In the pocket.
When musicians have a great show, they always talk about being in the pocket.
Restaurants can also hit all the right notes and present a well orchestrated meal.
The cuisine at MIMI, is a mega hit.
Much of Chef Johnson’s cooking is profoundly original.
Although she is only 25, Liz Johnson has cooked up a decade of global experience and brings all that to a menu abounding with classic french cuisine with a modern twist and intriguing Asian influences.
When she was 16, Johnson left high school early to attend a local community college to take cooking classes.
Subsequently, she was accepted at the Culinary Institute of America.
Johnson then went on to earn her masters degree at Denmark’s Noma, Boston’s Toro, NYC’s Ma Peche and Empellon Cocina, as well as other notable restaurants.
MIMI’s millennial owners, Louis Levy, brothers Evan and Daniel Bennett and Camilla Deterre, have encouraged Johnson to do as she pleases.
She does and it works.
Chef Johnson and two other cooks handle all the duties. Johnson’s fiancé is part of the kitchen posse.
Obviously, the relationship can stand the heat.
As all great women do, Johnson multi-tasks and even hand writes the daily changing menu.
We ventured to SoHo on a gorgeous fall evening.
MIMI was packed on a Thursday night.
Quickly seated, we immediately introduced ourselves to our neighbors as the seating is close and intimate just like the interior of the welcoming 27-seater.
The three young couples who rotated in and out were all delightful, dynamic foodies.
Our server turned out to be one of the owners and Daniel was spot on with his food and wine recommendations.
He and his brother are both affable and charming assets.
There were so many tempting options.
We started the meal with a red wine from the relatively unknown Languedoc region of France.
We are big fans as Languedoc is close to our home in Bordeaux.
The wine is still unheralded in the states so it often has a moderate price point.
We selected the Chateau Saint Martin 2012 ($52).
The $70 bottle from Pomerol was also seductive, especially at that price.
We started with Ankimo (monkfish pate) with radish, soubise (onion sauce) and grapes ($16).
We are Ankimo fans and the preparation was delicious, the pate smooth and flavorful.
Our next course was Madai with a brown butter sauce ($19).
The Japanese sea bream was firm and the brown butter sauce was edible crack…delicious and addictive.
Our Lobster main was beyond incredible. It was flash fried, accompanied by escargot butter and fantastic greens.
We wanted to eat the shell. We sucked that baby clean ($43).
We finished the amazing meal with Baba au Rhum ($12) along with a bottle of Rum which we applied liberally to the creamy dessert.
There were so many other items I wanted to try such as Maine Sea Urchin, Bluefin Tuna, Foie Gras Carpaccio, Casco Bay Scallops, Eel Civet with Foie Gras and the Veal Chop with Porcini mushrooms.
My personal assessment is that MIMI is the 2016 version of Wildair, my 2015 obsession.
Close your eyes and you are in the Marais district of Paris, indulging in a highly creative and delectable meal.
The enticing evening drew to a spirited close.
Note to readers and all foodies: MIMI Must not be Missed.
MIMI 185 Sullivan Street New York City. Open for dinner Monday 6pm-1am, Tuesday-Saturday 6pm-2am, Sunday 12-4pm. Reservations on Resy.
