An Asian Fusion with Tapas
St. Petersburg, Florida
Cuisine Style: Thai and Japanese Fusion
Dined in May 2017
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Thai cuisine places emphasis on lightly prepared dishes with strong aromatic components and a spicy edge and is known for at least three and up to four or five fundamental taste senses in each dish or the overall meal: sour, sweet, salty, bitter, and spicy. Thai cuisine is one of the most popular cuisines in the world. In 2011, seven of Thailand's popular dishes appeared on the list of the "World's 50 Most Delicious Foods.” In the United states the trend has taken off and Thai restaurants are popping up faster than the Vietnamese ones are. Then you have Thai fusion blends that are also incorporating European style plating techniques in the form of tapas like The Lemon Grass Restaurant on Central Avenue.
Follow Wine, Dine, and Play:
Main review:
Thai cuisine has many regional, national, and international influences as well as historical. You have the influence of Chinese cuisine to the North, the complex and eclectic blends of curry from India and Malaya, then the sweeter profiles from Cambodia. Though lemongrass is native to India it is one of the essential ingredients in typical Thai foods no matter what part of the country you visit, and The Lemon Grass restaurant capitalized on that perfectly.
One of the most popular dishes in America is Pad Thai however, there are many differences between traditional Thai food that you get in Thailand, and what is served in American Thai restaurants. The chefs like anywhere have learned to adapt to the population groups around them, Which has bastardized the real cuisine. This has happened not just in that food, but many other cuisines from around the world. Examples of Thai bastardization in America include portion size which is huge in the USA, lots of meats whereas the Thai use little with more vegetables, and spring rolls. Fried foods are very popular in the USA, but good luck finding them in Thailand Mark Wiens writes in ‘9 Major Differences between Thailand Thai Food and American Thai Food.’ Americans tend to not like certain spices, whereas the aromatic profiles in Thailand are potently strong. The flavor level of the foods in America are reduced, the sour level is non-exinsistant, and the wrong rice is being used. Over here sticky rice is mainly used, whereas it is steamed in Thailand.
Central Avenue and Beach Drive in St Petersburg are the two streets with a booming amount of restaurants, bars, and other shops, as most of the foot traffic is in those areas. The Lemon Grass is between 3rd and 4th streets where there are a host of other eateries, and lots of hustle and bustle. My wife and I had lunch on the patio, it was a beautiful sunny spring day. She had been here several times and had recommended the place to me. The alcohol list was very basic, not a lot of wines, scotch, or other liquors, and the beer list was your basic. This actual drop the rating for star levels by at least one unfortunately. I started with a Thai Singha beer; 5% ABV pale lager produced by Boon Rawd Brewery in Bangkok, and its international breweries in Europe and the US.
 |
| Singha Beer |
Menu:
- Starters
- Sushi and Sashimi
- Favorites
- Desserts
- Lunch Specials
After placing our order we were given a spring roll with dipping sauces, which as mentioned earlier, you will rarely if ever see in Thailand as the fried rolls are more of an American addition to Asian restaurants. The dish also came with a fried dumpling Rangoon, and though not traditional, they were both really good.
 |
| Spring rolls with sauces |
My wife and I decided to each start with a soup, then switch gears as we were in the mood for sushi and have a roll to split as our entree. She had a cup of the Tom Kha shrimp and coconut milk soup, cooked with chili paste, lemon juice, galangal root, lemongrass, fresh mushroom, scallion and cilantro. The chili had a small bite, but the flavor I was expecting was not there, especially from the profiles in traditional Thai cuisine mentioned above. I ran into the same situation at Armani / Amal in Dubai where the cuisine though fantastic was reduced in heat because I was a westerner, and it was assumed that all western people are the same and that we did not like it.
 |
| Tom Kha |
The same was the case for my Chicken Green Curry dish with brown rice. Again where was the steamed white rice, and Thai green curry is supposed to be spicy hot, yet this dish though wonderful with flavor and aromatics, lacked the spice and kick one would expect from Thai food. I do not regret ordering it, and I would have it again, but I would ask them to make it as if they were going to eat it, not a customer.
