The Dotted Lime

I’m venturing away from my typical posts about restaurants in Nashville to bring you a review of one of the most unique restaurants in Tennessee which happens to be located in my hometown of Columbia. If you are a Columbia native, you know the small building in the parking lot of the Shady Brook movie theatre has seen several businesses come and go over the years. Although it’s on the main drag in town, it seemed like no business would ever be able to thrive in that location. That is, until the Jensen’s opened up a family-run restaurant called, “The Dotted Lime.” Paul Jensen is a fourth generation chef who, along with his wife and their 13 children, decided to bring a new brand of dining into the culinary scene of small town Columbia, TN.

So, what is it that makes the restaurant so unique? Well, one of the biggest reasons is because it is allergen friendly. The restaurant is 100% gluten, tree nut, and peanut-free. Another reason is because it offers a “clean and local” menu. All of the chicken, pork, lamb, beef, and eggs are sourced from local farmers. Many dishes are also vegetarian and vegan-friendly, including breads and pastries. The restaurant even offers coconut wraps for customers maintaining a keto/grain-free diet. The Jensen’s understand dietary restrictions can be a limiting factor for many people when trying to enjoy a meal at typical restaurants. They truly want people of all dietary needs to be able to enjoy anything on their menu, and speaking from personal experience, I can say you will never notice the food does not contain gluten or other allergens. It seems impossible, but somehow, they have made healthy, clean food taste even better than your greasy go-to when you get a craving.

The restaurant is closed on Sundays and Mondays, but it is open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday-Saturday, in addition to special hours for dinner on occasion. The menu changes seasonally based on local availability and popularity of items. I kind of like the ever-evolving menu because it means there is always something new to try!

Usual breakfast offerings include the “Dotted Lime Omelette,” and “Really Big Breakfast,” complete with a side of sausage or bacon and potatoes. The menu lists typicals like pancakes and biscuits with various fillings and toppings such as chicken, bacon, or sausage gravy, and even one called the, “Sasquatch Biscuit,” which is composed of a single egg and cheese omelet, sausage, ham, and bacon. The, “panzzinos,” with either bacon or pork and egg & cheese are the most interesting of the breakfast menu items. What is exactly is a panzzino, you ask? Well, my friend, that is a great question. I honestly have no idea, but it’s delicious. It is similar to flatbread but even more fluffy. I guess you’ll just have to give it a try for yourself to see if you can figure out what it is!

There are also lighter options like smoothies for those that don’t want a heavy breakfast. However, someone with this mentality might change their mind after walking in and spotting The Dotted Lime’s homemade cinnamon rolls (pictured above). They are divine–almost sinful. I cannot even describe to you how good they are; let’s just say, you would never even suspect for a hot second they could be gluten-free, and you will never be able to look at a Pillsbury cinnamon roll the same again.

The lunch menu also offers several of the “panzzinos,” so if you come mid-day, you still have a chance to try one. The lunch panzzinos include options like, “Doc’s Bringing Home the Bacon,” which has pulled pork, cheddar cheese, bacon, aioli, & southwest slaw and a vegan offering called, “Kale Yeah!,” which has fresh kale, turmeric pickled cauliflower & onions, zucchini, yellow squash, & carrot with carrot hummus. There are two taco options, each served with two tacos and chips. The favorites portion of the menu lists specials like, “Lots of Yummy Things” which includes pasture-raised chicken breast that is fried and seasoned with their own Nashville Hot seasoning. It is served over grilled potato salad and topped with green chili, cheddar cheese, and ranch.

Biscuit burgers are also an offering on the favorites menu. The current one is the, “BBQ Biscuit Burger,” but I had the pleasure of trying the, “Lamb Biscuit Burger,” awhile back. Unfortunately, I do not have a photo, so you will just have to trust me when I say this sandwich was ridiculous-ly tasty. Just imagine a juicy locally-raised lamb burger with melty cheese all enveloped inside a warm, flaky, freshly-baked biscuit. It rocked my world.

The lunch menu also has pizzas, soups, and salads of various varieties, depending on what is in season. Basically, the only way you can go wrong at The Dotted Lime is if you do not grab a pastry for dessert. There are fresh muffins, cookies, brownies, donuts, etc., and you can even feel good eating them knowing they are made with “clean” ingredients. 😉

My favorite experience at the restaurant so far was my most recent visit for dinner. As I mentioned previously, The Dotted Lime is typically only open for breakfast and lunch, so when I found out they were going to be open for dinner, I knew I had to go. The dinner menu offered some “Sharing is Caring” appetizers such as pizzas and tacos and “Featured Entrees” such as a ribeye, shrimp & risotto cake, and lasagna, in addition to some of their regular lunch menu items.

My sister tried the, “Lamb Carnitas tacos,” and said they were very tasty (pictured above). The dish consisted of two tacos made with Scissortail Farm lamb carnitas, creamy visalia cheese, cranberry fennel relish, and Berbere spiced tomato and cucumbers, served with a side salad. Her only complaint was there was almost too much meat for the small corn tortillas to hold which actually seems like a good thing in my opinion!

I ordered the “Pumpkin Blue Corn Tamales” which were the secret menu item of the night (pictured above). I can honestly say I have never had a better tamale, even at an authentic Mexican restaurant. The blue corn tamales sat atop a bed of pumpkin stew with beans and a scoop of white rice, accompanied by a side of grilled asparagus. The tamales were filled with some sort of vegetarian mixture that was similar to the pumpkin stew at the bottom of the dish. If you are a meat lover, this meal might not be your pick, but I promise you will still enjoy it. I’m not sure if this item will be offered in the future, but if it is, I would make a special trip to the restaurant just to taste it again.

I did not think any flavors could combine more perfectly than the ones in my pumpkin blue corn tamales, but I discovered I was wrong when I tasted the dessert. My sister and I had trouble choosing between the offerings of the night–swirled carrot cake, 15 layer chocolate cake, a strawberry cupcake filled with blueberry and strawberry cream, and a vegan blueberry pie, but we settled on the carrot cake because one order came with two slices–one for each of us! Our taste buds reached a whole new level of happiness. The cake was perfectly moist, and the icing contained the right amount of sweetness. Even the cake to icing ratio was just right. Since the restaurant is nut-free, the cake did not contain walnuts like typical carrot cake which I loved since I don’t believe nuts belong in cake in the first place.

The Dotted Lime offers a unique dining experience you truly cannot find anywhere else. Whether you are craving something savory or sweet, everyone, even those with severe dietary restrictions, can enjoy a meal at this family-run restaurant. If you live in Columbia, I hope you realize how lucky you are to have this place in town, and if you live in Nashville or somewhere else in the surrounding area, I promise you won’t be disappointed if you make the drive down to give it a try.