Lime House, Singapore

The Caribbean is one of my bucket-list destinations. For now, I can content myself with being transported to the Caribbean as I step through the doors of Lime House.  Deriving its name from the Caribbean past time of “liming”, which means to hang out with friends, Lime House capably fills the niche for Caribbean food with fine-dining and traditional Caribbean dishes.

Housed in a citrus-green restored shop house in Chinatown, the decor of Lime House feels sufficiently Caribbean.  The caliente red of the walls grip you immediately upon entering. The colourful veranda reminds you of a cheerful beach resort.  Look closely though and you see some Chinese design, in the wooden partitions, for example. Lime House feels like it is owned by a Chinese immigrant in the Caribbean.  In that sense, the decor subtly invokes a part of Caribbean history and feels very real.

Lime House Signature Punch S$16

Hailing from the isles of the Caribbean, our rum punch blends homemade juice of hibiscus with hints of cloves and cinnamon.

The lovely pastel pink (from the hibiscus) and the pastel blue of the glass make a pleasing combination.

Rebel Stormy S$18

Vodka or rum with homemade falernum, ginger beer and passionfruit.

I really liked this cocktail.  It had a lovely golden colour and was refreshing and immensely tropical (thanks to the ginger).

Spicy Shrimp S$22

Daily-caught sea shrimp, pan-seared with chilli and topped with warm salsa on a crispy plantain coracle.

This was one of the most memorable tapas I had.  The mild sweetness of the plantain balances the mild spiciness of the chilli.  The firmness of the prawn contrasts well with the crunch of the plantain.  The salsa add some refreshing acidity.

Jerk Meatballs S$13

Minced chicken with signature jerk spice marinade drenched in tomato compote.

Quite an interesting and complex sensory experience.  The jerk lends a very muted heat which blends harmoniously with the subtle sweetness and acidity of the tomato compote.

Jerk Chicken Skewers S$22

Char-grilled jerk marinated chicken tenders with fruit salsa.

The skewers had beautiful char marks. The very mild heat of the spice was complemented nicely by the zesty salsa.

Dhal Mushrooms S$14

Breaded spiced mushrooms topped with cauliflower and chickpeas in Lime House original curry mix.

The best vegetarian starter I ever had.  It felt so substantial.

Trick Or Treacle S$20

A healthy measure of rum over a big ice ball made of apple juice.

The best item I tried of the evening.  Orangey and with bitters, it was the perfect way to round off the meal.  It’s not a complicated cocktail but it is simple but effective.  The ice ball is a clever little device to allow adapting the drink to your own taste. The bartender advised, if you like your drinks strong (like I do), drink this soon after it arrives.  Those who like their drinks more diluted can wait for the apple juice ice ball to melt.

Lime House

2 Jiak Chuan Rd, Singapore 089260

Tel: +65 6222 3130