By Jacob Mathias

After a postponed grand opening, Lemongrass Noodle House opened two weeks ago in downtown Stevens Point and I really hope they are there to stay.

Hosting a selection of Thai, Vietnamese and Laotian cuisine, the taste and authenticity of Lemongrass is not to be missed.

Lemongrass has a daily pho buffet (pho being the traditional noodle soup of Vietnam) with meats including beef meatballs and shrimp and the standard array of toppings including onions, cilantro, lime, mint, chilies and peanuts.  Your broth and noodles are served from the kitchen, and the rest is up to you.  I’m a big fan of a lot of lime and chili in my pho.  Did I mention the pho was endless.  Out of broth and noodles?  Just ask for more and you’ll get another giant bowl.

The pad see ew (noodles with chinese broccoli and pork) is an amazing dish.  The noodles and thick, chewy and substantial in order to hold up to the strong flavors in the sauce and of course a healthy sprinkling of chilis if spice is your thing.  The pork was cooked perfectly and was tender and savory.  The delicious customization of your pho continues with tableside assortments of sauces including hoisin, oyster, sriracha, fish sauce and chili paste.

City-Times photo

The egg rolls, which owner Yia Xiong is known for, are wonderfully crunchy on the outside and the sweet and sour sauce served alongside is a great contrast to the savory flavors of the veggie filling.  The crab rangoons are also a treat, with a lot of crab flavor and more filling than you usually find elsewhere.

Taking over where Indulgence Wine Bar used to serve its wares, the small space hosts 6 tables for parties of two and up.  This would be my only complaint.  When people discover this place, there will not be enough room for all the customers.  A cell phone accessory counter dominates one side of the room for some reason, taking up what could be valuable seating space.

The service was a little slow, but hopefully that can just be attributed to the kinks of opening a new restaurant.  Either way, the food is worth the wait.

Lemongrass Noodle House serves Pepsi products along with wine and beer and is open 11 AM to 10 PM Monday through Thursday; 11 AM to midnight Friday and Saturday; and from 11 AM to 9 PM on Sunday. The restaurant is located at 1137 Main St. in Downtown Stevens Point.