immediately took in the cozy surroundings of the place. A limited number of tables gives the place an air of closeness, unlike many other restaurants found downtown.

Walking in the door I was greeted by Sarah, one of the servers. She quickly sat The Cluster photography editor, Elizabeth Tate, and I at one of the tables.

Our meal began with a teriyaki filet sushi roll featuring seared beef filet and asparagus. Served alongside was one of the restaurant’s more popular appetizers -- pork cigars. This delightful appetizer consisted of pork sausage wrapped in a wonton wrapper and deep-fried to give an added crunchy texture. To finish up the first course, we were served a chicken satay that came with a sweet and spicy cucumber salad.

For my entree, I enjoyed the green curry with shrimp and a red pepper based spicy chicken and bell pepper stir-fry. As someone very familiar with Thai food and a personal fan of green curry, I can happily recommend either one of these delicious entrees. Green curry with shrimp was definitely an enjoyable twist on what I am used to, having normally enjoyed it with chicken or beef.

Finally, just as I thought I could not eat another bite, I was served Lemongrass’ signature Thai fried ice cream wrapped in a dough made from a secret recipe and fried just long enough to give it a warm, crunchy texture. This was the first time I had tried fried ice cream, and I can say it certainly won’t be the last. The ice cream was delicious, but it was the strange conflicting textures that brought a smile to my face with every bite.

Lemongrass Thai Bistro is open from 11 a.m to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Fridays, and from noon to 1 a.m. on Saturdays.

Those looking to save money can take advantage of Lemongrass’ many specials throughout the week. During happy hour, the restaurant features $5 sushi and $3 sliders for dine-in patrons. On Monday nights, select beers are only $2. On Wednesday nights, bottles of wine are half off. Thursdays feature a date night special for $45 that includes a bottle of wine and a three-course dinner for two. Finally, a “Southern Brunch” is held every Saturday afternoon until 3 p.m.