The Exterior of Lime as it was under construction in Winter Park

 Lime? or Lemon?  

 I just came back from my first dining experience at the new Lime restaurant in the much ballyhooed Village at Winter Park and my first impression is that the restaurant is misnamed, Lime should be called Lemon.  The architecture, like the rest of the village, can best be described as neo-resort cheese, with examples of shoddy construction practices visible everywhere.  The interior decor is cold and uninviting from the bare concrete floor to the to the unadorned walls.  And cold was a theme that ran throughout the meal as there is absolutely no separation between the dining area and the frigid Winter Park night.  Every time diners entered or exited the restaurant a cold blast of Fraser valley wind would waft across the front tables, which are crammed so close together that seating oneself is like playing a game of human tetris.  The cold draft was so bad that two of my dining companions very quickly retrieved their ski parkas from the coat hooks and spent the rest of the evening bundled up like they were riding the Panoramic Express to the top of Parsenn Bowl.  That someone would actually design a dining establishment in the our high alpine environment without some type of baffle or double-doors borders on criminal negligence.  The two couples that I was dining with both had young children yet the restaurant only had one high chair.  When they enquired about a second high chair they were brusquely told that Lime does not “really cater to families with children”, pardon me but doesn’t Winter Park call itself “a family resort”?  I guess that doesn’t cover the restaurants at the resort.  And what kind of a family doesn’t have children?  I believe that’s called a “couple”.

   My beer was served with a cracked pint glass with a large chip missing from the rim, and though I fortunately spotted the chip before I cut myself and bled out no apology or complementary drink was offered.  When I placed my order for the highly touted Lime “signature” dish of Scorpions, grilled shrimp in jalapenos, I was told that they were out of them, and yet it was only 7 pm.  While I reconsidered my order the waitress proceeded to take the rest of our party’s order and then left without taking my order.  I finally order the “Tres Enchiladas” with chicken which turned out to be bland and soggy and while we were dining on our meals the Edamame appetizer which we had cancelled arrived sans the dipping sauce.  When we pointed out to the waitress that we had cancelled this appetizer, which she had served after the main entrees, and would she please remove it from the bill she said she would have to clear it with the manager.

   As to the desserts I cannot say as we had no desire to prolong this thoroughly disappointing dining experience.  We quickly paid our bill and left, giving Lime a solid five thumbs down.  Lime like the phony village in which it sits is an empty experience.