mimi's — Restaurant in Sydney

Honestly, Mimis is now a ludicrously expensive cold Oyster and Caviar bar.

The current menu is underwhelming to say the least - the fish is (river) Murray cod rather than actual seafood, and the dishes seem more catered to capturing tourist fly by than actual refined french techniques or quality ingredients. Where is the ocean fish in lemon sole or some finely grilled langoustine.

The scallops were peculiarly sour and strangely unimpressive, and the eggplant chickpea pita was a good idea overpowered by a large hunk of parsley unceremoniously sandwiched within.

The fruits of the 'Sea' has a River fish - Murray cod The two seafood dishes are either another Murray cod option (bland, muddy freshwater probably farmed fish) or Ocean trout served in small lettuce wraps. Pathetic for an ocean side restaurant that these are the only options? Don't claim you are Australian seafood if you don't have a proper oceanic local fresh fish.

Mains are Pork tomahawk or Wagyu targeted at mainland Chinese tourists and display little actual differentiated technique or talent to justify over $330 for both dishes. They were well cooked but nothing impressive or 'Medditerranean' about them.

Quite disappointing to see that this establishment has gone the way of so many Sydney restaurants in serving incredibly basic food at a premium price tag.

The only savoury dish that was particularly good was the Ratatouille - albeit quite punchy priced for a humble winter vegetable dish.

The other saving grace was the desserts - these were actually high class and refreshing to see an actual warm/cooked dessert on offer these days.

I do not recommend Mimi's unless you want to drop $250 a head on some extremely basic cuisine in an albeit stunning location with great service.

Do better...

Glamour, Flavour, and a Touch of Excess *

Mimi’s at Coogee Pavilion is an elegant, high-end dining destination offering a beautiful coastal setting, refined décor, and a vibrant, buzzing atmosphere. The interior is stunning — Mediterranean-inspired with soft tones, luxurious finishes, and warm, flattering lighting. However, the entrance can be a bit confusing due to multiple, unclear access points.

Service throughout was excellent — polished, attentive, and knowledgeable, contributing significantly to the overall experience.

Food Highlights:

Caviar Bump and Frozen Vodka ($56) – A unique tableside experience with a spoon of caviar and a chilled shot of vodka (Tasmanian, Swedish or Polish). There’s also a tequila cart version available.

Freshly shucked oysters – white kampot pepper mignonette ($8.5 ea)

Zucchini tartlet, goats curd, lemon, kombu, basil ($17 ea)

Blue fin toro, confit tomato, warm crumpet ($23 ea)

Raw beef, bone marrow, pickled onion, rye crisp ($19 ea)

Second Course:

Baked mudcrab, caramelized hollandaise, meyer lemon, salted brioche, purslane ($130)

Main Course:

Full lobster

Lobster pasta

Sides:

Salad bouquet, shallot, soft herbs, mustard vinaigrette ($19)

Shoestring chips, tarragon mayonnaise ($19)

Dessert:

Chocolate & Banana Paris Brest, Pecan Praline ($35)

Fior di Latte soft serve, Zahara extra virgin olive oil ($33)

While the food was generally excellent, I wasn’t a big fan of the lobster or pasta, and found the soft serve with olive oil overrated.

In summary, Mimi’s offers a top-tier dining experience with impeccable ambiance and service. However, the prices are extreme and, in my view, not justified by the overall value — though the packed dining room suggests others may feel...

Very disappointed by the way my incident was handled. I noticed that one of the waiters that were coming around to the area we were seated at pouring water without enough cautions. The water she was pouring to the man seated next to me was spilt to the table and his plate. Next minute when I picked up my phone from the table, I realised that there was a puddle of water around our glasses. My phone was damaged by the water and my screen wasn't displaying properly. I immediately told one of the staff members who told me he'll bring his manager. However, when the 'manager' came, he wasn't taking this incident seriously, asked me if it was condensation from the glass but CLEARLY it wasn't. I showed him the drenched paper towel which I used to wipe the surface of the table but he did NOT apologise, try to listen, or even try to at the very least understand the situation. He just said "I can bring you rice" (brought it in a container that doesn't even fit my phone), rushed us to pay and leave the table as others are waiting. The way he was talking to me sounded like he was looking down at me and didn't want to deal with this incident at all. I didn't want to stay there any longer after being treated like this and ruin the rest of my sunday morning with my friend so I left the venue straightaway. My LCD screen left with water damage and now I have to pay $300 + to get my phone fixed... I loved visiting Merivale's venues but this experience was unbelievable. Later that day I called Merivale's head office but I don't expect anything to be done at this point. Just speechless. (27/10/24 Mimi...