Asian themed restaurants

New Upscale MiMi Chinese Perfects Regional Chinese Cuisine Favorites!

January 17, 2025 By Eleanor Hoh Leave a Comment

New Upscale MiMi Chinese Perfects Regional Chinese Cuisine Favorites! Choosing MiMi Chinese to celebrate our anniversary was the best decision ever. It had all the elements we enjoy about dining out…it’s new (opened Dec.21, 2024), it’s got beautiful ambiance, quality food, excellent service, low music and an extra bonus, a little theatrical presentation.

Beautiful red plush sofas and banquettes set the scene!

Started by cofounder and Culinary Director, Chef David Schwartz and Executive Chef Braden Chong. The first Mimi Chinese opened in Toronto, Canada under Big Hug Hospitality Group and was an immediate success. Their decision to open sister restaurant, also called MiMi Chinese at a very iconic Firestone location in South Beach shows they have what it takes to open a restaurant! Don’t be tfooled by a very unassuming entrance with a neon MiMi sign and lush plants.

We got the VIP treatment, thanks to the adorable Freya, their Operations Manager who I met at a Sake event.

Wok Star Eleanor And Freya, Mimi’s Operations Manager

DECOR
You’ll immediately notice a very glamorous and stylish room anchored by red, plush velvety sofas and banquettes against a back wall with contrasting black chairs. The wall murals were lit up and looked like an illustration of birds. The whole design of the long room was very well laid out. It appears to be one of the bays of the Firestone tire shop and what a transformation.

AMBIANCE
The muted lighting creates an intimate surrounding which is very South Beach. Happy to report the music was low enough so we didn’t have to shout at each other.

Here’s link to Instagram videos of Chef Braden explaining the dishes and theatrical presentation for Four Foot Noodle Belt!

PERFECTING POPULAR CHINESE FAVORITES
Executive Chef Braden Chong greeted us with an Amuse Bouche (watch video) and also returned several times to explain the dishes.

Shrimp Toast (Guandong, woohoo, where I was born!) This was the best I’ve ever tasted and definitely a MUST order appetizer.

Freya sent over Shrimp Toast and Chef Braden brought us Ginger and Scallion Scallop and as Braden says, “reimagine it in Mimi style!” Watch videos on all three explanations.

I love that they served food from different regions like Northern China with more spicy food from Sichuan to Japanese food where Braden had worked at several restaurants.

The dishes I ordered were…

Crossed Arm Chicken Dumplings (Sichuan) nice and al denté with roasted sesame, special soy sauce and red oil.

Very tender, Stir Fried Lamb Leg (Xinjiang) with Chinese Celery, Onion, Green Peppers, Cumin, Cilantro.

And the theatrical presentation, Four Foot Noodle Belt (Sichuan) with grass fed beef, black sesame and long beans. Our lovely server, Hayleigh insisted on bringing Smashed Cucumbers to balance out the spicy Noodle Belt, but we were fine with the level of spiciness. She did a wonderful job (watch video) and of course I discover we have mutual friends.

The service was impeccable, so well trained. The first time I’ve ever experienced serving utensils with spoon and fork automatically laid out on our table whether we had sauce or not! It’s a pet peeve of mine when there’s sauce and not provided a spoon, then wait for it to be brought and the food is not piping hot.

Ended with a very special soft serve swirl with mochi and peanuts (watch video)

What a special and spectacular Anniversary dinner, thank you MiMi!

CONCLUSION
I hope this gives you an idea of what to expect from MiMi Chinese. We are lucky to have MiMi in Miami as there’s not many good Chinese restaurants. I’ve mentioned I’m working on a roundup of Asian restaurants I like in Miami and beyond, stay tuned.

ENJOY!

Do share in comments what dishes you had there and your POV or if you’re going to visit MiMi?

Immerse Yourself in a Truly Gastronomic Indonesian Culinary Experience at Krakatoa

May 9, 2024 By Eleanor Hoh Leave a Comment

Immerse Yourself in a Truly Gastronomic & Exotic Indonesian Culinary Experience at Krakatoa Cuisine is the first Culinary Experience I chose to revive my Wok Star Supper Club after a hiatus of six years! And just in time to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month (Asian American Pacific Islander).

It’s exactly the kind of community event to gather people together for an unforgettable evening of exotic Indonesian flavors and camaraderie. The Special 4-course set menu was lovingly designed exclusively for this event.

Fun Collaborating

It’s been so much fun collaborating with Chef Abe & John. Like discussing how two delicious appetizers, Bala Bala & Urap can be presented in one course or adjusting pumpkin soup or how everyone will get your own personal Rijsttafel, in the middle of the night. They will be savored the authentic Indonesian way—on leaves and eaten with hands. There’s yet another surprise they’ve got in store for you but I’m going to spill it cause too good not to – Indonesian Mojito with basil & kaffir! And non-alcoholic version for people like me, thanks Chef Abe & John.

Special 4 Course Set MENU…

Appetizer: Kolak Labu: pumpkin soup with coconut milk, flavored with fresh pandan leaf and vanilla.

