I’ve been eying up Cafe Mei Mei since they started putting it up–I love a new restaurant–but last night was the first time I’ve gotten in for a meal. After leaving Prime Meats because of a 45 minute wait, and being told Buttermilk Channel was an hour and a half, we decided to walk back to our hood and try this yellow-tinged storefront. So here’s my thoughts: suprisingly good food, but the atmosphere needs a make-over.
Like the upper east side restaurant Park Avenue that switches names to reflect the weather, Cafe Mei Mei also focuses on seasonal fare and will change its menu four times a year. And like many trendy Brooklyn eateries, it also looks to regional fare to make up its daily specials.
I can’t speak to the whole menu, but we did fish, meat and veggie dishes and were pleased with them all. The mushroom ravioli was a starter and was filled with earthy mushrooms, finished in a creamy sauce. The other appetizer at our table was a grilled lobster satay over super crispy polenta with a sort of lobster salad on the side mixed with an herb dressing. The meat was nicely done and well-seasoned and I loved the lobster two-ways.
Our entrees were a tender cod, with mushrooms and spinach, finished in a vanilla buerre blanc and a New York strip steak with arugula-potato mash and asparagus. My husband found the portions a little small for the fish–but he’s a 6’5″ guy and probably eats more than your average diner. The steak was well-cooked for medium, not too red in the middle, and the mash was especially flavorful. Asparagus isn’t exactly in season and I could have done without these limp veggies on the side, but it was a nice, solid plate of food and quite a large portion for me. As far as booze, Cafe Mei Mei has its liquor license in hand but hasn’t set up the bar yet, so for now you’ll have to run to the dodgy wine store next door and ask the proprietor through the nasty, scratched glass for some wine for your meal. When I asked our server about the upcoming wine list, she mentioned that it would be an interesting mix of wines from smaller vineyards, hand-picked by a sommelier. She wasn’t sure if cocktails will be offered.
Finally, I come to the only part of the meal I wasn’t impressed by–the atmosphere. The space is nice but it’s really white in there, with large orchids and holiday poinsettias adding dots of color up front. Spotlights are too bright for dinner and the yellow glow from the bar area doesn’t help. I get the whole sparse thing (and I’m certainly not an interior designer) but it just wasn’t relaxing. The music was a string sonata of some sort and fairly loud for a small restaurant. Maybe something a little more contemporary and played at a lower volume might help.
All in all, we enjoyed the food immensely, the staff was attentive and friendly and we didn’t have to wait! So please, go in, try it out and let us know your thoughts!