Mimino

The food was absolutely fantastic. The service was good, with the owner (Zauri) being particularly hospitable. The atmosphere was nice. And it was worth it.

You won't spend too much if you don't order wine. We ordered 6 dishes and paid 40 pounds for that (there were 2 of us). Very recommend everyone to visit to have the real taste of Caucasian cuisine.
Comment on this reader review

Naur
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Monday, June 09, 2008

Second visit to Mimino - my review from 12/06 is still on here - and, on balance, enjoyable - but frustrating because the major flaw in the evening was so easily rectifiable. Start with the good: the food, again, was mostly excellent - khachapuri, lobio and badrijani were all fresh and delicious and main khinkali was exactly right - but the side-serving of adjara chili sauce was mean for £2 and Tabaka chicken was dry with its accompanying "matchstick fries" matchstick-thin but lank, limp and greasy. Georgian wine was again on good form and the chacha is smooth stuff; not always the case with this spirit!

No, the problem with this place, as others have remarked is the service, and I don't mean the serving staff were unpleasant, because they were quite the opposite; they were friendly and charming. No, what drives me mad about this place is the kitchen's inability to produce dishes at the right time! Last time I ate here the two mains arrived at widely differing times, so one of us ate while the other one watched. So, this time, I thought I'd be smart and specifically ask for them to come together. Which they did - but as we were halfway or less through our starters (and we weren't eating slowly)!!! For goodness' sake, Mimino, every other restaurant in town can manage to pace the cooking and serving of dishes so that you don't either have to (a) abandon your starters (b) let your mains go cold (c) gobble both and end up feeling bloated and unhappy and not wanting dessert (which is pretty much what we did). It's not rocket-science; I wish the proprietor would institute some sort of maanagement in the kitchen to regulate the despatch of meals; until he does, I suggest you refuse to order mains until you have got - or even finished - your starters at Mimino. Go, but I counsel you, follow this advice.
Comment on this reader review

David
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 3 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Thursday, April 17, 2008

Mimino, which means sparrow-hawk in Georgian, is one man's quest to introduce Georgia to the UK. Zauri Goreli, the owner, has a business card which says "Bringing Georgia to Kensington" on the back, and "You don't need to be Georgian to feel at home here."

And if our experience on a raucous Friday night was anything to go by he is succeeding on all counts. In marked contrast to the negative comments which focused on service, Zauri shepherded us personally through an introduction of wines (we got to sample all of the wines on offer before ordering...when was that last time THAT happened in a restaurant?), throwing in some added historical colour (for instance Stalin, Georgia's most famous son, took time out during the vigours of WWII to allocate resources to getting the sugar content just right on one of the sweet wines in the 1942 vintage). He then went through the menu in detail, helping us choose an assortment of starters (my favourites were badrijani or aubergine in a piquant walnut sauce....(walnuts featuring prominantly in almost every dish, in the background as part of the sauce), espanakhi (a spinach mousse) and adjaruli ,a buttered bread fillied with cheese. My favourite main was dead simple, a spatchcocked young chicken with matchstick fried potatoes call tsiplyonok tabaka....(try saying THAT fast three times), but we also had lamb shashlik and pork, both of which came with a spicy dipping sauce. Pomegranate seeds also feature a lot.

Overall, good hearty fare, with no frills, and clean plates afterwards, always a good test.

But what distinguished Mimino was the sheer enthusiasm brought by Zauri to his venture, and the unique atmosphere. At an L-shaped table were 30 or so wrestlers, boxers, and weight lifters from Armenia, Ossetia, Kazakhstan and elsewhere, quaffing food and drink in equal measure and toasting each other in Russian, the reluctant common language. After our main, Zauri enquired if we would mind moving tables (our was prominently in the middle) as the lads wanted to dance. And so they did (mostly the men, though there were 4 ladies). To the pleasure and amusement of us all (except perhaps the sullen Russian couple next to us) we watched these hugely muscled athletes strut their stuff. Not your average Friday night out entertainment.

In short, Mimino, is a warm, earthy outpost of Georgian warmth and hospitality in the island of cool Britannia which is Kensington.

And oh yes, for those of you for whom "the facilities" are a good measure of a restaurant beside the food...they were spotless.

A big Madloba* to Zauri and Mimino.

*Georgian for thank you...if you have got the time and the curiosity, with Zauri's help you can increase your knowledge of this far off land which was the southern outpost of the old USSR with the Black Sea to the West and Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan to the south, by 5000%. And why not? Got a better idea to bring on the weekend?
Comment on this reader review

Eric Pettigrew - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Sunday, March 30, 2008

This place gets bad points on this site, perhaps unfairly, simply due to inconsistency of the quality of service. It is very hard to find waiting staff to work in a speciality cuisine restaurant and those from the respective country are usually students and leave very soon. As soon as the place gets a more or less established payrol, it's gonna be simply the best on the bloc.

