Nationwide Mimi’s Cafe Revamp with Authentic French Cuisine

It’s no secret how much I love to eat out (read- obsession). That being said, I don’t like to spend a ton of cash on eating out, so most of my forays into restaurants are of the local nationwide chain variety. These satisfy my palate, but don’t leave a memorable “wow” factor. Well, that just changed. I was invited along with 2 special guests, my mom and my sister, to a premiere event of the nationwide Mimi’s Cafe revamp. Impressive is the word that comes to mind . . . and memorable!

Mimi’s new menu is definitely More “C’est Si Bon Than Ever.” We all felt like we’d been transported to a French Bistro. The new menu is perfect in every detail – especially for a nationwide chain. We got the feeling that the chef was creating dishes personally for us. The appetizers and soups were fantastic. I tried Mussels for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. I could have made a meal of the Artison baked Brie with cranberries, crisp apples, and toasted baguettes. My sister and I loved, loved the Pumpkin Bisque, and my mom savored the Tomato &  Basil Bisque. Our salad added just the right touch of blended flavors to entertain our palettes.

Mimi’s regional corporate Chef, Katie Sutton was there to answer questions and let us try her favorite offerings on the menu, along with the entrees we had selected. My mom said her Sole Meuniere was done to perfection which was served with Provencial potatoes, and sauteed garlic spinach – which tasted like it came fresh from the garden and sauteed just enough to enhance the garlic flavor yet keep the spinach full bodied. My sister, Andrea, had the Bistro Bavette Steak with mushroom-infused au gratin potatoes and bordelaise sauce with garden fresh sauteed vegetables. All were done with attention to detail and just the right doneness. Those potatoes were mighty tasty and I could order it just for those!

I chose the Brioche Croque Madame and it did not disappoint! Anything with a perfectly done egg on top, where the yolk can run down the top has to be good! The egg was cooked just right. Unfortunately the lighting was great for photography, so my photos don’t do the meal justice, but take my word for it! Because the sandwich is so rich, it paired nicely with a light salad that complimented it very well.

We also had tastes of the Coq au Vin, Le Burger de Madame, seafood crepes and the Pasta Carbonara a la Mimi’s (also with an egg on top) . Each and every dish was delightfully different and truly a gastronomical treat.

At the end of our fabulous meal – when our bellies were beyond full, we were treated to a few offerings from their breakfast menu. The Strawberry Waffle Perdu filled with cream cheese and orange marmalade, with strawberry sauce was to die for. If you like bacon, then the Bacon Apple Waffle might pique your interest!

If you have never been to Mimi’s Cafe – GO! If you haven’t been for awhile – GO! If you feared more of the same old, same old – GO! I promise you won’t be disappointed. And we were assured that if any dish doesn’t come out just as you had hoped, their well trained chefs would make it right.