Lemongrass Grill (CLOSED)

Think of this minichain as Thai food for the uninitiated: cheap, convenient and nonthreatening, with a sweet-and-mild menu and, at the Upper West Side branch, ersatz tropical decor. Grilled-beef salad is no-frills, while sweet-and-sour Thai-style chicken is comparable to what you’d get at a corner Chinese joint: chewy bits of white meat and chopped vegetables in a gloppy red sauce. Pad thai, on the other hand, is nicely done.