A very special tasting menu, at the only authentic Chinese restaurant in the area.
Mimimi is an authentic Chinese restaurant hidden away in the neighbourhood of Millidgeville in Saint John. If you go on a normal day you will be treated to dim sum snack dishes and the main menu of large sharing platters. This is probably the only true "family style" restaurant in the Maritimes. This means that their main dishes are not meant to be eaten by one person. It is a sharing platter meant to be shared. If there is anything other restaurants in this style, I would love to know about them. Change of pace
Last week Mimimi offered a 7-course vegan tasting menu for what they called Vegan Festival. We missed their dumpling festival so we were very excited about this opportunity. We also went with another couple, Colin and Kirsten, as it was Kirsten's birthday, and she is actually a vegan, unlike us. What follows is as much an adventure in textures as it was an adventure of flavour. Vegan food certainly isn't the butt of jokes it is made out to be. I will eat anything as long as it tastes good. Ramp up to greatness
The three starters leading up to the "main dishes" were unapologetically vegan. No pretending to be meat.
1) Jia Chang Liang Cai: This was essentially a tossed salad with cucumbers. This was a good palate starter, though it did have cilantro. Most people would enjoy this, but cilantro throws me off.
2) Zheng Su Ji: Next up was a steamed tofu sheet. This is where the textures started to get funky. This was a layered tofu dish, much like an omelette, with veggies inside, and paired with Mimimi's signature chilli sauce. I enjoyed this immensely because of the texture and the sauce. It really did feel like an omelette. Colin, who struggles with odd textures felt a little odd about this one.
3) Xiao Cong Ban Dou Fu: The final item that I would call a "starter' was incredibly soft tofu with seaweed salad and other greens with a "feature" sauce. Texture wimps beware! Colin did not enjoy this, and my wife struggled a bit. This tofu skirted the line between Jello and Pudding. Super soft, with a nice acidic salad. I loved it.
Big Guns!
The main dishes were truly incredible. The first was described as being loved by meat lovers, and the second was actually called Vegan Duck. (sidebar: I do not like when vegan food tries to be meat. I like it when it just owns what it is rather than trying to please people)
4) Chao San Si: Stir-fried bamboo shoots, dried tofu, and green peppers: The texture of the dried tofu was very "meaty" with a nice chew, very different from the softer tofus of the first few courses. This is going on their main menu, and I definitely recommend.
5) Zha Su Ya (vegan duck): Despite pretending to be meat, this was the best vegan dish I have ever had, and is one of my favourite things I have eaten this year. The Crispy bean curd (Tofu) was layered and crunchy like fried chicken, and crispy like chips, and flakey like a croissant all at the same time. To add to this it was paired with an unreal paste-like sauce. The sauce was made of sesame paste and soy sauce (among other things, I am sure). It was deep, and complex, literally made of umami.
The End
6) Rou Jia Mo: Though meant as one of the main dishes I leave this at the end because it was a bit of a letdown. Probably because of how much I liked the previous two. Seafood sauce, tofu sheet, carrot, cilantro, all in a steamed bun. I found it bland, but the bun saved it for me. I love steamed buns. I would eat empty Bao buns all day.
7) Yu Tou Gao: A taro cake topped with fruit honey (I think it was yuzu). Another one for texture novices to steer clear of. The taro cake was soft but gummy. Almost like an undercooked tea biscuit. The syrup was very nice.
TL;DR
Overall rating: 8/10 One of the only Chinese food places worth going out of your way for. No chicken balls here. Interesting flavours, and textures, in a family-style setting.
Why you should go there: Go with a group and have a tasting experience. The main menu is made of large sharing platers, supplemented by ramen and dim sum steamed dishes. Go for a party or a family gathering. Also, a great option for someone looking for real Chinese food that has not been westernized.
Price Point: $$-$$$ Surprisingly affordable for the quality. Completes depends on what you order. Have a small snack for under $10 bucks, appetizers between $10-$15, Ramen between $22-$25, Mains between $22-$28. Tasting menus upwards of $70.
Atmosphere: Wood decor, large wooded tables meant for big groups, amazing wooden eating bar. Upbeat, family atmosphere.
Food Style: Traditional Chinese food. Served family-style for large group sharing.
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