This is me and my family's favorite place to eat, the food is well cooked and had lots of flavor and it took a reasonable time for the food to come out. After going there for generations we have built up a great relationship with the owners of the store and the family. Very sad to hear it closed this year due to the covid-19 pandemic, it will be a deadly missed place, I will always have a spot for mimos in my heart.
One of the best meals I have had in along time. My coworker called ahead for the paella and it was delicious with tons of seafood and the rice was perfectly cooked. The smoked sausage and grilled squid was excellent and totally recommend also. Very friendly service and family run restaurant. Would come back again :)
We came in on a very busy Saturday night. We were the only table of 4 in the entire restaurant which was booked by 3 separate huge parties. Despite that we still received very attentive service and had delicious food! I would highly recommend the garlic clams, beef madeira and grilled squid. No pretensions with presentation bursting with flavour and everything was served family style.
We had our eye on the Discover Portugal platter but our waitress was honest and told us given the overwhelmingly demand from the 3 groups that they were sold out. I guess that gives us a great excuse to come back!
Love this place!!!!! Went for 1st time last night with a larger group, had heard about it before but never had a chance to go til yesterday! Don't let looks fool you, facade is very basic but food is beyond great, I had the sole dish with Portuguese fries and salad, excellent!!!! Everyone at the table loved their food. Service was friendly. Didn't mind the longer wait for food as it is all fresh cooked, it is well worth the wait! Will be back for sure!!
I was excited to attend another Vine and Dine event in Calgary, this time at Mimo, a Portuguese restaurant in the SE. For $69.50 plus taxes and gratuities (for a total of $86), we were treated to 6 courses, each with a 2 oz. pour of wine. Mimo is in SE Calgary, just off 17 Avenue at 49 Street. It’s a very multi-cultural neighbourhood, in a strip mall now called Little Saigon, which used to be filled with Portuguese businesses. Mimo recently renovated their restaurant – having been there for over 31 years I guess it needed a facelift. This was my first time at Mimo, and my first impression of this family-owned business was pleasant. The restaurant is large, clean and modern. The washrooms were even updated! The restaurant also has a little market that sells frozen meat (sausage) and seafood, canned peppers, pickles and sauces, canned fish, and a variety of spices. It was neat to be able to buy some of the ingredients used in the meal.
I took my mom here for her birthday and had an amazing experience. Our server, who is the daughter of the owners, was extremely knowledgable about the menu. I really appreciated that she warned us that the food takes some time to come out because everything is made to order. She made us feel very comfortable and answered all of our questions. The quail and fish were amazing. Because it was my moms birthday they gave her complimentary rice pudding and even lit a birthday candle for her. Very impressed
Sarah Rattigan Kromm
+4.5
Went to MIMO for my bday dinner last night, because of the high user ratings, and we weren't disappointed! The service was awesome, and the food was delicious! Clean and modern restrooms. They even brought me a piece of cake with some ice cream and sang to me in Portuguese. A wonderful experience. I would definitely go back.
A returning customer. Our family has been there several times. Each experience as wonderful as the first. The food if fresh, the flavour is wonderful. We haven't tried everything on the menu as if yet, but we are working on it. (Those of us that aren't in the mood for delicious Paella). A fantastic place to relax and enjoy your meal while socializing with family and friends. Not being rushed out the door by the staff as some restaurants have a tendency of doing!
I noticed some people complaining about the service. Depending on the server, it can be a hit and miss experience. Though the server is not the reason we keep going back. I highly recommend this place. Bon appetit!
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One of the better dining experiences in Calgary.. This place was amazing. First off, the drink selection was huge. And they are NOT stingy on the booze.
The food... oh the food. We had the flaming chorizo, not only was it an entertaining dish, it was delicious. Crispy on the outside, perfectly cooked inside. We then had the paella for two. I had never had Portuguese food before, and if it is all as good as this place, it may be one of my new favorites. Its hard to cook seafood perfectly, especially when you are cooking a bunch of different kinds at the same time. They nailed it. They cook everything fresh to order, which is hard to find these days. And boy, does it make a difference. The rice was perfectly cooked, and had a great seafood flavor and spice level.
I have read a few reviews about the staff not being great. I can say that the staff here were amazing. We had pretty much the entire staff stop by our table multiple times to make sure we had all we needed. We never felt unnoticed. They were incredibly friendly, each taking the time to stop and talk to us. The owner even came out of the kitchen to thank us for coming and made sure we enjoyed everything. They even finished our night off with a complimentary port, since there was a birthday party being held there.
