Those of you that read my reviews on a regular basis will know that most of the meals I have had recently have left me less than impressed. On the plus side I was becoming more skilled at putting my critical views on paper, but at the same time it was starting to increase my cynicism towards life. I wasn't happy about this as I think of myself as a positive realist, sometimes even a dreamer. So praise and thanks to the powers that be, and my foodie friend (who is not afraid to venture outside of Central) for recommending Lime.

My dinner at Thai restaurant Lime was one of the best I have had for a while and I am tempted to say that it is the most authentic Thai food I have eaten in Hong Kong. 

Vibrancy and Kick

The restaurant focuses on home-cooked style dishes from the Isan region (northeast Thailand), with a smattering of dishes from other regions. Cooking up a storm in the tiny kitchen is Kittiya, who is originally from Bangkok and her Mum, with Kittiya's partner Andy front of house ensuring everyone is having a good time. According to Andy some of the dishes are unique to Lime, and nothing is mass produced, but made fresh every day. The freshness of the dishes evident in the eating.

To begin we had Miang Kum (Classic), a favourite of mine. According to the menu Miang is called the "six elements snack", with six ingredients, each representing a taste element, sprinkled into a fresh betel leaf, rolled up and in this case dipped in a molasses sauce that had hints of fish sauce. The classic includes coconut, ginger, lime, shallots, dried baby shrimps, fried peanuts, and chilli - chilli was not listed as part of the ingredients but were included, perhaps as an alternate extra for a spicy version. I thought the amount of filling was a little meagre, but the flavours were fantastic. The myriad of flavours and chilli kick a great way to waken the taste buds and stimulate the appetite. My dining companion said it was the second best Miang he has had, first place goes to Miang eaten in Bangkok.

Of the eight dishes we tried (in the interest of getting a good feel for the food and not because you need that many, you don't) the Fresh Rolls with Prawn was the only disappointment. The rolls were fresh but the prawns had almost no flavour, and overall the rolls lacked punch and were one dimensional.

From the Grilled section we had the Grilled Pork Neck. The perfectly cooked pork was served with a dipping sauce of tamarind, lime, and fish sauce, with masses of dried chilli seeds. It is a sauce that I would describe as dirty, but in a good way.

Authentic Flavours

Next was Somtum Saam Krob, Somtum being a typical Isan pestle and mortar dish. Our version consisted of grated unripe papaya, carrot with crunchy fish, pork rind and mixed nuts. A slightly misleading description as neither the crispy fish or pork rind was evident, no doubt ground in the pestle and mortar, and the salad also consisted of tomatoes, with cabbage and green beans on the side. Despite our misplaced expectations not being met the dish's clean flavour was refreshing.

The next dish not only met our expectations, it exceeded them. Yum Moo Pean (Thai Sweet Crispy Pork) was a colourful and crunchy salad of purple cabbage, lettuce, spring onion, coriander, Chinese celery, tomatoes and chilli...and a fantastic dressing that had notes of sweetness, spice and sourness...the dressing is described on the menu as the chef's secret recipe...I understand why. The addition of the crispy pork was pure indulgence, yet combined with the healthy veg tricked the mind into thinking that this dish was pure goodness. A salad that was clean and complex (and porky) and one of our favourites on the night.

Two of Lime's signatures are its Laab (minced meat mixed with a combination of lime, coriander, basil, spring onions, shallots, chilli and ground uncooked fried rice) and Naamtok dishes (similar to laab but eaten in cabbage leaves instead of lettuce with additional spices). We went for the classic Laab Moo (Minced Pork with Lettuce). An authentic interpretation that we enjoyed, but if you are ordering the Laab as part of a shared meal and not as a one-meal dish I suggest you order it mild, we ordered spicy, and it was hot...so much so that it began to overwhelm our other dishes.

Ticking All the Boxes

Our final savoury dish was a Thai classic, Tom Yum Goong (the well-known mushroom and prawn spicy soup). The prawns were cooked perfectly, the broth had notes of a wonderful jammy sweetness (another secret ingredient) that contrasted with the spiciness giving the soup a long finish. The authentic flavours transported you to Thailand, in the case of my dining companion it evoked a powerful memory that left him largely speechless.

For dessert, something I had not tried before Thong Yod (with ice cream). Three yellow balls made from egg yolk, coconut and palm sugar that were intriguing and sat somewhere between sweet and savoury, providing a seamless transition from the midst of the meal to its end.

Overall a memorable meal and I am looking forward to my next visit to try the curries, which were not available because there had been a timing issue with the making of the curry pastes - as I said everything is made fresh each day. I agree with my dining companion who summed up the evening by saying of the sublime meal, "For me Thai food is all about stacks of fresh herbs and vegetables mixed in with the chillies and protein and this meal ticked all those boxes for me." 

Ambience, Service, Price

The restaurant only seats around 20 people so the ambience is cosy with a real local neighbourhood eatery feel. The colour palette of the restaurant was a little too bright, too much green, too much yellow for us, and may warrant the wearing of sunglasses if feeling a little fragile. Once the food arrives however any anxiety about the decor vanishes.

The small space means that service is prompt and also friendly. Andy is happy to chat away about the dishes and make recommendations.

Lime represents some of the best value-for-money dining I have come across recently. With the exception of dessert, which was $28, all dishes we enjoyed ranged in price from $48-58. There is also a set dinner offer, which was $68 the night we visited.

A second, much larger Lime will open in September in Central with a more extensive menu. The current menu (in English, Thai & Chinese) is already quite varied and contains interesting info about the dishes that I have not seen in other places. On the back of the drinks menu is more info about Thai food and Lime, plus a list of the health benefits of key Thai ingredients and the dishes that use those ingredients.