Just what Tokyo needs -- another Asian-themed dining bar that features exotic interior flourishes and caters to the youthful Ginza office crowd. But hold the all-knowing, world-weary sarcasm. In the case of Lime, it's unfair and quite uncalled for.
Unlike the proliferation of generic ethnic izakaya that have opened in the last few years, Lime eschews both overblown theatrics (giant Buddhas, massive floor space) and faux-casual hipness (aloha shirts, Thai trinkets, beach-hut palm fronds) in favor of a more intimate, contemporary look. And instead of rehashing the usual Chinese-Thai-Vietnamese foods, Lime looks to Bali for inspiration -- a decision that we can only applaud, since Indonesian food is so woefully overlooked and under-represented here in Tokyo.
The entrance is not immediately obvious, but you know you're in the right place when you spot the small aquarium full of tiny tropical fish, all glinting electric-blue. Upstairs, you find a larger fish tank installed behind the bar area, this one populated only with white fish that are lit so brightly they seem to illuminate the entire restaurant. Elsewhere, the lights are kept comfortably low, and so is the music (not Asian pop but jazzy contemporary beats). The waiters wear uniforms of fashionable black.