4
The Don
KNOW YOUR AREA
56 Coombe Lane, Raynes Park, London SW20 0LA 020 8946 5068
RESTAURANT REVIEW - LIME & THYME
Directly opposite Raynes Park station and
less than a 10-minute walk from the Old
Wimbledonians, is Lime and Thyme, a cute
mediterranean restaurant with an extensive menu
and a warm ambience. Harani, the Turkish owner
has brought a taste of home with him to Raynes
Park.
With influences from Turkey, Greece and Italy, the
menu spoils you for choice and variety. Many of
the starters are mezze style sharing dishes, which
is the perfect way of getting to try a little bit of
everything. The hummus kawarma is not to be
missed, I made the rookie mistake of agreeing to
’go halves’ on this starter with my brother, a self
proclaimed ‘hummus conoisseur’ who more or
less bleeds tahini at this point. We both gave it a
big thumbs up. The hummus is topped with crispy
bits of lamb and fresh pomegranate, my allocated
mouthful was absolutely delicious, next time I’m
getting one to myself.
Other starters to try are the bruschetta ai
gamberoni (as long as it’s not a first date) which
provides a generous portion of juicy king prawns
that pack a garlicky punch, the Htipiti, a moreish
red pepper dip and based on my previous visits,
the Borek filled with feta and spinach. We had
the pleasure of trying the white bait special this
time round, which was crispy white bait served
on a fava bean puree, if you like white bait, it
doesn’t get much better than this. With so many
wonderful options to choose from, I would
recommend going in a big group, the larger the
group, the more you can order for the table, either
that or just go with your brother like I did and
shamelessly order four starters between two.
If you’re an adventurous eater, go for the hunkar
begendi for main course, a slow cooked lamb stew
served on smokey pureed aubergine. This is a dish
really cooked with love, care, and authenticity,
every forkful melts in the mouth. For something
a little on the simpler side, yet no less delicious,
opt for the chicken souvlaki, which is grilled to
perfection and served with a generous portion of
rice, pita, tzatziki and salad. Also on offer are an
array of pasta dishes, pizzas, salads and more.
www.oldwimbledonians.com
Lime and Thyme is classic mediterranean food
done really well.
Despite it being a very busy Friday night, all the
staff were incredibly attentive. Our waiter was so
polite and welcoming and nothing was too much
to ask. Harani was the perfect host, and runs his
restaurant with such casual efficiency and a huge
smile on his face. It is so refreshing these days
to go out and receive genuinely good service,
where the staff take real pride in the food and
the restaurant, and they genuinely care whether
you enjoyed your meal or not. Popular already
amongst the locals, this independent restaurant is
very reasonably priced with a real understanding
of good food and excellent customer service.
Old Wimbledonians members already get 10
percent off from Sunday-Thursday so what better
excuse is there to go out for a delicious meal
whilst supporting local business! This buzzy little
restaurant is perfect for group dinners, catching
up with friends, family meals and date nights- but
make sure you book, there wasn’t an empty table
in the house!
Presentation - 8/10
Taste - 8.5/10
Ambience - 8.5/10
What to order - bruschetta ai gamberoni
Overall Rating - 8.5/10
Amelia Agostini