The story
MiMi Mei Fair reinterprets Chinese cuisine within a three-storey Georgian townhouse in Mayfair, London, built around the persona of Empress MiMi. The fictional empress serves as the keeper of China's most treasured culinary secrets, providing a framework for veteran chef Peter Ho to navigate diverse regional traditions rather than relying on familiar staples. Working with the team behind Jamavar and Bombay Bustle under the LSL Group, Ho structures the menu as an anecdotal journey that highlights specific techniques and ingredients unique to various provinces.
The kitchen anchors its offerings with precise preparations that blend tradition with refined execution. Apple wood-fired roasted Peking duck arrives half or whole, featuring crisp skin served with handmade pancakes and traditional accompaniments. Guests frequently start with the Xiao Long Jewels, a set of five soup dumplings each delivering a distinct flavour, or the rich sea urchin turnip puffs. Main courses showcase technical flair, including langoustines wrapped in angel-hair pasta and deep-fried with black Périgord truffle slivers, alongside king crab dumplings seasoned with Chinese garlic. The menu also presents golden-fried wasabi prawns with crisp seaweed and a hunan-style seabass finished with red chilli and lotus root.
Design choices reinforce the narrative by dividing the townhouse into individually styled bijou spaces across three levels. The interiors evoke 1920s Shanghai chic through floral wall coverings, peach-coloured leather seating, and Ming-inspired porcelain displayed throughout the dining areas. This layered environment creates a vivid backdrop that inspectors have likened to a Wong Kar-Wai film set, supporting the immersive quality of the Empress MiMi fantasy. Engaging staff maintain the atmosphere's energy, ensuring the theatrical setting feels cohesive from the entrance to the final course.
Recognition
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