Calgary needs more success stories like this place. It is family run, and has been around for about 30 years. The family that owns it is the kind of people you wish success for, salt of the earth types. The daughter even drives up to Edmonton for one of their desserts, as that is the closest Portuguese bakery. Talk about dedication.
Give this place a shot. You will not be let down.
What a fabulous surprise. My husband took me here on the recommendation from his friend, as neither of us have tried much Portuguese food. Needless to say I was very excited! The waitress was absolutely fantastic....friendly, knowledgeable, and very efficient in her service. (letting us know that the food takes time as it is cooked fresh)...we had no problem with that, as we appreciate food made with care. on that note, the food was delicious!! We look forward to many more meals here.
Great seafood. I hadn't really had much experience with seafood a few years ago. It was after meeting a close friend I had started to try more seafood. It was this that kind of spurred me to try this restaurant and the Paella. The waitress was very nice and treated my table well. After recieving the Paella it did have a bit of kick of spice but was very good and everything seemed cooked to my liking. There was so much variety and different seafoods to enjoy. The only downside of the restaurant may be the wait time. But if you go with someone you like talking to in a nice environment that's not much of an issue. I really enjoyed this restaurant and would be back.
You can't go wrong with the kale and sausage soup and the paella: spicy saffron rice with crab lobster tail prawns clams mussels chicken and beef. One of my favourite dishes in Calgary. This us a family place small and simple but authentic.
Great Place. Very out of the way but that's part of the charm. The pork and clams is one of the best things I've had in a long time. The food doesn't come quick but that gives you more time to drink.
Really authentic Portuguese food made family style. Great advice from the wait staff on what to try and the chef came out to check how we were enjoying our food. Must try the grilled squid, very flavourful with just the right amount of citrus!
Slow but tasty. The service was friendly but slow. Also, the bread was cold. I ordered the 1/2 chicken and it was delicious. Perfect skin, great flavour!
Awesome. When ordering, remember to ask what seafood is in season. I learned from the owner's daughter that mussels are in season until January. Seriously, these were the BEST mussels I've ever eaten. Massive, plump fresh morsels. The pork and mussel casserole was heavenly - the spices and flavour really popped - the pork was tender and the potatoes were full of fried goodness.
Great!!!. Food was absolutely fantastic!!!
Spectaular Seafood Platter. The Discover Portugal is outstanding. All the seafood on the platter was cooked to perfection...especially the squid. Two of us shared the platter and we couldn't finish. It is by far one of the best places in Calgary to eat!!
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Excelente!. Why was I not informed about Mimo? 30 years and I just find out about it now? The good thing is, now that I know it's there, I can tell everyone about it.
Mimo's space is a little odd but if it ain't broke you don't need to fix it. Dated but it works wells enough.
Service was friendly and helpful. We actually had a good time chatting with the waitresses. That's pretty rare in Calgary.
The food was best in class for Portugese this side of the Atlantic. The sausage appy is a must. A unique presentation (not something I expect at a place like Mimo) gives you a made in house sausage that you'll want to buy more of and take home. The paella featured a wonderfully tasty lobster tail, perfectly cooked squid (that's hard in a paella), along with a melange of seafood, chicken and pork. The pork and clams "casserole" was the highlight of the meal. I don't know what they did with those clams but they are some of the best I have ever had. The food was cooked fresh to order, which we appreciate. No 12-hour old crap reheated. The seafood was also fresh and didn't taste as though it had been frozen at all. My only complaint (and it's a first timer issue) was the "heat" option. We played it safe and went medium but with a little more direction the "hot" option would have been preferrable, particurlarly for the paella.
Lots of value for money here, too. Big dishes for fair prices. Some of the best seafood in town. Will definitely be back sooner rather than later. A little more attention to detail and some too slow and too-casual service are the only issues I noted. A terrific experience. 4/5.
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When in Southern Alberta.... Then this is the place to go for Portuguese food!
Although true authentic Portuguese food is a rarity in this part of the world, they not only do it right, but fantastically well. My family and I have been coming to this restaurant for the last 30 years whenever we are in the Calgary area and they have yet to disappoint. Of course their infamous Pork and Clams is a must have, but I would suggest to try something different each time you go. There will not be any disappointment. Everything is made fresh. Everything. So if you don't have a lot of time, then I'd suggest to call ahead. Isabel and her family will treat you like one of their own with genuine Portuguese hospitality and GREAT food. They make sure to let you know that your business is always appreciated without being 'over the top' about it.
