Loving Lemongrass

A sweet and spicy success

by Ethan Chung, photos by Jeff Hobson

Tucked away in a small space on West 4th Avenue is Lemongrass, a culinary staple in downtown Olympia for the past 10 years. During weekday lunches, the tiny restaurant is filled to the brim with hungry 9-to-5ers taking a break from their daily grind. In the evenings and during weekends, locals and out-of-towners flow into Lemongrass to enjoy the tantalizing aromas and delicious flavors of Southeast Asian cuisine.

Owner and head chef Nicole Pham is humble about Lemongrass’s success, but maybe that’s because she has worked so hard to get where she is, and knows keeping up Lemongrass’s accomplishments is no easy task. Pham immigrated to the United States 27 years ago. She lived with a foster family for more than 10 years, and that’s where she discovered her passion for cooking. “I would play around with the pots and pans when I was little, and as I got bigger, I learned how to use them. I’d always cook for my family. It was fun for me.”

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