LIMIN SOUTHBANK — Restaurant in London

I attended LIMIN on 5th November 2024 to celebrate my fiancés 62nd birthday.

The restaurant has recently upgraded to their new Winter Ski Lodge theme, with fur rugs and blankets and Christmas trees and lights - the atmosphere was welcoming and the host Chloe was extremely attentive, throughout our lunch time booking.

We were offered Still or Sparkling water on arrival to accompany our meal and given time to consider our drinks from the menu.

DRINKS: The Real McCoy 5 year rum on the rocks, now my partner appreciates a good rum and he really enjoyed this drink.. which if you have not eaten can creep up on you, it packs a wonderful warm and inviting punch !

Mulled Wine Cocktail: now this was a heavenly sweet treat served warm in a copper Appleton Estate tankard - with a fresh piece of citrus and cinnamon bark which complimented the rich taste of the Shiraz and merlot blend of wines. I was not disappointed and extremely happy with this choice ... just consider this on a cold winter afternoon or evening you will really enjoy it!

STARTER TO SHARE We had the starter: Chicken wings, these were well seasoned, succulent and very tasty!

MAIN (1): Island Catch - LIMIN's version of fish and chips was accompanied with tartare sauce, green peas and an option of another sauce accompaniment (barbecue, ketchup) this is usually my personal choice but my partner chose this for his birthday meal - the batter was light, crisp and the fish cooked to perfection.

MAIN (2): Aunties Curry Chicken with steamed rice.. my choice on this occasion, I do not eat a lot of meat, but the portion was more than sufficient, curry sauce accompaniment had a sweet spicy punch to compliment the chicken.

My partner and I experienced both dishes and were really pleased as this was our second visit to LIMIN since the Summer (we attended June 2024); this was also our first outing as a couple since we recently got engaged in September.

SPECIAL REQUESTS: I asked the restaurant to mark the occasion and we were not let down. Chloe presented my partner's dessert: Dessert (1) Rum cake ice-cream served with a Happy Birthday topper, a lighted candle and greetings of Happy Birthday sung beautifully by Chloe.

Dessert (2) The Cheese cake, now this was different to shop bought cheesecakes, it was of a rich consistency, yet lightly baked with the subtleness of the coconut which just complimented this dessert, rich sauce and strawberries.

I live locally and LIMIN did not disappoint, the Manager kindly complimented us by offering my fiancés dessert on the house, which was not expected, he really enjoyed his birthday treat. I wish to thank the owner, chef, Manager and Chloe (beautiful host with a warm and genuine heart - excellent customer service) our deepest thanks. We will be back soon, we appreciated all that you did for us Devonnie...

I went to Limin on a Sunday afternoon with the family and friends . After doing some serious steps we were hungry . It appeared a lot bigger than I thought with a large glass front . The restaurant itself was light , airy and inviting. There was a separate lounge area which I can be a nice place to chill and relax . Cool Caribbean vibes with the music. Expectations were high. We were promptly greeted and shown to our seats . Drinks ordered and menus handed out . The menu is extensive and there is plenty of choice . The descriptions of the dishes sounded great . We had to start with their house specialties. Doubles. A traditional Trinidadian dish . Think small open fried pitta breads with fillings. We knew we were at a Caribbean restaurant when we were told that they didn’t have 2 of the 3 specialties!! 😂😂Seriously. When will we ever learn . 😞Not a good start . We went with the chick pea curry. It was tasty but didn’t blow my socks off . I have had better . The mains came and they looked good . Big portions and served nicely. I had the goat with rice and my friend had the curry chicken . Both lacked seasoning and a twist of salt but were well cooked. Tender . When you charge £20+ for a main you had better deliver on the basics . It has to taste nice . 🤔The positive was the kids meals . They had Freeta and chips . I know . What is it ? They are like min pakoras . Very moorish and I could easily eat a bucket load . Light and crispy. 👍🏾They also had calamari with a spicy mayo dip . A big hit . The wings were juicy and tasty . The Mac n cheese was ok ….I have never had a better one than my own. This won Caribbean restaurant of the year in 2024 . Not sure how. All in all . A good experience and I would like to try it again. It gets 3 stars due to the missing doubles and the mains lacking any real taste . Let’s hope we can get to 4 or 5 stars...

Let’s start with the positives. The venue at Limin Southbank exudes a light and airy ambiance, reminiscent of a Caribbean beach. The decor sets the mood for a relaxed dining experience, and the servers, while polite, could use a bit more finesse.

However, there were several letdowns. First, the menu situation left me feeling hoodwinked. When I made my reservation, there was a tempting three-course set menu priced at £23. Yet, upon arrival, the server informed me that the manager had recently scrapped the set menus—within just six days! Curious, indeed.

The cocktails were a saving grace—they tasted delightful. But here’s the catch: the glass size seemed to vary based on your table. It’s as if they had a secret algorithm for drink portions!

Our disappointment escalated when we tried to order a pina colada slushy cocktail and a side serving of plantain. Both items were mysteriously unavailable. Perhaps the kitchen had a secret stash?

As for the main courses, I opted for the grande veggie curry. Unfortunately, the seasoning appeared to be merely perched on the food, lacking the depth of flavor I expected. My companion’s chicken curry fared no better—it left them underwhelmed. And this stung a bit, considering Trinidadians are renowned for their flavourful curries.

I had the mango and citrus claw as my side and here’s the kicker: the mango and citrus slaw turned out to be a shredded vegetable affair, with a drizzle of mango jus. Where were the mango chunks? An anticlimax, indeed

Condiments of salt, pepper or chilli sauce were not on the table or offered by the servers.

In summary, Limin Southbank fell short of expectations. The promising ambiance and polite servers couldn’t compensate for the menu surprises and lackluster dishes. If they want to live up to their Caribbean-inspired vibe, they’ll need to step...