Bathed in a warm glow and deep, glossy red hues, MIMI Chinese opened in South Beach at the end of 2024, bringing a sizzling and sexy new high-end dining proposition to the neighborhood by way of Toronto.
MIMI Chinese Miami marks the fourth restaurant and first U.S. venture for Big Hug Hospitality, the group behind Toronto favorites MIMI Chinese, Sunny’s Chinese and Linny’s. Helmed by David Schwartz, Michelin Guide Toronto’s Young Chef Award recipient for 2023, and Executive Chef Braden Chong, the Miami Beach outpost builds on the brand’s thoughtful exploration of regional Chinese cuisine.
Entering the cave-like dining room, it’s clear this team has carefully honed an intimate, escapist atmosphere: arched ceilings, curved banquettes, plush velvet and dropped chandeliers all hug you in and make you feel somewhere far-flung and underground. Like the space itself, the menu is fairly compact and intentional, with each dish inspired by one of China’s diverse regions, helpfully labeled in italics. Of course, it’s all been designed for sharing. If you’re not in the mood to choose your own adventure, they also offer a chef’s tasting menu for $115 per person.
Aside from the food—which we’ll break down below—the hospitality is really a highlight at MIMI Chinese. The service staff are decked out in neat white aprons and black bowties, the chef makes the rounds checking up on tables, and our drinks never went empty. Speaking of drinks, the wine director selected some incredible pours for us, and we enjoyed a few of the Asian-inspired cocktails, too. I am truly still dreaming of the desserts, all made in-house by the chef.
The potent and smooth Five Spice Negroni helped set the tone for the night, bringing together gin, gentian amaro, Ming River baijiu, and allspice. This is the deliciously strong classic with a Chinese twist, thanks to the addition of a 20th-generation Sichuan grain spirit.
From the “Raw and Cooling” section of the menu, the Smacked Cucumber Salad gets its name from the act of smacking the cucumber with the side of a cleaver, a brilliant technique used across regions in China that allows for maximum absorption of sauce and flavor—in this case, wood ear mushroom, chrysanthemum, and Shanxi vinegar—by breaking down the cell walls of the cucumber.
We also ordered both dishes from the “Savory and Warming” section. The Guangdong-style Shrimp Toast, made with fried bread, red vinegar, and hot mustard mayo, is one of the best versions I’ve ever had. The Sichuan-inspired Crossed Arm Chicken Dumpling combines roasted sesame, special soy sauce, and red oil for a pleasant goosebump-inducing effect.
The main event for our table was the neverending Four Foot Belt Noodle, another dish inspired by China’s Sichuan region that lives up to its name. Topped with a sauce made from roasted black sesame paste, fried pink shrimp, and Sichuan chili oil, it’s all mixed with grass-fed beef from Martin’s Family Farm and cut tableside with scissors.
The light and spongy Steamed Cake or Ma Lai Goh made with a salted egg yolk custard and sweet rice cream will mentally transport you to the streets of Hong Kong—or at least New York’s Chinatown. Its perfect simplicity made it one of my favorite dishes of the night, but the beautifully marbled Black Sesame Cheesecake matching MIMI’s rich natural stone tables was a close second.