Mimi's Cafe - Your Opinion (Columbus, Cincinnati: fit in, house, closing)

[kjbrill]

I am a little slow so I just recognized the Mimi's Cafe chain was sold by Bob Evans Farms. But then I read it is now going to adhere to a French Styled menu - What? The one dish they had I liked was the very American meat loaf. So where does this French Style come from and how do they expect to get there?

I was wondering why some of the recent online reviews of their product were so critical. Do any of you have an insight into what is going on here? Their stores in this area may be slightly more upscale than the typical Bob Evans, but not decidedly so.

[mike1003]

If you dont mind tons of salt and a cookie cutter menu, I guess Mimis is OK. Frankly after 3 trys, I will never (and never is a long time) eat there again

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by mike1003

If you dont mind tons of salt and a cookie cutter menu, I guess Mimis is OK. Frankly after 3 trys, I will never (and never is a long time) eat there again

I don't remember when the chain was purchased from Bob Evans, so I don't know the dates of your experiences. I just found it interesting they are now proclaiming a Chef-Led French inspired experience. I am just curious as to how you pull this off in a chain establishment.

Of course I was never a fan of French Food, lots of sauces but little substance. So if you serve a variety of quiche with a variety of sauces, you may be able to pull it off.

The reviews I have read thus far are not favorable. I am anticipating your experiences.

[jlawrence01]

The food that I have had at Mimi's has been well prepared. I do NOT think that the menu is really French-inspired. It is a bit pricey even by Chicago standards and it is pretty hard to get out much under $20 a person.

Considering the food that I had in Cincinnati last week, Mimi's would have been a MAJOR upgrade.

[Ohioan58]

Mimi's has kind of an image problem. What the hell kind of food do they specialize in? Nobody (even those who have eaten there) can give you a straight answer. I sure cant' and I've eaten there.

I always had the impression that they were going for a WWII France retro vibe and would always have claimed that they were French and American.

[chet_kinkaid]

if its run by bob evans they will make everything from tubs and boxes.,and heat in the microwave.my friend worked at bob evans as a cook,their omelettes are something resembling eggs but you wouldnt call them eggs.french cooking entails using fresh raw ingrediants and preparing the food using techniques that are learned over years of learning..think jaques pepin.its like calling papadeux a fine sea food restaurant.

[kjbrill]

Originally Posted by chet_kinkaid

if its run by bob evans they will make everything from tubs and boxes.,and heat in the microwave.my friend worked at bob evans as a cook,their omelettes are something resembling eggs but you wouldnt call them eggs.french cooking entails using fresh raw ingrediants and preparing the food using techniques that are learned over years of learning..think jaques pepin.its like calling papadeux a fine sea food restaurant.

Please recognize that Mimi's was owned by Bob Evans, but no longer. In the beginning of this year Bob Evans sold Mimi's to Le Duff American of Dallas for $50 million. well under the $182 million they had paid for Mimi's in 2004.

If I go to the Mimi's website, they tout it is a French inspired, chef-led restaurant. What I am trying to figure out is whether there is any validity to this. They claim an all new menu. Is this just hype or is there any validity? I just don't classify French Toast with artifical Maple Syrup as being French Cuisine.
Anybody with more recent experiences who care to comment?

I haven't been to Mimi's this year and don't care to go just to satisfy my curioisity, especially if the result is nothing has really changed other than the new owners do not have as deep a pockets as Bob Evans so they are cutting corners even more severely.

[jlawrence01]

They are no longer owned by Bob Evans.

From their website:

“Mimi’s is a perfect fit in the Le Duff America portfolio given the French heritage of the brand and shared tradition of quality, authenticity, value and hospitality. The addition of a casual dining brand complements our portfolio and fits into the company’s long-term strategic view,” said Claude Bergeron, Chairman and Co-CEO of Le Duff America. “Our goal is to move forward with brand revitalization to set the company up for future growth by attracting new guests and becoming more relevant to their evolving needs.”

“Mimi’s Cafe is a fantastic brand with 35 years of legacy and a deep heritage,” said Phil Costner, President of Mimi’s Cafe. “We’re not going to change what guests love most about Mimi’s – we are going to invest in the restaurants, food and people in order to upgrade and strengthen the brand.”

Highlights

• Le Duff America to keep Mimi’s operational headquarters in Irvine, Calif.
• Phil Costner, formerly President and COO of la Madeleine, is named President of Mimi’s Cafe.
• Le Duff America intends to move forward with the evolution of the bakery/café concept that debuted at Mimi’s Valencia, Calif. location in October 2012.
• Mimi’s will invest in updates to existing locations to reenergize and update the restaurants with a consistent look and feel befitting to the French-inspired café.
• Mimi’s will continue to reinvigorate, improve and enrich the new expanded menu.
• Le Duff America will focus on Mimi’s French heritage and use founder Arthur J. Simms’ original vision of the simple, yet charming meals he enjoyed in Paris as an airman during World War II as the basis for the renovation effort.

I will have to give the place a try as I have not been there since the new menu.

[kjbrill]

On a somewhat related note, the Polo Grille in Mason closed. They took their name from the Polo field which used to occupy the property. I went there a few times, was not overly impressed by anything but the bill, and quit going. Their space has been taken over by the Rusty Bucket chain out of Columbus. I have not been there yet but some of my acquaintances state it is a good value if you stick to the sandwiches. But how many sandwich places can you have?

I think I will just stick to either Culver's in Mason for burgers, fish, etc as they have been around a few years now or the newer Blue Ash Chili and their fabulous cold double-deckers.

Dammit, just remembered Blue Ash Chili is closed on Sundays when I am in the mood for their product. This happens too often as I just don't remember their Sunday closing policy, though I applaud them for it. A great benefit for their employees.

So I just went down to the freezer and retrieved a bag of frozen chicken wings. The wife said she wants hers with garlic & parmesian sauce. I found a brand new bottle of Franks Red Hot Sauce so I am good to go. I know I saw some parmesian cheese and we always have minced garlic so I am good for this afternoon. Glad it is a late game with the Bengals and San Diego so I have plenty of time to prepare.

BTW how many of you saw that Alabama/Auburn game yesterday? What a fantastic finish. I don't think the Bengals/San Diego can match that, but we will see.

[SWOH]

My opinion goes against the grain of this thread I guess, as Mimi's is actually one of my favorite chain restaurants.

Basically the way I read the theme is WWII veteran opened up a French inspired restaurant, which I think is what really happened. And the food I've had is delicious! Excellent Quiche Lorraine, great bread, they even use the same glasses I do in my house - adds an extra layer of comfort for me at least.


The latest chain restaurant I don't understand? - Logan's Roadhouse. Never had an edible dish from that place. Texas Roadhouse, Outback, and Longhorn are far superior.