 |
| Green curry chicken |
Finally came the sushi. I had been to Thai restaurants before, but never one that was a fusion between Thai and Japanese, and I really enjoyed the change up and complete profile change in cuisine at the same meal. We had two rolls in the pick two special platter with the toasted bagel of salmon, cream cheese, and scallions with crispy fried outer shell and then drizzled with sweet Thai chili sauce. This roll was divine, and I’m sure that part of it was because it was fried, and the second is that my wife and I love sushi. The second roll was the spicy tuna which had jalapeno, scallions, and tempura crunchy top, and I honestly thought their was just as much kick in this role as the green curry soup.
 |
| Sushi - pick 2 platter |
They have over fifty separate sushi rolls, plus a sashimi menu, favorite selections, and desserts. So we will return. The quality rating along with beverage was low because of the lack of true Thai flavor and spice, but we will adjust and ask them to add. I see us returning here many more times, and writing more reviews about what we had.
Dessert:
Though we were full, the dessert selection showed interest with their Thai donut, banana rama hot banana split, and green tea cream called the green day. They also had a traditional Mexican restaurant favorite of fried vanilla ice cream, even though that dessert was invented in Chicago.
Other Noteworthy Japanese, Sushi, and Thai Articles:
Rock 'N' Raw Asian restaurant with sushi at the Hard Rock Casino, Tampa, Florida
5A5 Steak Lounge Modern Japanese steakhouse with chic design in San Francisco, California
Ambrosia Japanese restaurant & saké bar with sushi in Key West, Florida
Basil Asian Bistro Pan-Asian favorites from China to Vietnam with sushi specials in Canton, Ohio
Junsui An eclectic taste of Asia with buffets at the Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai, UAE
Osaka Sushi & Thai Restaurant Thai and Japanese fare including sushi in Seminole, Florida
Dunes Beach Restaurant & Bar Eclectic Cape Malay cuisine w/sushi in Hout Bay, South Africa
Other Pictures:
Final notes, review basics, and observations:
What is a restaurant review? How does the rating system work? Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsibly, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience. I put you at the table with me, and to be objective. My goal is to be impeccable with my word, being honest in the review, never making assumptions, and to always write to the best of my knowledge. My ratings are by the stars I award (from 0 to 5). The rating is calculated on a point accumulation of six separate factors with 70 questions broken down by individual experience. They include: wine and other beverage selections, plate presentation, customer service, restaurant or café ambiance, food quality, plus a bonus section called wow factor. To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
Over all from this experience, and using my rating system linked above, I give The Lemon Grass a 0.5 out of 5 stars, meaning that they are a very basic dining experience, and could have rated higher if the beverage and food quality scores were higher. Unfortunately the lack of diverse beverages, and the lack of Thai and Japanese selections is a major factor to the lower score. This is an easy fix for them if they choose. The six factors used to get this rating are scored in the chart below.
|
Formula Factor Conclusions and Overall Ratings
|
Max Points Possible:
|
Total Points Awarded:
|
Total Points deducted:
|
|
Ambiance
|
8
|
8
|
0
|
|
Food quality
|
9
|
4.5
|
4.5
|
|
Plate presentation
|
8.5
|
8
|
0.5
|
|
Customer service
|
7.5
|
6
|
1.5
|
|
Alcohol and other beverages
|
9
|
1
|
8
|
|
Total regular points awarded
|
42
|
27.5
|
14.5
|
|
Total percentage Before Bonus
|
|
0.654761904761905
|
|
|
“Wow” factor BONUS
|
5
|
0
|
0
|
|
Total bonus percentage
|
|
0
|
|
|
Total percentage with bonus for final star rating
|
|
0.654761904761905
|
|
|
Stars Awarded (see chart below)
|
0 - 5
|
0.5
|
|
|
5 stars
|
An Extraordinary Experience
Worthy of a Michelin rating
|
94 - 100%
(105% with full bonuses added)
|
|
4 Stars
|
An Outstanding Experience
(Top of its class)
|
87 - 93%
|
|
3 Stars
|
Exceeded All My Expectations
|
80 - 86%
|
|
2 Stars
|
Far Above the Average Experience
|
72 - 79%
|
|
1 Star
|
An Average Dining Experience
|
66 - 71%
|
|
0.5 Star
|
The Restaurant is a very Basic Experience
|
65 - 61%
|
|
0 Stars
|
ALERT: Poor, or Appalling Experience
(Do not waste your money or time)
|
60% or below
|
|
Overall Star Rating:
|
0.5 of 5 Stars:
65% Rating with a 0 point “wow” bonus
A very Basic Dining Experience
|
|
Corkage fee’s:
|
This Restaurant does not list any corkage fee’s however, most American restaurants charge $25.00 per bottle
|
|
Restaurant style:
|
Casual
|
|
Cuisine style:
|
Café, Seafood, Tapas, Asian-fusion, Japanese, Thai, Pescatarian, and Vegetarian
|
|
Reservations:
|
Not Required
Walk-Ins:
Accepted
|
|
Dress code:
|
Casual attire
|
|
Child policy:
|
The Restaurants reviewed on this site may have a child’s menu or cater to them; however for full enjoyment of food and wine, it is recommended for children not to be in attendance, unless they have been trained in proper etiquette. If not then
Hire a Babysitter!
