LIME isnét the most rock and roll of venues, more the kind of joint that anyone could drop into. Like neighbouring Café Rouge, ités a big space built into the Lowry Outlet Mall, but still has views of the Lowry footbridge that dominates the Quays and overlooks the stunning Lowry Arts Centre.

Ités also blessed with a significant outdoors patio, which, though it was pouring the night we went, would be a fine place for an al fresco tipple.

The interior is mixed up: chunks of é70s kitsch wood laminate fight with lime light panels, tiny TV screens and hazardous-looking copper sheeting. The cosy booths around the back wall are a nice touch and overall, ités a spacious and comfortable satellite of the city centre enterprise.

It was buzzing and busy on our rainy Wednesday evening, and we kicked off with some cocktails from the house menu. My Bison Fizz (é6.50) was champagne-based, with strawberry, apple and the tangy, bison grass-infused Zubrowka vodka.

It arrived after a 20-minute wait, resembling, and at the same temperature as, a small lava lamp. If warm champagne is your thing it tasted fine but for é1 more there are hugely superior versions at Panacea, and if youéve ever been to Brazil, donét order their national drink, Caipirinha.

Usually impossible to get wrong, at Lime they water the cachaca down (it should be serve undiluted, over ice) and add too little sugar, resulting in a sharp, cloudy, unrecognisable brew.

Food is snack-friendly with many dishes available in smaller and larger sizes, and theyéve got a good, international range, including a meaty chicken Thai curry (é8.50). My Sweet chilli tiger prawns with pesto linguine (é8.25) were a bit dry but worked overall and Teriyaki salmon (é4.95) was reasonable. It turns out that head chef Karl Parker has recently moved up from Exeter. Fish is his thing and you can tell, with inventive dishes like Haddock and leek risotto with a warm poached egg (é4.95/é7.25) studding the selection.

With just a little attention to detail é a few more staff, frosted glasses, chilled champagne and mixers for example é Lime could triple their trade and be a real summertime destination, but things seriously need tightening up.

A bar is only worth going to if those involved believe in it, and Lime, unfortunately gave us the impression that the management have moved on to more zesty projects.

Read the rest of this interview in this week's City Life (issue number 589).

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