We have heard so many great things about Lemongrass Express Restaurant in the Queens Shops’ food court since they first opened. Right across from Ippy’s Hawaiian Barbecue, one of our favorites in Waikoloa Beach area of the Island of Hawai’i. The “Express” is because it is a scaled down version of the Lemongrass Bistro in Kona about 40 minutes to the south of Waikoloa Beach.

To optimize our experience we each ordered 2 half orders. Most finer restaurants will do half orders. I ordered the Braised Oxtail with kimchee rice and the Pad Thai noodles with tofu. Leise ordered the Orange Chicken and Basil Eggplant Sauté.

Braised Oxtail

The oxtail itself had great flavor. The kimchee fried rice was wonderfully flavorful. The onions and other fresh veggies were cooked truly to perfection with just the right crispiness so you taste the moistness in your mouth as the vegetable snaps with each bite. Peanuts, Lima beans, carrots, bamboo shoots which were sweet and sour flavor and divine.

Pad Thai tofu

Noodles cooked to perfection

How do I describe that which is beyond description. Fresh, so many new and interesting flavors which my palette and brain can’t discern. Green onion. Eggs cabbage.

Orange Chicken

Light orange flavor which dances on your tongue.

Pineapple, pepper, onion, kiffar lime. This was by far the best orange chicken either of us has EVER had. Light and tender chicken… Wow!

Basil Eggplant Sauté  

Japanese eggplant, broccolini, sweet onion, carrot and tofu cooked to perfection.

All dishes had a nice level of spice and they can make it as hot as you would like.

Leise loved the Thai Iced Tea and I thought the Lemongrass Iced Tea was wonderfully refreshing.

As I relax in a food-coma listening to the sounds of the hula dancers and the accompanying song and drums my mind is still spinning from the amazingly complexity of flavors from all the dishes. I know we will be back. I know this place gets high marks.

On a 1-5 rating with 5 being the best: Food quality receives a 5 surfboards with flavor a 4, ambience receives 4 surfboards (it was small, but cute).  Service was a 4 surfboards. For overall I rate it 4.25 surfboards.

Aloha,    James Christopher

ThruJimsEyes.com

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