Long Story Short:
Ginger and Lemongrass is tasty Vietnamese restaurant that serves up authentic dishes in a laid back environment. We chose the Lower East Side spot to try out Allset, an app that lets you pre-order your meal so it’s ready to be served up when you get there, and were very happy with the outcome. The papaya salad had great heat, the green curry was creamy and packed a punch, and the massive ginger chicken bowl was healthy and filling. While the food was tasty, it was fairly text book, and we would explore other Vietnamese options before returning. However, it is a great bang for your buck, especially if you use Allset!
The Full Run Down on Ginger and Lemongrass
Ambiance: 7/10
The design is industrial chic with pops of color, which reminded us of Vietnam. Hanoi in particular has wires every which way, packed streets, and dirty roads with stunningly bright buildings, doors, and accents here and there. While the décor was nice, it screamed “I’m hot on Seamless.” The soundtrack to our dinner was oddly funky jazz, but it created a nice atmosphere that was ideal for offloading on a Friday.
Here’s the real Vietnam!
Service: 10/10
The papaya salad was served in 5 minutes, and the entrees soon followed. The app was successful! The waiters were attentive, helpful, nice, and let us loiter there for 30 minutes after we finished the meal.
Food: 6/10
The massive papaya salad was crunchy and refreshing with a nice heat that lingered, but wasn’t overpowering. Our green curry had tender chicken, the perfect amount of water chestnuts to add a crunch, and a nice creaminess that called for eating it with a spoon. It could have had more heat… but so could most food in the US in our opinion. The lemongrass chicken bowl did not skimp on the serving size. An ample amount of chicken was served atop rice with shredded carrots, cucumber, cilantro, and ginger, making for a bowl that is perfect for anyone who is trying to make healthier dining choices.
While all the food was good, it wasn’t mind blowingly flavorful and exciting. Each dish was to the book and lacked inspiration and it needed something to unique to set it apart from the other New York Vietnamese restaurants. With that being said, it was a perfect meal to share conversation over.
Price: 8/10
Allset had an advertised $5 discount for Ginger and Lemongrass, but unfortunately, we couldn’t combine that with the already present $10 credit our account had. However, we ended up getting a massive meal we couldn’t even finish for under $30!
Green Curry: $15
Papaya Salad: $10
Lemongrass Chicken Bowl: $14
=$39
-$10 in Allset credit
=$29
As always, stay frugal.
Have a hunger for Thai food instead? Check out THIS review of Thai Market in NYC!
