RESTAURANT REVIEW: Mimi's Cafe

What: Mimi's Cafe
Where: 3000 Expressway 83, McAllen

Hours:
Credit Cards: yes
Wheel chair accessible: yes
Telephone: (956) 682-0893

 Service: 4 1/2 stars
Ambiance: 4
Food: 3 ½
Overall: 4

By Paige Lauren Deiner
paige_deiner@themonitor.com 

Mimi's Café has an Old World bistro feel.

It features red and black leather booths and wooden tables. Red tiles line the ceiling and red chandeliers sparkle in the dim light. In the background Frank Sinatra plays along with a selection of smooth jazz.

Once inside the restaurant, the hustle and bustle of McAllen floats away, and is replaced with a sense of quiet serenity. Although the restaurant bustles with staff and people, it appears to be an organized chaos, as well as a well oiled machine. A hostess greets customers with a smile and then takes them to their seats. Our waiter than promptly came to our table and took our order and then checked back periodically to ensure we were enjoying our meal.

Our first course - the original spinach & artichoke dip $8.49 - was awesome - a must have for anyone going to Mimi's. The dish featured sun dried tomatoes, along with spinach and artichokes, and four different melted cheeses. The dish was both filling and mouth-wateringly good. It had just enough spice to give an original flair to a traditional dish.

I also ordered the corn chowder, which although filling was a little bland. But it was the perfect food to share with my daughter, who ate about half the cup ($4.29 for a bowl $1.29 with a meal). I liked the chicken piccata with asparagus ($12.99). Served in a lemon caper butter sauce with mushrooms dripped over the top, the chicken had a nice tang to it.

The pasta jambalaya featured chicken breasts, shrimp, Cajun sausage and pork loin ($13.29). The jambalaya was served in a Creole tomato sauce. It was served under a bed of penne pasta. I liked the jambalaya, but it wasn't the best I've ever had.

What impressed me about the restaurant, and what will keep me coming back is their desire to keep their customers happy. When I asked if the bread pudding ($4.99), which we ordered for dessert had bananas in it because my daughter has a severe allergy to the fruit and I didn't want to give her some and chance a bad reaction. The waiter asked the chef, found out the bread pudding did in fact have bananas, and came back with a gummy work fudge concoction for the baby. I was impressed that our waiter took the time to find out about the bananas and then had the empathy to provide (free of charge) an alternate dessert for my toddler.

Mimi's provides a nice alternative to cooking. It's what a restaurant should be an escape from the world and place where you feel that you didn't only eat but were a little bit pampered.

Paige Lauren Deiner covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. You can reach her at (956) 683-4425. You can reach her at (956) 683-4425.