Failure at Mimi's Cafe: The Signature Bread Basket

Because long bouts of frugality must be tempered with injections of extravagance, we went out to eat again on Sunday. What, twice in one weekend? No, thrice! (I didn't even mention the triumphant return to Viva Mercado's on Friday.) This time it was to Mimi's Cafe.

I didn't take any pictures. I should have, as we probably won't be back.

There's nothing really wrong with Mimi's Cafe. It's pretty inside. The fare is light. (And rather slim for vegetarians, considering.) Our waiter was able to rank at just a notch above indifferent, so I can't really criticize the service with any feeling.

I think the central ill will is with the "signature bread basket."

Mike got the chicken pasta special plus a $5 serving of French onion soup. For five dollars, he expected a bowl, not a cup, but - okay - it is French onion. It has to be served in something with a narrow mouth so the cheese can be melted just so. The soup comes with a "signature bread basket."

I got the pasta primavera with a green salad. I was really up for the quiche, but the pasta came with a "signature bread basket," and a basket of bread sounded very nice.  Yes, Mike was getting one with his soup, but we're both devoted carb grazers, so whatever was left over, we'd take home.

When Mike's soup and my salad were served (or, "plunked down"), only one bread basket was delivered. Now, I know it was totally upon us to point out what was probably just a simple mistake, but we felt awkward. Asking to have two bread baskets on the table at the same time just felt too foreign, even though we were each entitled to one. Our fault for being less than brave. Blame totally accepted. I figured we could just ask for our second basket when the first one was done. Problem solved.

Then we looked into the "signature bread basket."

Okay, everyone has to come to Mimi's a first time, right? This is a suburban chain, not a fancy NY eatery where maybe they can get away with assuming you know their idiosyncrasies from gushy word-of-mouth at cocktail parties. Given that the place was nearly vacant at 8 p.m., I'm figuring that Mimi's, at least this Mimi's, gets a lot of first-time customer trade. You know what I'm saying.

So, if your "signature bread basket" is one white roll and three little pieces of cake, you need to say so on the menu. People aren't going to just know.

This is especially true if you're promoting the fact, on a special menu, that the pasta primavera comes with "signature bread basket." I don't think a lot of people are licking their lips at the idea of penne pasta with asiago cream sauce... and a side of banana bread.

Granted, the signature bread basket was tasty, if small and inappropriate. We didn't ask for the second basket. Who wants more cake with their pasta? I mean, banana bread? Not me.

What with the misrepresentation of the promised bread experience, the lackluster service, the good-but-unremarkable food, and the uninspired-for-vegetarians menu, this is not the place for us. I wish I'd had the quiche, since few places serve it here that aren't high-end buffets, but you know what? Quiche is not that hard to make. (Okay, yes, I completely screwed it up last time I made one, but that's not the point.)

Sorry, Mimi's Cafe. I can see by your website that you must be really popular. You have lots of locations, after all. But I'm still sighing and walking away, and that hurts because - dang - you're practically across the street. I thought we'd have this terrific future together of Mike being too tired to cook and me being too lazy, and it would be quiche and salad and muffins every other weekend.

Maybe if you had more than one kind of vegetarian quiche other than same-old cheddar and broccoli? And if you offered a vegetarian soup every day instead of once or twice per week? And if all of the items on your zip-code-specific website menu actually were on your real menu?

And if you were more forthcoming about the precious bizarreness that is your "signature bread basket"?

Maybe. But this is Las Vegas, and now you're at the back of the queue.

Comments

[Heather in PA]

Hey.... I love your reviews of restaurants! There is only one Indian place in town and I'm never able to convince my husband to visit (or get take out) more than 2-3x/year. I'm not brave enough to try cooking it at home - and I wouldn't have the foggiest notion as to where to get paneer (YUMMMM) around here anyhow... I adore Indian food - and even though the menu is enormous, I'm never able to choose anything other than my 2 or 3 usual dishes because those are just SO GOOD.

The new school is great. Great admins, great kids, great office (a window! a WINDOW!! with trees and grass and sky outside!!, a half mile walk to work (which I did every day for the first 2 weeks but now that extra 12 minutes is best spent sleeping and I've been driving. I know, I'm lazy and horrible) .... but as the newness wears off... I'm getting THAT old feeling again. Is it just me?

Or are we ALL counting down to summer already?

[BOSSY]

Did somebody say FRENCH ONION SOUP? Must. Have. Now.