The Lime Leaf Cafe, 114 Strand Road, The Quay, Derry
I LOST my hair when I was 27 – what a poker game that was – which was the last time I went to a barber’s. I cut (or tend, or curate) what’s left of it myself, either with a wet or an electric razor.
Early efforts didn’t always go well, sometimes leaving me looking like I’d just had brain surgery, but I persevered, and now emerge from my tonsor time with my noggin smooth and shiny. So much so that, if I wear a rollneck jumper, I could go to a fancy dress party as a giant golf ball on an oddly shaped tee, given the moon-like roundness of my head.
I mention this because I set foot in a hairdresser’s for the first time in three decades the other day, when the three of us went for lunch. What’s that? I hear you ask. You went to a hairdresser’s for lunch? Yes, I did. Sort of, any road.
The Lime Leaf Café on the quayside in Derry shares its premises with Roco, a well-established hairdresser’s in the city. Go in the door and turn right and you get Roco and, in my case, laughed at. Go left, and you get the Lime Leaf and, as it turned out, food that’s stylish, tasty, fresh, and imaginative.
There’s still room for the more traditional, of course, one of which we went for – the BLT with chicken – although it wasn’t quite traditional enough. The ingredients were all mixed together in mayonnaise, rather than left separate, so the individual component tastes were a little lost, along with any crunch and crispness.
The other mains were simply knockout, however. The scampi was beautifully cooked, fresh and packed with flavour, with bite and heat from the red onion and chilli, while the macaroni was delicious, a lovely balance of perfect pasta, salty bacon and rich cheese.
The chips we didn’t need but ordered anyway were fantastic and, like the scampi, served with a bit of fun, in a brown paper bag, torn open on the plate.
The fun was there too in the vanilla shake we had – a bit too much cream but natural and lovely all the same. Mind, I’m not sure fun’s the right word for the other drink we felt we had to try. This was premium alkaline black water, filtered through volcanic rock. And it was actually black, which was the weirdest thing, as it looked like flat Coke but tasted of water. I wouldn’t get it again, but I’m glad I got it this time, if only to feel achingly hip for half a litre.
The puddings here are really special, and possibly the place where the chef can best demonstrate his skill and creativity. The mocha panna cotta, looking just like a latte, was delicate and light, with really interesting notes of star anise and cinnamon in the background. The mango posset looked all sweet and innocent, but packed a terrific citrusy punch. The potted chocolate was deeply rich and spoon-lickably lovely, its dark sweetness nicely offset by the bitter orange.
The Lime Leaf, with its fantastic location right by the river, is an interesting place. It’s fashionable, relaxed and cool. It’s daytime only, but you wonder if that might change, as it does seem geared for evenings, too. Certainly there’s no sense of this being just lunch. Even if you’ve only time for a quick bite, you’re going to get great ingredients, prepared with flair, zip, and zest.
This is chef Johnny Heaney’s first solo venture, after stints at some of Derry’s best restaurants, such as Brown’s and the Sooty Olive. Given that pedigree, it’s no surprise the food is of such high quality, but there’s something else here, no less tangible than what’s on the plate.
And that’s the clear sense that this venture matters, that its success is important, not just for the obvious reasons but due to passion, pride, and verve. Unlike the hairdresser’s, I’ll be back here soon.
The bill (for three)
Chicken, BLT £4
Scampi, chilli, red onion £6
Macaroni, smoked bacon, Parmesan £6.50
Side order of chips £3.50
Potted chocolate, poached orange £5
Mocha panna cotta, milk foam £5
Mango posset £4
Vanilla milkshake £3
Sparkling water £1.75
Still water £1.75
Bottle of black water £4
Total: £44.50