Basically, if you're tired of all the phony, assembly-line pre-made food that other so-called Mediterranean restaurants pump out with their overly flirtatious waitresses (until they get the bill of course), then this is the place to come!
P.S.
In case you were wondering, no. I do not work for these folks, but they do deserve a glowing review.
Excellent. We were first timers in a packed house. As it was we tried some dishes that were recommended on this site and those of a friend who was at the resturant. Started with the homemade flamed sausage, and for mains we had lobster and then a dish of pork and clams. All were excellent. The bread was very fresh, the passion friut pudding was great and the green wine a nice light beverage. We will go again....
It was a bit of a wait but the freshness of the seafood and the friendly staff makes it all worth the wait. I'm already trying to plan the next visit.
Awesome experience. We came here after a long day of work and this place did not disappoint. Isabel and her daughter Carla, took great care of us with exceptional service and authentic Portuguese cuisine. Tasty chorizo sausage, a huge, and I mean huge, sea food platter with the works ( lobster, crabs, shrimps, clams, mussels and squid) along with great dessert, and after dinner drinks. The Portuguese wine was paired nicely by Carla. To top it off Isabel gave us some homemade Easter bread. Authentic, and great service and ambiance. Nothing beats a well run family owned restaurant.
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While visiting Calgary it wad decided that we would gather with local friends at Mimo's. Overall the six of us had a good dinning experience. Food was excellent. My friend ordered the Spanish clams, and I had a taste. They were saucy and delicious. For entrees one of my friends ordered the salt cod and found it too salty. No kidding right...but my experience with salt cod is that the salt crust should be washed and cleaned off, so it doesn't over power the dish. Another person ordered sardines and loved them. I ate the crab legs, and all I can say is wow. The portion matched the price. For $36 I had a generous portion of crab legs. The wine selection is from portugal, and our server Carla was very knowledgeable and helped us make a nice selection. Ambiance of the restaurant was tastefully put together, and done with love by the family. We were the only people in the restaurant for our 7:30 reservation, so I felt a little nervous. I was assured that Saturday night was thier busier night. I enjoy the laughter, chatter, and sounds of a restaurant, so it was left to us to create that. In the end it was a good dinning experience.
Guess where i'm eating right now? yes at mimo. cant get enough of the flaming chorizo and paella here. Isabel is a marvelous host, friedly and makes great food
Authentic Portuguese!. I have been coming here for years! The food is amazing!! My absolute favourite dishes are the grilled squid (medium spicy) with the fried potatoes AMAZING! As well as the chorizo which is flame broiled and is the best chorizo I or YOU will ever have! It is such a quaint and romantic setting I love it! Even if it may take some time for them to prepare the food it is all well worth the wait.
Went here for my birthday and we ordered about 6 dishes. Simply put the food is amazing. Just wish it was closer to my house. The paella is a must order
Great food takes time to make. Love this place. Food and the people are Great!! Try the Pork and Clams to die for!!! Remember... Good food takes time to make! Family setting. Enjoy the wine and the Seafood food. I agree with all the positive reviews.
Review 2011. They have a great new years eve party they serve seafood soup and chicken soup and then fish,roast beef,midnight buffet at 12:00 am.
they have great food.
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Very good value for food. Went for dinner last night (Tuesday) with my husband. While the décor may not be noteworthy (hard chairs, budget carpet, overly low lighting), the food was very good value, and the service was friendly (if a bit spotty).
I only mention spotty service, while being cognizant that a Tuesday night isn't normally a busy night, because we came in, the place was empty, and it took a few more moments than usual to be greeted and sat down. Then there were issues around locked bathroom doors (this restaurant shares the 'facilities' with the billard hall next door/behind).
As for food - we had a nice, and very different homemade sausage for appetizer: lit on fire for our palate's and eyes' enjoyment. We then shared the pork & clams casserole and the grilled squid (both done 'medium' for heat). We enjoyed both, but I think there was a preference for the casserole. It's not that we didn't like the squid - it was quite nice - but the sauce in the casserole was more reminiscent of a pepper paste-based sauce, while the squid one was a bit more vinegary (I tend to shy away from vinegary hot sauces & bbq sauces, so it's a natural leaning). The pork was tender, though a few bits were fattier than my husband liked (I figure it's good for flavour & texture, so I don't mind "picking out" the fattier stuff), and the potatoes (?) in it were awesome (pre-roasted?) as were the clams. I was sopping up sauce with the rest of my bread and the boiled potatoes from my squid dish. Leftover casserole heated up beautifully for lunch today too.
