Can Mayfair's latest upmarket Chinese eatery take the sheen off Hakkasan's culinary crown?
Housed within an opulent Georgian Townhouse on Curzon Street in Mayfair, the aptly named MiMi Mei Fair offers a high-end Chinese dining experience full of surprises.
A doorman dressed in a concierge uniform greets us with white gloves and a beaming smile as we're ushered into a narrow corridor where thick green curtains and silk chinoiserie wallpapers pay homage to 1920s Shanghai. Split across three floors and six rooms, including a ground-floor hall inspired by Beijing's Forbidden Palace, the jade-coloured peacock room and The Moon Bar, MiMi Mei Fair feels like a rabbit warren of hidden treasures.
As we ascend the staircase towards the upstairs Parlour, we're met with floral arrangements, gleaming glassware, coral screens, and intricate paintings nestled within the period moulding. It's all very Shanghai chic, and we feel like we've stepped into a scene from Wong Kar-Wai's hit movie In the Mood for Love.
We sit at a wooden table that is a touch too small for our party of four. Here, we're engulfed with the smells of the kitchen that waft seductively through the restaurant's upper levels. But first, drinks. MiMi Mei Fair offers an alluring beverage menu inspired by the tale of the Jade Rabbit of the moon. The curious concoctions include a piquant Smoked Banana Old Fashioned (£20) made from Diplomático Reserva Exclusiva, banana, orange and chocolate that is smoked and nutty with a subtle bitterness, and the Lychee Royal (£19) composed with Charles Heidsieck rosé, chinotto nero and lychees.
MiMi Mei Fair's kitchen is headed up by Chinese-Singaporean Executive Chef Peter Ho, who previously worked at the MICHELIN-starred Lei Garden in Singapore and Hakkasan just around the corner on leafy Berkley Square. The varied menu offers classic Chinese dishes executed with finesse. However, the signature Apple Wood-Fired Roasted Peking Duck (£118) must be pre-ordered at least 24 hours in advance.
Must-eats include the rich yet sweet Wagyu Black Pepper Beef Baked Puff (£22) and the Insta-worthy Peking Duck Bao (£13) dusted with charcoal and gold ash and served with a homemade hoisin sauce. Dumpling lovers will adore the Selection of Seafood Dim Sum (£25) generously stuffed with prawn, octopus and scallops that are waiting to be discovered amidst plumes of steam.
The main courses cover seafood delicacies such as Braised 5 Head Australian Abalone (£72), Sea Cucumber (£80), and the stunning Steamed Dover Sole (£58). Served whole, the fish is filleted so small, flaky pieces can be removed easily and dipped into MiMi's homemade pickled chilli and light soya. The Caramelised Crispy Mandarin Beef (£39) is a subtle interpretation of the take-out classic, where the sticky fried beef has been elevated with a modest hit of mandarin zest and sour hawthorn berries. The Diced Black Pepper Beef Fillet (£42) with crushed black pepper and crisp garlic flakes is another strong choice.
Desserts, like the dining room, are bijou and it’s tough selecting between the dainty Starfruit Cheesecake (£12) with a fiery stem ginger biscuit and cooling elderflower jelly or the Warm Bitter Almond Tart (£13) piled high with fruits of the forest and a vanilla bean ice cream. Call it an elevated Bakewell Tart – if you will.
Since opening in 2021, MiMi Mei Fair has made a mark on London's dining scene. It's no surprise given the restaurant comes from the same culinary team as the MICHELIN-starred Jamavar and the ever-popular Bombay Bustle, Koyn and Socca – all located within the same postcode.
For an innovative dining experience featuring some of China's best-kept culinary secrets inspired by the travels of the fictional Empress MiMi. MiMi Mei Fair may be the antidote.
GO: Visit https://mimimeifair.com for reservations and more information.