Set to open in a three storey townhouse on Curzon Street in early September, MiMi Mei Fair describes itself as Mayfair’s best kept secret.
Inspired by 1920s Shanghai and the Forbidden Palace of Beijing, the building has been transformed into the fictional townhouse of a Shanghai Empress (Empress MiMi) courtesy of restaurateur Samyukta Nair.
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Tom Stother from Fabled Studio has worked alongside Nair on the project, with the designer populating the venue with an array of antiques and heirlooms from the restaurateur’s personal collection.
And from what we’re hearing it has all worked incredibly well with guests set to be blown away by the level of invention and attention to detail.
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Those hoping for a romantic evening will love the intimate and cosy booths on the ground floor, while larger parties will certainly get a kick out of the opulent private dining room (the Peacock Room).
And for those who venture upstairs, the Wedgewood blue and coral Parlour Room and the cosy Library will undoutedly wow, while a mirror clad Moon Bar will reward guests who venture down to the basement.
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Heading up the kitchen team at MiMi is Executive Chef Peter Ho. The Chinese-Singaporean foodie is a veteran of the restaurant industry, with previous stints at the likes of Lei Garden Singapore, My Humble House and Hakkasan London.
For Mei Fair, Ho has fashioned a selection of dishes which reference his time in Singapore and Beijing with a focus on modern Chinese cooking.
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Menu highlights include Smoked applewood Chilean sea bass, Crispy golden langoustine with Périgord truffle, sweet soya, and fried leeks; Steamed XO okra with shallot and enoki mushroom crumble and Lobster cooked three ways. Other items on the menu include:
Black pepper and garlic Atlantic crab
Dong Po braised pork belly with sesame mantou cigars and black bean chilli and garlic aubergine.
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In an interview with The Caterer magazine, Nair talked about her excitement at the prospect of the restaurant’s opening.
“I cannot wait to open the doors to MiMi Mei Fair and share our newest restaurant with our patrons” she said. “My passion for Chinese food, art and culture began while living and studying in China, and it has remained an obsession. Dreaming the individual spaces to life and curating the menu with Peter has been such a wonderful experience. Moreover, Peter has worked with my family for years, I’ve known him since I was a teenager, so it is so exciting to be working together now as colleagues.”
Well, we don’t know about you, but we’re guessing that this is going to be one of the restaurant events of 2021!
MiMi Mei Fair will open at 55 Curzon Street, Mayfair on the 7th of September 2021. More information about the venue can be found here.
For information on other great places to eat and drink in London, please click here.
