MiMi Mei Fair

Round 2 same feel?

Steamed Dover Sole in picked chili and soy

I have been to MiMi during its launch period, the fine dining Chinese joint appeared done some good PR work at launch with many food influencers and celebrities has already visited and gathered some great endorsements. The general consumers' reviews from what I can see online have also been pretty positive too so I was expecting good things for my second round. From my first visit, while I wasn't overly impressed with everything, there were great tasting dishes and since the menu is pretty big, I got my eyes on a few more dishes I would like to try so I decided to return 1 month later and hoping for an improved experience. 

Roasted Cantonese Char Siu

Fujian Crab Rice

Hokkien Seafood Noodles

The char siu shoulder pork was excellent, the meat was tender and the sticky honey marinate was done expertly, with the perfect level of sweet and savory taste. The classic Fujian crab rice was badly let down with the salt level, the seafood broth was over seasoned which resulted in a plate of a salt bomb, and dominated every other flavor of the rice. I was relieved that the steamed Dover sole was better, the fish was cooked perfectly and it was smartly deboned with no trace of bones. The picked chili and soy combo enhanced the umami taste of the fish and I would rate it as the best dish of the evening. The dong po slow-cooked belly brought me back down to earth sadly, it wasn't cooked long enough so the meat was still tough which took away the essence of the dish as it was meant to have a melt in your mouth texture usually.

Caramelized Crispy Mandarin Beef

Clay Pot Leg of Welsh Lamb

Dong Po Braised Pork Belly

I found my second visit is very similar to my first (a touch worst), there were some great dishes, as well as some really questionable ones. Price point is the main issue for me as I just found the overall quality of the cooking didn't warrant the high cost. Mayfair is a tough space to crack, as there are so many great high-end Chinese restaurants already, Park Chinois is only a few minutes away and the Michelin starred Kai is not far from it either. On paper, MiMi could be a winner given its slick decor and offering dishes that are not overly ambitious but retain plenty of traditional Chinese elements, with a very experienced (and charming) chef Peter Ho behind it, but somehow it doesn't hit the mark for me.

Food 2.5/5

What I paid: 
£75 per person with tea

Average cost without drinks and services:
£75

55 Curzon St, London W1J 8PG

https://mimimeifair.com/