From Toronto with love

Mimi Chinese (Miami Beach)

RESTAURANTS • First Word

The Skinny: Trendy Toronto import Mimi Chinese opened in the Art Deco landmark Firestone station at the end of last year, the brainchild of chefs David Schwartz and Branden Chong. It’s not your corner Chinese joint. Mimi’s menu is as beautifully designed as the space itself, ideal for anything from a large group to a smartly chic date.

The Vibe: Beyond a sleek, neon-lined foyer stretches the long, bustling restaurant. Two-tops are close together, but all the better for seeing what’s on everyone else’s tables to inspire your order.

The Food & Drink: Dishes hail from Xinjiang, Guangdong, Hong Kong, and beyond. Hunan chili sea bass arrives whole, making for a showstopping presentation. “Four Foot Belt Noodle” with grass fed beef, black sesame, and long beans is presented tableside, cut by servers into reasonable sizes down from the single 48 inch noodle form in which it arrives. The house shrimp toast is a headliner in its own right, elevated beyond its typical status, fried crispy, topped with shrimp and hot mustard mayo. Plenty of the sides could make for satisfying entrees themselves (see: charred cabbage with cumin and Sichuan pepper).

To drink, there’s a huge list of sake, which servers are happy to narrow down, plus a full cocktail menu.

The Verdict: While Miami’s lousy with out-of-town restaurants trying to make a splash locally, Mimi Chinese is one newcomer from the north worth welcoming to town with open arms, already befitting of the iconic space it occupies. –Matt Meltzer

→ Mimi Chinese (Miami Beach) • 1575 Alton Rd • Tue-Sun 5-11p • Reserve.