|
|
Experiences:
|
Great outdoor dining, Good for special occasions, Rustic, and a Neighborhood gem.
|
|
Payments:
|
Cash, Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express
|
|
Parking:
|
Street Parking
|
|
Wifi
|
The restaurants reviewed on this site may have Wi-Fi, but do not require you to go online, because the excitement of the food and wine alone will keep you too entertained instead of checking your social media and emails.
|
|
Noise level:
|
Low
|
|
Smoking:
|
Nonsmoking restaurant, and nonsmoking patio
|
|
Patio:
|
Yes
|
A few St. Petersburg reviews on Wine, Dine, and Play:
|
Organic Farmers Market in Pioneer Park
|
Rustic New American Fare
A top 100 on Wine, Dine, and Play
|
New American, Southern Twist
|
|
Innovative Finer Seafood & Raw Bar
At the Sundial
|
Traditional and classic Italian plates
|
Colonial Portuguese Fusion with tapas
|
Other Florida favorites:
|
Clearwater
Italian-inspired seafood at the Opal Sands Resort
|
New Smyrna Beach
Old-world classic Italian & Mediterranean
|
Gulfport
Old School Rustic Tuscan
|
|
Tampa
Native American Cuisine w/Barbacoa Grilling
|
Ruskin
German Bites in Bavarian-style Tavern
|
Sanibel Island
Waterfront upscale new American cuisine
|
|
Orlando
Upscale Pan Asian Fare w/sushi
|
St. Pete Beach
Rooftop Artisan Fusion Bistro
|
Key West
Landmark bar since 1851, where Jimmy Buffet got his start
|
|
Brandon
Casual curries of North & South with Buffet
|
Sarasota
Authentic & Traditional Peruvian Cuisine
|
St. Augustine
Locally Sourced Café for Southern Grub
|
Food Prices
(excluding, alcohol, taxes & gratuity)
$£€¥ - Under 50.00
$£€¥ x 2 - 51.00- 99.00
$£€¥ x 3 - Over 100.00
$£€¥ x 4 - Over 200.00
$£€¥ x 5 - Over 400.00
**Currencies chosen reflect the world’s major travelers and restaurant or wine connoisseur’s**
|
My food bill:
|
Currency:
|
Price chart:
|
|
$25.00
|
United States Dollar (USD)
|
$
|
|
33.00
|
Australian Dollar (AUS)
|
$
|
|
£19.00
|
Great Britain Pound Sterling (GBP)
|
£
|
|
$34.00
|
Canadian Dollar (CAN)
|
$
|
|
¥170.00
|
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
|
¥¥¥
|
|
€22.00
|
European Union (EUR)
|
€
|
Currency rates as of June 2017
Alcohol Prices:
$18.00
Lemon Grass Tapas:
310 Central Avenue
St. Petersburg, Florida
33701
Contact Information:
|
Restaurant website:
|
|
|
Maître d or host:
|
+1 727-894-1111
|
|
Serving hours:
Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
|
Mon-Thur:
11:00 am - 9:30 pm
Friday:
11:00 am - 10:30 pm
Saturday:
12:00 pm - 10:30 pm
Sunday:
12:00 pm - 9:30 pm
|
|
Email Contact:
|
|
|
Social Media
&
Accolades:
|
****
The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list on who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine, Dine, and Play best of list is based on my rating numbers of 4 or 5 stars. Less than 15% hold these prestigious rankings, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, and fine dining spots including Michelins, a sampling of some are below. They include fine dining, mom and pops + holes in the wall. To visit my full list of the best, follow this link:
A few to tease you with…
|
Haute French Cuisine
