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Review: Lemongrass growing splendidly in Martinez

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Photo of the Lemongrass Bistro in Martinez taken Thursday Nov. 19, 2009 in Martinez, Calif.(Dan Rosenstrauch/Staff)

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SOME PEOPLE spend years talking about the restaurant they plan to open someday. Others just will it to happen. Sisters Becky and Linda Pheng of Martinez's Lemongrass Bistro are a prime example of the latter.

Becky says the odds were against the two women, in their early 30s, who wanted to open a Southeast Asian fusion restaurant in a turbulent economy. What they lacked in professional restaurant experience, they made up for with persistence and a strong vision.

"We believed in my mom's food and our delivery experience," she says.

With credit tight, the Hercules/Pinole natives financed the project themselves and Becky kept her day job as a paralegal. Next, they headed to relatively affordable Martinez and found a corner Main Street location vacated by a pizzeria.

Linda and Becky then recruited their Laotian mom for the executive chef position. They worked together to create a menu centered around Thai, Vietnamese, Laotian and Indian flavors. Their retired father agreed to pinch-hit in the front and back of the restaurant. Their parents brought experience to the team, having owned a restaurant 15 years earlier.

Finally, the sisters got creative about revamping the space. With limited funds for an interior remodel, they brought in design students to help with the makeover. A friend's husband, local artist Eric Bohr, supplied mixed-media paintings for the walls.

Inviting ambience

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The open dining room features striking abstract artwork, high ceilings and avocado and brown paint. The bar area is embellished with recycled green glass tiles. In the restrooms, the restaurant's namesake is represented with lemongrass soap and lotion.

The menu captured our attention immediately with its inventive collection of Asian cuisine, beginning with starters such as avocado rolls ($7.50). Here, the green tropical fruit replaced traditional shrimp in a rice paper roll. Becky says this is the most popular item on the menu.

Equally fun were the lemongrass samosas ($6.50), a plate of four miniature Indian pastries stuffed with lemongrass, spiced potato, snow peas, carrots and yellow curry. These non-greasy, aromatic bundles were the standout items in our meal.

The lemongrass soup ($4 for a cup, $9 for a bowl), was also satisfying, with its clear broth punctuated by floating kaffir lime leaves, galangal (a ginger-like root), mushrooms, scallions and cilantro. A choice of protein was included with the soup. The prawns proved a good bet, working well with the citrus-infused lemongrass and kaffir.

Diverse entrees

Entrees are divided into noodles and rice, curry, stir-fries and seafood. The noodle dishes include traditional dishes such as pad thai ($9) and drunken noodles ($9.50), as well as more creative items such as spicy spaghetti noodles ($9.50) with basil, bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms and chili peppers. Seafood items include garlic prawns ($12), garlic salmon ($14) and basil catfish ($14).

In the curry department ($10-$12), the options are yellow, green, red or lamb. The red curry was a complex mélange of red curry and vegetables, amped up by slightly undercooked cubes of pumpkin and jalapeno peppers. This dish is worth ordering.

The kitchen also makes a mean stir-fry. Sweet basil ($10) came with chili peppers, bell peppers and onion. It's another winner, particularly with tender pieces of chicken breast. Sauces are homemade and diners may choose their desired level of spiciness.

I left that night rooting for Lemongrass and its owners. Their desire to satisfy customers was palpable. And I was impressed by the restaurant's energy and mixture of customers, which ranged from young families to a stylish foursome of twentysomethings.

My dinner at Lemongrass was one of the best Asian meals I've had this year. I'm happy to see it thriving with local residents. It's a bright addition to downtown Martinez.

Reach Chrissa Ventrelle at cventrel@hotmail.com.

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