What Micky Eats...: Mimi's Cafe

"In 1944, an American airman named Arthur J. Simms fell in love with the beauty, foods and flavors of France. It was to become a passion that would change his life. Stationed there during the final days of World War II, young Arthur J. was taken by the friendly neighborhood bistros and warm, inviting cafés. Equally captivating was a mademoiselle he met by chance, who went by the name of Mimi. Arthur J. Simms never forgot his days in France. In 1978, he opened the first Mimi's Cafe® – a neighborhood bistro inspired by his memories of Mimi and passion for good food, wine and camaraderie that he remembered so fondly."

For lunch one day, my boss and I had some time to kill before returning to the conclusion of our work conference that afternoon. So we decided to treat ourselves to a leisurely lunch at Mimi's Cafe. My boss had been here earlier in the week for brunch and found the food to be decent. The menu is quite expansive with a mix of American (salads, sandwiches, steak) and French-inspired (quiche) dishes. A special bistro 3 course lunch was also available for $9.99. It came with your choice of soup or salad, an entree from 3 choices (chicken, salmon, or steak), and an ice cream sundae dessert. It seemed like a deal, so we each went for it.

I chose the Roasted Tomato and Basil Bisque which was very vibrant in taste and color. I enjoyed the roasted flavor and richness from the cream. My boss started with the Broccoli and Cheese soup. For my main, I chose the Golden Fried Chicken that was a nice piece of white breast meat, breaded and then fried to a deep golden brown color. It was topped with cheese and a lemony cream sauce that was a little too heavy. It also came with a large portion of mashed potatoes and spinach. My boss ordered the Petite Filet Mignon with a Burgundy Mushroom sauce that also came with mashed potatoes. The steak was a little bland and generally mediocre. I ate about two-thirds of my plate until I was busting at the seams. Finally, we were each given two scoops of vanilla ice cream for dessert. Mine came with chocolate sauce, while my boss asked for chocolate and caramel sauce. We each took two unnecessary bites, before pushing our plates aside. We were just too stuffed! The portions at Mimi's are very generous, and the price can't be beat but the food overall is so-so and not very French. More like average comfort food that Grandma and her friends would enjoy after their Bridge game.

Total Rating: 3.35
Food: 3, Price: 5, Service: 3, Ambience: 2, Accessibility: 4

What I ate:

Roasted Tomato and Basil Bisque