Restaurants
Lime Restaurant
Lime Restaurant has been serving the young and eligible for a number of years. And thanks to its steady stream of loyal customers, it has managed to survive the introduction of rival Spring Rolls down the street.
The restaurant decor isn't particularly unique and features typical sleek white banquettes and modern design. Lime doesn't pretend to be authentically Thai or Vietnamese. Lime bills itself as pan-Asian with a twist. But while the dishes may not be authentic, the twist is certainly better than the syrupy versions you can get down the street.
Though bustling in the evening, it's the lunch special that draws the locals - a selection of entrees from $6.95-$10.95 which include rice, a spring roll, salad and a choice of wonton or hot and sour soup.
While it's not the most dynamic dish on the menu, the Thai Basil Beef ($8.95) is fragrant enough with a generous portion of basil and tender beef.
The Mango Chicken ($8.95) is also a good option with a hearty portion of vegetables and chicken. However, since mangoes aren't in season right now they should probably remove it from the menu. My lunchmate totally absconded herself from the conversation as she searched wantingly for small pieces of mango in the dish to validate they gave her what she ordered.
The Thai Glass Noodles ($8.95) stir-fried in a black pepper soya sauce is an enormous portion of noodles and should only be ordered by those with an appetite the size of a small army.
Having just returned from holidays in South East Asian, I was craving pho and ordered the Shrimp in a Spicy Curry Broth ($8.95). It was a difficult decision to make as it meant abstaining from the hot and sour soup that comes with the lunch special. But I didn't regret my choice. While it wasn't an authentic Vietnamese beef pho, the chef still did a good enough job balancing the delicate flavours of the vegetables with the curry spice.
Satisfied stomachs aside, I do have two small beefs with Lime.
1. Like many pan-Asian restaurants they fall prey to unnecessarily drenching everything in sauce and, even though I know this, I keep forgetting to ask for half the sauce.
2. Aside from being quick to refill our water glasses, the service was sluggish at best and they seemed to be confused about when to leave a group of people to eat and chat and when to bring the bill.
But overall, Lime tends to be a solid lunch option and I will go back. While the dinner menu doesn't feature the same lunch special it does offer a wide range of interesting, and less sauced, pan-Asian selections.
Lime is located at 170 Eglinton Avenue East. Restaurant hours are Mon - Thurs: 11:30 am- 3:30pm, 5-10 pm; Sat: 12-3:30 pm, 5-11 pm; Sun: 5-10pm.
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As a side note: Lime also has to contend with the very excellent (and authentically Thai) "Mai Thai" restaurant down the street - but I'll still check out this place some time, as the pictures do look tasty!
Did their food change, or just the opinions of the people criticizing it?
I ordered the usual phad thai - once at East, and two more times at different Spring Rolls locations. All three dishes were the same abomination: too-thick noodles, a sickening amount of thick red sauce, bland chicken, and what seemed like an entire onion chopped-up into it, added as filler.
Great place if you REALLY like sauce and onions! Not for me, unfortunately.
@Ryan L: I have been known to go there. I have friends who insist on going and I'll keep my mouth shut and order the mango salad with chicken satay. Anything to stay away from the sauces.
I went to Lime recently and had a Pho noodle soup - very good! I eat at Viet restaurants often, but Lime held its own with non-soggy noodles and great flavour. The portion was decent. I would be very weary of ordering anything else though (Thai food, etc.) just because pan-asian restaurants tend to... be bad. Maybe next time I'll take the plunge with Lime.
The staff is super friendly too! The Chicken Pannang is amazing!