Paris, France
|
Elegant Modern Australian with Molecular Gastronomic dining
Melbourne, Australia
|
Haute Gastronomique French restaurant & bistro
Bordeaux, France
|
|
High Rise Fine Global Dining, Highest Restaurant In The World
Burj Khalifa, Dubai, UAE
|
Acclaimed high-concept inspired Farm to Table tavern
Charleston, South Carolina, USA
|
Highly creative new American molecular gastronomy tasting menus
Chicago, Illinois, USA
|
|
Impeccably prepared French fine dining
Dublin, Ireland
|
Contemporary, African-French Tasting Journey
Franschhoek, South Africa
|
French-American Fine Dining
Yountville, Napa, California, USA
|
So many great wines in this world, here are a few boutiques, cult wines, and favorites:
|
20+ Blue Ridge Handcrafted Wines
Asheville, North Carolina, USA
|
Big, Bold, Cult Cabernets
Oakville, California, USA
|
|
A Cru Bourgeois Supérieur
Cussac-Fort-Médoc, Bordeaux, France
|
Agincourt, Waterloo, Salamanca
Yarra Valley, Australia
|
|
World Class Oregon Pinot Noir
Willamette, Oregon
|
Not Kehlsteinhaus, Exceptional Shiraz
Constantia, South Africa
|
Reviewed by:
Sean Overpeck (CFE)
Glorified Cook (Exec Chef)
Father, Husband, Wine Drinker,
Restaurant nut, History, and
Star Trek lover
I am based in Florida, and have worked in the food service industry for over twenty years, from restaurants to contracting in Afghanistan, Iraq, & Antarctica. The idea for Wine, Dine, and Play started in 2012. Since then over 350 articles have been written, including some San Pellegrino, Michelin, and Elite Travelers Guide top restaurants. Other articles include food recipes, a Grand Food Dictionary, ethnic country cuisines such as Afghan and Peruvian, tasting tours, exotic locations, and wine from vineyards in the old and new world alike.
Who is John Galt?
Other articles of interest on Wine, Dine, and Play:
The Complete A to Z Food and Beverage Grand Dictionary If you're looking for it, then you found it
Afghan Cuisine + Markets Recipes, culture, history - A culinary tour of Afghanistan during the war
Sydney Wine Tasting Yearly tasting event at Hyde Park in Sydney Australia
Burj Khalifa Tower Take a tour of the tallest building in the world, Dubai, UAE
Converting a recipe card from Imperial to Metric Cooking Conversions made easy
Bordeaux - A Sip and Taste Wine tours and restaurants in Bordeaux, France
Fugitives Drift Lodge and Zulu Battlefields African Cuisine Buffet, Kwa-Zulu-Natal, South Africa
Thanksgiving in Antarctica An American tradition with turkey and football at the bottom of the world
Tipping in Restaurants Etiquette, customs, cultures, and assumptions
Clearwater Beach Taste Fest 2017 music, food, and wine near Pier 60, Clearwater Beach, Florida
Gourmet Wine Tours of South Africa A wine and food tour of Stellenbosch, South Africa
(Articles coming soon)
Petra, Jordan
A Taste of Dubai
A Taste of South Africa (multiple volumes)
Wine, Dine, And Play’s “best of”
FOB Shank - Cooking with Incoming
“Culinary perfection consists not in doing extraordinary things,
But in doing ordinary things extraordinarily well.”
-Angelique Arnauld (1591-1661)
TTFN