Second Course, served together on a Cabbage Leaf: Bala-Bala: Crispy vegetable fritters. Urap: A medley of seasonal vegetables with Chef Abe’s bumbu kuning seasoning with highlights of turmeric and coriander combined with fresh grated coconut as a dressing. Accompanied with Krupuk (crackers) and sambal sauce (optional).

Bala Bala: addictive crispy vegetable fritters served with krupuk & dipping sauces

Main: Nasi Campur – A stunning presentation on banana leaf: your own personal rijstaffel (Dutch for rice table). This main attraction will be a beautiful combination of Opor Sapi (beef), Ayam Balado (Indonesian Jerk Chicken), Udang Kecap (Indonesian Sweet Soy Shrimp) with turmeric rice and salad.

Dessert: Cendol – a popular Southeast Asian dessert drink, originated in Indonesia but also commonly found in Malaysia and other neighboring countries. It’s made with rice or sago flour mixed with pandan leaf extract to give it a green color & flavor. Cendol is served with coconut milk, coconut sugar syrup, jack fruit and ice.

Cendol: pandan flavored sago droplets with coconut milk & jack fruit

Decor

As you enter Krakatoa Cuisine, you’ll feel the warmth of this small Indonesian café, decorated with vibrant masks, puppets, photos, and memorabilia from Chef Abe’s Indonesian journeys. He always says, “if in the cooking process it took me back to a childhood memory then it was perfect.”

Front includes Store with Sauce Bottles you’ll WANT!

About Krakatoa…

This is not just a sit down dinner, Chef Abe & John are wonderful hosts with a great sense of humor and they love to make sure you have a good time. You’ll be treated to Chef Abe telling us about each dish, yay and hear his stories about Indonesia.

Krakatoa Cuisine made its debut in South Florida at Yellow Green Market in Hollywood in 2014. Following an overwhelmingly positive reception, they expanded to Hollywood Boulevard’s restaurant row. Offering a deeply personal and authentic culinary experience, Krakatoa Cuisine celebrates the rich flavors of Indonesia.

Chef Abe Moiz grew up in Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia and co-manages Krakatoa Cuisine alongside his partner, John. They also conduct cooking classes, showcasing Chef Abe’s latest creation: bottled Indonesian sauces that transform everyday dishes to exotic delights. I’ve tried several of them and can confirm his Creamy Nutmeg Guanjillo definitely transformed my tofu puffs, just like that. It saves you having to pound those spices and get the flavors balanced. Alright, that will be another post to show how I used several of Chef Abe’s sauces. Yay, these bottled sauces will be available for purchase at the restaurant!

Tofu puffs using Creamy Nutmeg Guijallo, instant flavor!

Indonesian Flavors?

To give you an idea about Indonesian flavors…I am familiar with names of dishes like Nasi (rice) or Cendol! My mom was born in Singapore and I noticed many of Chef Abe’s Indonesian ingredients are ingredients my mom used like galangal, nutmeg, turmeric! I remember my mom could speak to the Indonesian wait staff in Hong Kong and understand each other. There were hardly any Malaysian restaurants except for Banana Leaf in those days, so Indonesian food was the closest thing.

Cendol was my family’s favorite drink and we are ending our dinner with this as a dessert because it has jack fruit and coconut milk. The best part about Cendol are the green sago jelly droplets. The droplets are similar to boba that everyone adores except these are FRESHLY made. My mom taught us to roll long strips of green sago and cut them into diamond shapes by hand. Oh yes, Asian food is very time consuming. People don’t realize how much work goes into every small thing.

What a fun visit with friends and so honored Chef Abe & John sat with us.

Reservations & Prepay

PLEASE specify VEGAN or VEGETARIAN and who you want to sit with in Special Request box, marked in red below. It will help Krakatoa accommodate your requests. Spice levels will not be an issue, they will provide spicy dips on the side.

Don’t miss the opportunity for this culinary adventure filled with Chef Abe’s favorite dishes and exceptional flavors. Reserve your seat TODAY and savor the magic of Indonesian cuisine with us!

Fantastic deal, 4-course Culinary Experience + Indonesian Mojito
$65 INCLUDES tax and tip https://www.krakatoacuisine.com/reservations-wok-star-supper-club

More about Wok Star Supper Club

My popular Wok Star Supper Club gatherings is a series of events held throughout the year in South Florida. These events are focused on celebrating Asian culture and cuisine and supports mostly chef-owned restaurants, while introducing attendees to good Asian-inspired food. So far, I’ve produced 9 of these Wok Star Supper Club gatherings, from Hakkasan to the last one with Cake Thai at Gaijin Izakaya in 2018. My vision is to produce these Wok Star Supper Club gatherings on a monthly basis and may expand beyond Asian? Chime in the comments below what kind of cuisines you’d enjoy? I’m thinking of Asian fusion like Cuban Asian, Peruvian Japanese (Nikkei), you get the flow!

