Mimi's Cafe (Hayward)

http://www.mimiscafe.com/
24542 Hesperian Blvd
Hayward

I had been to Mimi's before, but only the one in Dublin. Although I've enjoyed eating there, I've never been really excited to go there. Maybe because there's an awesome Thai place in the same shopping complex, but that's another post.

And this is a new Mimi's in Southland...

Mimi's is billed as an upscale family restaurant and that it is. They offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We've yet to eat breakfast or an actual lunch there, but the dinners and appetizers are quite delish. The selection is a little limited, but what they offer is done pretty well. Not perfect, but damn near.

I had the meatloaf dinner the first night we went. I liked the tomato flavor and that it didn't have too much of a tomato crust (Nancy would disagree with me on this one). The mashed potatoes were fantastic and like homemade. The best part was the gravy, but I have a gravy bias. Everything is better with gravy. Nice brown gravy. And they gave me extra gravy. Sweeeeet brown gravy. But now I'm off topic.

On another occasion, we shared the fish and chips. The batter was more like a breading than a tempura-style coating. Very different and a little off putting, but still tasty (again, Nancy would disagree here). We suspect that it's the same breading that they use on the chicken fingers. The fries were tasty, but not memorable (I can't pick them out from the other fries I've had this week). The tartar sauce has a touch of horseradish, and I can't decide on if I like that or not. I'm guessing not.

The bar area is much bigger at this one, which is nice that they even have a bar that serves more than beer and/or wine. The drinks are average to pricey, so plan on paying at least $6 per drink (more if you're drinking Glenfiddich). So far, I have chosen to sit in the bar area more often than the dining area because service is quicker and the bartenders/servers have been very nice. Then again, here comes another bias because I think one of the guys is really cute and I went to elementary school with another. The only cons to sitting in the bar area are that the bus boys don't come around so much and the bartenders forget to give you flatware/napkins.

Overall, I really like this Mimi's and I would recommend it. Maybe not during a busy time, but definitely try it.


Big pluses: Good food, nice people, and desserts with whiskey sauce. OH! And some recipes are posted on the web site.

Shortcomings: Limited menu, microwaved chocolate, and early last call.