Lemongrass Thai Celebrates 10 Years

Toi Sawatdee, chef/owner of Lemongrass Thai Cuisine at 2348 Polk Street, starts her morning the same way she has for over 10 years: rising before the sun, she heads off to the markets to gather fresh vegetables, fruits, meats and seafood to use for that day’s lunch and dinner menu.

Sawatdee, a graceful, strong woman originally from Thailand, is adamant that this commitment to freshness is what sets Lemongrass apart from the myriad of other Thai restaurants in San Francisco. I definitely agree, but I think there’s another element that’s equally important: Sawatdee is a masterful chef, and her menu reflects a wide array of traditional items as well as creative signature dishes.

Take for example the delectable Thai stick ­ marinated prawns are skewered, wrapped in a crepe, deep-fried and served with tangy sweet and sour sauce. The prawns, big and succulent, retain their moistness in the fried crepe but aren’t a bit greasy. Mieng kum is a savory mixture of roasted coconut, peanuts, ginger, red onion served with wedges of lime, and crisp, bright green spinach leaves to wrap it in. The crispy rice salad is one of Sawatdee’s most popular specialties and consists of light-as-air rice, fried until brown and tossed with refreshing cucumber, red pepper, onions and peanuts scented with ginger, lemongrass and cilantro.

The original Thai curries are the ultimate comfort food for a rainy night and include kang keaw wan, a spicy green chili curry cooked with coconut milk, sweet basil, eggplant and green pepper served with your choice of beef, chicken or prawns.

Sawatdee also features nightly specials and I loved the special curry the night I visited, a green version with generous chunks of salmon. Lemongrass also offers a good selection of vegetarian options. The crispy tofu is particularly alluring because the fried bean cake actually manages to stay crisp on the outside, while the inside adds that wonderful marshmallow texture present only in the best versions of this dish.

About 50 percent of the business at Lemongrass comes from delivery to homes and businesses, but the ambiance is charming and definitely worth venturing out for. The tables are close together, but that makes it feel cozy, and the wall-spanning banquettes are strewn with colorful pillows, which gives an illusion of space between you and your neighbor.

Lemongrass is usually packed with locals and regulars, but even when it’s crowded there’s a sense of serenity, which Sawatdee attributes to having the restaurant blessed several times a year by Buddhist monks. Lemongrass is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week and also offers catering, take-out and free delivery. For more information, call (415) 346-1818.