Lime Restaurant in Norwalk

Written by Fran Sikorski
Thursday, 20 August 2009 09:50

Vincent Labazzetta has always had a passion for food and healthy eating, and in 1979, then working as an investment banker, he left his Wall Street job to open a restaurant where he would serve the healthy food he enjoyed.

With a unique and well planned menu and a professionally trained staff, the restaurant has continued to draw crowds to the small and comfortable space in Norwalk. The gourmet organic menu is regularly updated, keeping the favorites among the new items.

Vincent Labazzetta said the small space has been an easy one to handle. It’s like one big party when there’s a capacity crowd, and that is very often

Lime is counted among one of the first restaurants of its kind in Connecticut, featuring an extensive menu of colorful healthy foods prepared with natural ingredients. The restaurant’s staff is friendly and offers many suggestions to first timers.

Among the signature appetizers ($3.95 to $8.95) are black bean vegetarian chili served with tortilla chips and sour cream; a hummus platter served with vegetables and steamed pita bread triangles; grilled tofu served in a spicy marmalade; and grilled shrimp in a spicy Jamaican sauce over garlic toast.

Large portion salads ($8.95 to $13.95) are the Lime, garden greens, tuna salad, cheddar cheese and ripe avocado; Malibu, chicken salad with roasted red peppers, avocado and artichoke hearts served with honey-Dijon dressed salad with greens, tofu and cheddar cheese. All ingredients used are from area farms.

Several of my favorite entrées ($16.95 to $23.95) at Lime are the zucchini loaf with carrots, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, cheddar cheese and tahini served as a loaf with cheese on top; real Maryland crab cakes with a spicy roasted red pepper, caper and artichoke remoulade; the vegetable tofu stir fry with a mixture of oriental spiced wok-fried vegetables and tofu served over brown and wild rice; and Cajun sweetfire steak with hot creole spices, covered with a spicy honey salsa mustard. A treat is the veggie nut burger of bulgur wheat, carrots, zucchini, sesame seeds, and sunflower seeds served with a creamy house dressing, to which may be added avocado, cheese or tofu. Not many veggie burgers are built “from scratch” these days.

There is a generous choice of pita sandwiches — blackened chicken, tofu salad, Cajun sausage, and fish — in whole wheat pockets. Breads are baked on site and also for sale to take home.

Leading the list of desserts ($3.95) is the creamiest of key lime pies, Mississippi mud pie, apple brown betty, and gelato. Go for the key lime pie!

Lime Restaurant

168 Main Street
Norwalk, 203-846-9240

Serving lunch 11 to 4; dinner 5 to 10 Monday to Saturday; Sunday dinner 4:30 to 9:30.

Reservations suggested; major credit cards; child-friendly; not handicap equipped; serving wine and beer only; healthy organic food; vegetarian selections; take-out; catering available; casual dress; seasonal outdoor dining; parking at rear of restaurant and on street.

Editor’s Note: Restaurant features are not intended as formal reviews, but are offered to give our readers a sense of what’s available at area establishments.

Side dishes

Correction: In a July 30 feature on Bistro 52 in Redding Ridge, it was incorrectly stated that Michael Pedicini, new owner of Bistro 52 at the Spinning Wheel Inn in Redding Ridge, was head chef at La Zingara for five years. Executive chef at La Zingara since opening in 2003 has been Thomas Giudice, who is married to owner Lisa Tasso. Mr. Pedicini’s term of employment at La Zingara was also less than five years.