Restaurant Review: Lime Tree in San Francisco, California

Discovering Lime Tree is like finding the pot of gold behind the rainbow. Lime Tree is located right along Irving Street in the Inner Sunset district, just a little past where the long queue of retail shops ends (or begins, depending on which direction you're going!), and the residential stretch is just starting to gear up. The restaurant is ever-so-slightly subterranean, with windows slightly below the ceiling. The part of the restaurant that faces the sidewalk is painted a bright green, and the entrance is off to the right, along a gently sloping pathway that leads gradually downwards. It is a discovery you never hoped to find, in a way you never hoped to find it.

Lime Tree presents the flavors of Southeast Asia in all their glory and mystery. It borrows liberally from the cuisines of Malaysia, The Philippines and Singapore. The flavors are gentle yet complex. The food celebrates color and texture as well. It engages all of the senses. What I love about the Lime Tree's food is that each and every ingredient is immediately identifiable, yet at the same time an integral note in the dish.

My favorite dish at Lime Tree is Martabak, which is roti pratha (flaky, flat bread) filled with minced meat, green onions and egg. The texture in this dish is great - the pratha is a great container for the ingredients, and is nice and firm, with a touch of crispness. It's served along with a curry and cream sauce, which is a perfect complement to the other flavors. The combination of tastes suggests that you are somewhere on a remote island with a killer sunset.

My family's favorite dish, although there are many more good ones, is Beef Rendang, which is cubes of beef cooked for hours in Indonesian spices. It echoes the island theme, but the chili and ginger place you firmly in Asia. The beef is tender, and this dish has a nice amount of heat to it, but not too hot. It's just right.

Another great dish Lime Tree serves, although it's not always available, is Salmon roasted in banana leaves. It has a fair amount of heat as well, and the banana leaves make the salmon moist and flavorful.

This is a great place to take kids, since in most cases the spices are not so overwhelming that they might push away their plates. The restaurant has a slate floor, so if anything gets dropped the waitstaff won't freak out. The chef, who is extremely charming, has a young son himself and understands the parent role well. In fact, one of our favorite topics of discussion, whenever I swing by for some takeout, is our kids!

This is a fun and interesting place to eat. Check it out! Lime Tree is located at 450A Irving Street, between 5th and 6th Avenues, in San Francisco. Its phone number is (415) 665-1415. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner, but is closed on Monday. Reservations are recommended.