Kaffir Lime, Jingumae カフィル ライム、神宮前

The Jingumae neighbourhood nestled behind Meiji Dōri and Omotesando is changing, rapidly. More and more favourite old haunts give way to contemporary structures of glass and steel. Sad as it is, I have to admit the area is being tidied up rather nicely.

One particular backstreet, which once housed a splendid tabehōdai shabushabu-ya and vaguely Western-style bar I used to frequent with a companion-in-arms (now demolished and replaced with a gleaming new edifice), provides not only a quite excellent gyōza restaurant, the name of which I forget, but also a rather charming little “neighbourhood” Thai eatery – Kaffir Lime. Just a couple of minutes brisk walk from Exit 4 of the Chiyoda Line’s Jingumae station, it provides a great respite from the toil of Omotesando shopping.

Introduced to the place a few months ago, by a friend whose recommendations never miss the spot, Kaffir Lime is quickly becoming a favourite. Two unpresuming floors. The lower, street level, with outer walls of sheet-plastic to protect / hide diners from the dust and fumes of the street, the second floor providing a simple interior of wooden floors, rounds tables, chairs and L-shaped counter. Walls adorned with old 1970s Thai movie posters. The kind rendered as paintings rather than photos, back in an era when men were men and women looked better than ever, and in need of men.

Service is polite, to the point and not always prompt. The staff, as far as my colonial eyes can tell, is made of “genuine” Thais, their Japanese tinted with that beautiful soft pronunciation that usually renders their English so charming. All sport bright orange T-shirts, making it easy enough to spot the waiter. Atmosphere is relaxed, busy almost, funky. Good mix of customers, mainly Japanese young and old; Student-types to moneyed Aoyama-bijin.

Today, being not only in hurry but also yet to fully recover from the indulgence of the holiday season, we decided on a light lunch; pork with shredded ginger, shrimp red curry with rice, draught beer and tea-soda. Prices reasonable, portions fair. Draught beer at ¥580, curry with rice at ¥1,050. All served on simple, no-frills tableware. The overall effect is casual. The appearance of the food is good; clean, unfussy.

The pork with shredded ginger, also containing onion, red pepper etc., tasted good. Packed with ginger, strong tasting. Even if the profusion of onion reminds of a London China Town dish… The red curry of shrimp looks so good that I completely forgot to photograph it before tucking in… Five or six reasonable sized shrimps in a rich spicy sauce with a good-sized bowl of rice provided. We shared each dish between the two of us and it made for a well-proportioned light lunch. On a previous visit I had the nama-harumaki (un-fried spring rolls), which served their purpose, and the green curry, which was delightful. Although I’ve yet to try them for myself, many customers were eagerly devouring some kind of spicy ramen noodle dish. Next time!

A fun little place for a lunch or early evening meal, Kaffir Lime makes a pleasant change from the usual Japanese flavour. Busy on weekends and holidays; be prepared to wait for a table for a little while.

Update 11/01/10: Further visits reveal that on weekdays, unless holidays, the full menu is not available. Instead 3 set menus, inspiringly named A, B and C are offered along with a limited selection of standard menu items. Set B is well worth a look; costing just under ¥1,000 and consisting of tasty green curry of chicken, juicy noodles in a spicy soup, white rice, and token offerings of salad and fruit, it's excellent value. The Phuket beer washed it all down nicely too. 

Tel: 03-3400-2918