The food in Mimino is incredible! One taste of imeruli (khachapuri from Imereti region of Georgia) would convince anyone who knows anything about the Georgian cuisine that it is undisputable. Badrijani (aubergines with walnut paste) are also spectacular, in fact my wife gets them as the main dish, despite of them being a cold starter. Shashlik is made on an actual open fire with wood and gets that unforgettable smoky aroma about it. I haven't tried Chicken Tabaka yet, but since I am definitely coming back, that is just something to look forward too. Khinkali are my favourite at the moment although if you have a starter be prepared to ask for a doggy bag: 7 large dumplings with mixed meat are very hard to go through. And under no circumstances try to leave without trying the delicious honey cake.

As for wines, I recommend Saperavi (red). It's very soft on the pallate and is ideal with khachapuri or khinkali. Also try Borjomi- native Georgian mineral water. Don't ask for still though - it comes naturally carbonated (and all the better for it).

I think if people treat the place not as a cocky upstart that dared to open its door to ever so over-indulged High Street Ken, but as a nice homely place with good comfort food, it would make much more sense.

PS: to the poster that complained about not being served on a Saturday night: it is usually packed to the hilt, often with big Russian, Georgian and sometimes British parties that go through mountains of food, so next time do make a reservation. You will feel the difference, I promise.
Comment on this reader review

Philip
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 9
Monday, February 04, 2008

it's very good. food is perfect, servise, atmosphere and value are too.

take my advice and go thear it's very very good.
Comment on this reader review

poul - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, December 05, 2007

We usually go to Tbilisi for Georgian but am meeting up with friends near HSK. We had planned to try Mimino, but after reading these I won't. Thanks for all the informative posts.
View/Add comments (1)

Chris
Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Saturday, December 01, 2007

Myself and my friend have recently decided to try out the Georgian cuisine. The restaurant had 4 full tables, so we had no problem getting a table without a reservation on a Saturday night. We have waited for approximately 20 minutes trying to get anyone's attention.

Minutes later we have been approached by one of the waiters and told that since we did not have a reservation and the kitchen is running at full capacity, our order won't be taken anytime soon...then the exact words were: "You have called for a waiter 3 times with an unpleasant look in your eyes and the staff have noticed you already, so please stop trying to order until we approach you...if you don't like our service you are free to leave...". I was so shocked by the tone and attitude of the waiter, that we had nothing left to do but fold our napkins and leave...

This kind of behaviour is outrageous and should be punished especially in areas such as High Street Kensington, were one would expect nothing but great service in any restaurant.
View/Add comments (2)

Overall rating
Food 0 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 0
Sunday, November 04, 2007

When I stay in London I like to try food from cultures that I would not normally find in my home town of Bristol. On Tuesday 22nd May I chanced upon the Georgian Restaurant, Mimino, 197c Kensington High Street.

The service was very friendly. My waitress told me (when asked) that Georgian for ‘thank you’ was ‘madloba’ and not the Russian that I had used.

My cold starter of chicken with walnuts and Georgian spices was very nice. Mildly hot, creamy and ice cold. However, it would have been perfect had the chicken breast been boneless. The small rib bones etc. spoiled the dish. My main course (again a chicken dish) was faultless. Other diners’ meals also looked and smelled fantastic.

I choose a semi-sweet Georgian red wine that was delicious. I have drunk several Georgian wines over the years and have found them to be excellent.

There was an interesting mix of diners, some obviously Eastern block but also Americans alongside us Brits. A table of Georgians? explained that the name translated to Eagle. Hence, the stuffed bird of prey in one corner of the restaurant.
Comment on this reader review

Steve Jones
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 9 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 8
Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Delicious food. We enjoyed trying various things from the menu and weren't disappointed. Nice well-lit, warm atmosphere inside. Recommended.
Comment on this reader review

Melissa - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, May 15, 2007

Good food, an ok atmosphere but not very Georgian, could do better with the service. Cannot complain about waiting times as all food came pretty quick and at the same time, however the Georgian- looking waitress couldnt speak Russian didnt even try to speak Georgian and only spoke in English, which was a bit surprising, she didn't know anything about the restaurant's dishes or wines so couldn't recommend anything, all she wanted to know was the number that went with the dish on the menu. Even when asked for some water she asked if we knew the number she seemed very nerveous and kept running off! We've been to Armenian restaurant Erebuni and enjoyed attention from the owner and numerous friendly wairesses at Mimino the owner ignored us completely and nobody else spoke to us or asked if everything was ok. Prices were reasonable for the area, for the two of us having a three course meal and a bottle of wine the bill was 80 pounds. I don't think we'll be back as there are other Armenian, Georgian and Russian restaurants we are keen on trying out!
Comment on this reader review

Anush
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 6
Sunday, April 08, 2007