New Miami food hall, Julia & Henry’s serves up Asian cuisine, all on one floor

June 19, 2023 By Eleanor Hoh Leave a Comment

Ding, ding, ding! New Miami food hall, Julia and Henry’s serves up Asian cuisine, all on one floor. The newest curated food hall with a lineup of numerous celebrity chefs finally opened in downtown Miami in the iconic art deco building that housed Walgreens. Story goes this food hall was named after Julia Tuttle and Henry Flagler, considered “the mother and father of Miami”!

About the decor:

Your first impression of Julia and Henry’s is, WOW! You’re immediately hit by the multi level, colorfully lit up wine cellar (I’ve only seen it blue and pink).

It’s MASSIVE, I like that there’s an atrium in the middle that spans all three floors. With “balconies” on each floor, this makes the food hall very open and light. There’s a modern, see through staircase and walkways which lets light in also and regular staircase in the rear back wall. The design is modern, whimsical, industrial with hints of colors especially with the bar lounge sofas and wall art.

Currently open in the food hall: ground, mezzanine & balcony third floor. Future will be a floor dedicated to music and “experiences”. The third floor balcony showcases SIX Asian Food Concepts and a craft cocktail bar, The Lasseter and that’s where we went straight to! I mean food not bar.

Scout, then action:

I loved visiting with my foodie buddy @epicurean305 we enjoy the same pacing and like exploring new flavors, do check him out on Instagram. We took a quick tour of the SIX Asian food concepts before settling on two: Fried Snapper bowl from Achar and Pork Lechon Gyozas from Hitchi Haika.

We did end up getting a third dish from Osso on the Ground Floor but that’s for another post.

About the 6 Asian Food Concepts:

@Acharstreet.kitchen
Created by restauranteur, Maher Murshed, who also opened Byblos in South Beach among many others. His vision with Achar was SPOT ON! He nailed it with all aspects for a fantastic dining experience. I mention this constantly…ambiance, presentation and of course, delicious food. Interesting Achar is tagged as Burmese but Murshed is Bangladeshi and the chef is Peruvian??? I don’t care as long as the food is tasty!

About Achar’s food:

Fried Snapper Bowl, $18 came with basmati rice, turmeric cauliflower & potato, mashed tomato with onions & a gorgeous colorful, chopped salad. I loved this complete meal and it was great value. The fried snapper was dipped in a chickpea batter so it’s gluten free and seasoned with a house mix. The snapper was perfectly executed, moist and tender. You could taste flavors of each ingredient in that beautifully presented bowl.

There were options of tandoori grilled, beef or chicken skewers which looked very tantalizing. I got to film some fiery grill action there. Definitely going back to try those! There was also a Tamarind tossed Chick Pea Bowl for vegetarians.

I managed to have a brief chat with Chef Marco who had worked at Byblos & Bazaar by Jose Andres. Chef definitely has operations organized, you could see colorful bowls laid out ready which just needed the skewered protein. Our dish was ready quite quickly.

He gifted us Sweet Rice Pudding (Firni) served in a traditional earth clay bowl. It’s made with chinigura rice, rose water and pistachios. A flood of food memories rushed at me in the first bite, this dessert reminded me of a semolina dessert my mom used to make in Hong Kong. I loved this sweet end to what was a well thought out concept and most importantly, our Fried Snapper Bowl was really very delicious. Well done Achar!

@Hitchihaika
Japanese Gyozas filled with 7 flavors from around the world by Chef Jose Mendin (Pubbelly & many other food concepts) & Chef Jorge Mijangos. Between $14-$16. We tried Pork Lechon Gyozas with citrus mojo, green herbs. 5 in an order, very tasty and lovely presentation, maybe a little bit teeny.

Lucky @epicurean305 scored a fantastic window seat right next to Hitchi Haika, it was PERFECT for photo taking.

Now, for the other 4 Asian Concepts:

@shimujaflorida Master Ramen Chef Kei San was serving authentic ramen bowl made fresh in front of you. I’ve heard so much about this restaurant. I can’t wait to try, my only issue is I can’t eat a lot of starchy noodles.

@palmarmiami described as “Dim Sum” by Javier Ramirez who also opened Alter, Bachour and Palmar in Wynwood where I’ve dined several times. Described as “blending Latin flavors with modern Asian street food and tropical Miami vibes”! The spicy pork noodles and papaya salad looked scrumptious.

@sankuay by Chef Charles Thomson. A Peruvian-Cantonese Chifa Wok concept and Asian street food. Lomo Saltado looked delightful, priced at $22. I need to try one of his Wok dishes, hey, I am a wok cooking teacher and know a thing or two about this!

@yabairolls serves Japanese hand rolls. Yabai brings the vibrancy of Kabukicho, an entertainment district in Tokyo known for their neon signs!

Conclusion:

I would love to hear what Asian dishes you’ve tried or want to try!

Julia & Henry’s is definitely a fun food hall to check out with so many options. Maybe weekday? We went Saturday, around 1:45pm and only waited 5 minutes in line to get in. However, when we came out, the line was half a block long! Or wait a couple more months when it’s not the newest and latest food hall to try?