Lime it or Not - Unfortunately Average

With the disappointment of the last meet still fresh in our minds, the OCC navigated its way through a bustling Canary Wharf, towards Lime Bar and Restaurant, a mere 10 minutes away. There was an underlying hope that after our last outing, the only way was up! (Please see our last blog for more of an understanding: https://www.oakhamcurryclub.com/post/one-to-leaf-out-in-your-quest-for-curry-perfection)

Lime Bar and Restaurant make claims that “We specialise in authentic Indian cuisine originated from the Bay of Bengal.  Serving up traditional Indian food in a sleek, modern setting since 2005, so it’s about time you took the trip yourself.”

The OCC’s scores out of 10:

Quality: 6.7 Atmosphere: 6.0 Value: 6.8 Service: 6.3 Customer care: 6.7

Overall Score 6.49

Arriving in dribs and drabs, all 13 members (some, dressed in formal attire sporting the famous OCC tie, looked dapper, others, were dressed ready to drink too many buckets at the full moon party) were welcomed to our table at 19:30 OST. The restaurant was designed to look a little more upmarket than your usual colourful curry house, most likely due to its location close to Canary Wharf. We were seated at a long table at the top of the restaurant, and whilst there was the usual hustle and bustle of excitement coming from our table all night, it seemed that LB&R lacked an atmosphere that we may have become accustomed to on a Friday night.

Atmosphere: 6.0

Customer Care and Service usually come hand in hand, and that was pretty much the case here. Considering the restaurant (especially when we arrived) was far from full it felt like there was a lack of urgency to take our orders and to have our food prepared and served. (We arrived at 19:30 and left after 23:00). Poppadoms arrived swiftly, but it always seemed to be quite a wait between courses. Luckily the chairman had lots of items to get through, so we were kept entertained during the food blackouts. Whilst service was a little slow, there wasn’t a bad word to be said about the restaurant staff. They all seemed to be trying their best, and were always polite and accommodating to the OCC’s needs.

Service: 6.3 & Customer Care: 6.7

As mentioned earlier, Poppadoms were place on the table promptly, accompanied by an array of sauces. A few members specifically mentioned these in their review, so we can safely say they were enjoyed.

After a lengthy wait the starters arrived, and the members had built up a healthy appetite discussing various hot curry topics. As per usual, the majority of the group ordered the mixed grill to start, and this seemed to go down well, with no complaints. Other dishes such as the tandoori chicken were sparsely ordered, and again, also appetizing

Once again, there was a noticeable wait for the main course. The mains pretty much followed the same pattern as their predecessors. Very little criticisms of the dishes as a whole. One member wasn’t happy with the heat (shock) but overall the feeling was that everyone had an adequate fill. Although very little was wrong with all the dishes ordered, it must be said, most members found that there was also nothing that really stood out about them either. It is not always enjoyable to write such words such as “Average” but unfortunately that’s all the quality of the food really offered

Quality: 6.7

The pièce de résistance (Just) was the value. Our bill came to £40 pp. Which when considering the amount of beers and gins that were consumed, felt like a fair price to pay for an enjoyable meet, in Zone 2, that fell just 0.51 short of the OCC sticker of approval (7)

Value: 6.8

In summary, whilst LB&R is pleasing on the eye, the OCC feel like there is still room for improvement. That being said, although it lacked an atmosphere and Service the OCC are used to, it’s definitely not a bad place to nip into for an evening meal if you are ever in the area.

Overall 6.49