Lime Tree

"I finally ate at Lime Tree Kitchen, the subterranean Irving Street restaurant, and the tofu and shrimp entree ordered vegetarian, which is to say sans shrimp, was a heart-warming, belly-filling delight. Basil features front and center, fresh and incorporated lovingly, as does coconut milk to ensure the tofu’s texture shines as the main character. The seemingly-small plate of food did more than expected in filling me up, an ideal respite from the sweeping winds of San Francisco spring. Granted, I started my meal with the flaky, rich martabak — perfect spiced pillows of beef and green onions — and roti pratha, the curry dipping sauce a bottleable and sellable treat that would fly off the shelf at Andronico’s down the road. Still, the tofu-centric medley was the hometown hero of the meal, a kind of flagpole for the appetizers and Thai iced tea to rally around. I felt like Sydney touring Chicago in the new season of The Bear, digging into a sundae at the end of a disappointing day, finding newfound nostalgia in a cheap, simple meal just around the corner. It’s too bad it took me so long to catch up with myself, stopping to smell the flowers — or basil, in this case — like my grandma always told me to back home. Lime Tree Kitchen, 450 Irving Street, San Francisco." - Lauren Saria