MiMi Mei Fair

In case there’s any confusion, MiMi is a fictional empress and the owner of this Mayfair townhouse, a nuance dreamed up by owner Samyukta Nair. It sounds a bit bonkers, and it is but it’s an element that completely encapsulates the eccentric, fun and frivolous experience that eating at MiMi Mei Fair is.

Dining spaces are split across three floors and it’s obvious from as soon as you walk through the door that this is a no expenses spared type of spot. Downstairs wooden booths feel like stepping onto the Orient Express while upstairs we found our table tucked away in a corner of The Library. Little pleated lampshades, painted silk wallpaper and thick tasselled curtains set the tone for a luxurious evening that evokes the glamour of the 1920s. Granted, this could be perceived as pretentious but the lively ambiance and meticulously mastered service result in a surprisingly relaxed vibe.

The absolute knock-out dish is the house signature – the apple wood-fired roasted Peking duck that comes in a flurry of theatre to your tableside. There’s a chef, in a hat, with a cleaver. There are the noises from other guests and then there’s a little plate of crispy skin that lands in front of you with a bowl of brown sugar to dip to whet your appetite. The rest of the carved bird follows and is chaperoned by a platter of dips that go way beyond the usual hoi sin sauce - it's interactive dining at its best. Our favourite pancake filling was a combination of chilli sauce, garlic and crisp radishes with hunks of breast meat and shavings of crispy skin. It’s one of those things you can’t stop thinking about for days afterwards. The only criticism is that leftovers aren’t permitted to be taken away and for two people, as a starter, it's a lot.

Other treats we loved were langoustine wrapped in crisp vermicelli-like pastry and topped with truffle as well as a generous portion of the perfect fried rice and spicy Singaporean prawns. Complex and interesting cocktails pair perfectly with the gaiety of dining here, and generously sweet desserts are the ideal finishing touch.

Opening a high-end Chinese in Mayfair takes a certain kind of confidence when you’re rubbing shoulders with established favourites such as Hakkasan and Park Chinois. This isn’t a new brand opened on a whim however, it’s a carefully considered venture from already established restaurateur, Samyukta Nair who is behind both Mayfair’s Jamavar and Bombay Bustle.

In her third restaurant Nair is keen to reflect the cooking of old-world China, taking guests on a journey of dishes inspired by Empress MiMi — fictional owner of the town house and keeper of the most revered Chinese culinary secrets, she says. Chinese-Singaporean Executive Chef Peter Ho heads up the kitchen and has developed a range of menus to allow for flexible dining. Pick between an a la carte (which runs with a comforting selection of familiar favourites as well as some more unusual options), tasting menus, pre-theatre specials, or sharing feasts.

Starters include dishes like salt and pepper silken tofu, xiao long soup dumplings and roasted Cantonese char siu Norfolk Black pork with raw wildflower honey. For mains choose between a far-reaching selection of meat, fish and plant-based options which range from Hunan crispy seabass through to clay pot aubergine with black beans. For dessert the house special is a flourless chocolate bar with a mandarin and peach crunch and vanilla bean ice cream.

The restaurant is found in a Georgian townhouse and has been built up through a series of plush rooms which are furnished in rich colours and layers of textural elements. Think timber screen salons, hand painted silk wallpaper, velvet boot seating, a scalloped marbled floor and aged brass fixtures. With each space bringing a unique vibe, the mood shifts from room to room but wherever you land there will picture perfect angles from your seat. There are private dining spaces too, for exclusive celebrations, and the basement bar offers a snug hideaway for high-end cocktails at the end of the evening.