You know where you are when the restaurant's slogan is "Lemon grass citron enjoy your life."
Hot pot meals flavored with the perennial herb have become popular in Taipei after taking root in Kaohsiung, where the Lemon Grass (檸檬草) chain has been operating for years.
It's first restaurant in the capital city on Da-an Road is a homely affair with seating for 50 patrons. It has a brown and beige color scheme, textured orange lamps, a wooden floor and faux stonework. The tables have holes cut in them to accommodate hot plates and conveniently located heat controls.
PHOTO: JULES QUARTLY, TAIPEI TIMES
As is customary with hot pot dinners a steel container filled with stock was placed on the hot plate so vegetables and meat could be added and eaten when ready. A choice of plain rice, or noodles that you cook yourself, was also offered. As was an egg, which could either be poached, or the yolk mixed with sauce.
The vegetable plate was of reasonable quality compared with other hot pot eateries around the same price range. There was cabbage, Chinese lettuce, mushrooms, golden-needle mushrooms, tomato, tofu, seaweed and an assortment of processed fish and meat items.
The difference here is that lemon grass is added to the stock, to the iced tea that arrives in a pitcher and to the range of sauces that can be ordered. It's omnipresent and unless you like it there's no point going.
As a fan of Thai food, where they call it takrai, this was no objection for your reporter. Opting for the vegetarian option was a bold choice, however, as the suffusion of citron is more usually combined with fish or meat. The mushroom plate came with five varieties of fungus and was OK.
It seemed the scent of lemon from the broth had a slightly artificial tang but a server reassured us the lemon or cochin grass used was imported from Sri Lanka and prepared fresh daily.
"Unlike other hot pot places," she insisted, "we make everything from fresh ingredients and there are no preservatives or MSG. The point is that lemon grass is good for your health."
The best part of a hot pot meal is eating the soup that is left after eating the vegetables and other items added to the broth. Here, the lemon grass taste hits the roof of the mouth and clears the nose, before releasing the more subtle notes of the other ingredients.
According to various sources lemon grass has an active substance called citral that aids digestion, and helps cure muscle cramps and headaches. A related plant gives off the citronella smell that repels mosquitoes, so it's powerful stuff.
verall, Lemon Grass delivered what it promised, a shot in the arm of a favorite herb.
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