Desserts: crème caramel flan and portuguese custard tart. Both quite nice, though the texture of the flan reminded me a of a 'custard-style' rice pudding (i.e. slightly clumpy), while the custard tart could've gone down in one very large bite (I held back... it was my husband's order :). He also enjoyed the portuguese coffee - five liqueurs, coffee, milk (or cream). I normally find I can't take much "boozy" flavour w/o grimacing, but this was awesome. Had I not eaten so much, I could've enjoyed one myself (I had mint tea instead). I mean, fine, it's $7, but it's very large and very tasty.
All in all, with some glasses of house wine (I know...), it came to 80-some-odd dollars (plus tip). Quantities were plentiful, and the flavours were awesome. I have to go back sometime and have the paella.
One note: imported beers didn't seem to include anything portuguese (not their thing?), but I saw port on the drink menu. Not being a fan, I can't comment.
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Good Portugese. I ate here last night. Having never had Portugese food before, I wasn't sure what to expect. Well, it was absolutely delicious!
To start, we had the chorizo sausage. It was very good, with the right amount of heat and spice. Our server lit it on fire which I thought was cool, but we let the fire burn for too long so the sausage was a little dry. Still very tasty though. We also had the mussels, which were pretty good. The spicy broth was the best part.
As our main meal, we shared the paella and the pork and clams. The paella had wonderful flavor and spice, and the rice was cooked perfectly. The seafood was not very fresh, but I've learned to accept this fact, living in Calgary and all.
Now, the pork and clams. They were absolutely to die for. This dish was perfect. The pork was tender and not dry at all, the clams were delicious (our server said they are brought in daily) and the potatoes underneath it all were mouth watering good.
All in all, everything at Mimo's was very good, with the pork and clam dish being exceptional.
Excellent. I love Mimo's I always get great service and the food is to die for. It really is a hidden gem. It is a definite must try. I recommend the clams and paella.
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Abundance of Great Seafood - Portugese WAY !!. I ventured into this restaurant a few weeks ago as part of a monthly restaurant run with fellow Calgary foodies, and it sure filled my cravings for seafood.
With an attractive menu, our group had to examine carefully and choose the right amount. We finalized with 3 appetizers and 3 mains, along with desserts.
For appetizers we shared servings of Grilled Squid, Snails, and Flamed Sausage. All three proved to be great choices, we liked flaming action of the sausage, as the flames continued to move back and forth in the serving dish for a while. Always great when there's visible action to your food. The grilled squid had an amazing touch with tender squid in an immaculate sauce that left us wanting more. The snails were also in a rich wine sauce that added plenty flavors to the dish.
Moving on the the mains, we ordered the massive Discover Portugal, serving for one paella, and Bacalhau Cod in Oil and Vinegar dressing. Out of the three, I really liked the Discover Portugal, as I have never seen a seafood platter served that generously. It had a varied mix of lobster tails, crab legs, tiger shrimp, clams, mussels, squid, and lots of veggies to accompany the dish. Just magnificent ! I found the texture and flavors of all the seafood were just right for me. The paella had very similar seafood as the Discover Portugal, so it just added to our extravaganza. The rice of the paella was quite flavorful and texture was not too hard, it fit well the seafood.
After all this, somehow I had to find room for dessert. I had several choices and decided upon a nice custard tart along with one of the port wines (type of wine evades my memory now). It really finished off the dining experience quite well.
I give full credit to the wait staff and chef for making such a memorable night for me. Awesome Job ! Most definitely be back.
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An excellent seafood feast. We seem to be quite lucky in our selections for the monthly Foodie runs. Thus far we've not had a bad experience and Mimo was certainly not one either.
The space was nicely lit with the dining room right at the front. Although not large it wasn't cramped. I will however give less than high marks for the chairs, but I'm getting old and we were there for hours.
Going as a group and this being a Portuguese restaurant we chose to select large share plates of food for our main and started with a number of appetizers.
The front of house staff were friendly and informative and as with many family run stores they were very comfortable with customers, sharing stories and adding humour. There were no real issues with the service and they did well given there were 3 other larger groups in the dining room(one of 17+ with kids).
The apps consisted of the snails in wine sauce, the flaming home-made sausage and grilled squid. All were good, the way the sausage was served was terrific and the squid was tender. The real star were the sauces and all of us enjoyed using the bread to soak them up.
We ordered three mains. The huge Discover Portugal, a single serving of Paella and bacalhau (poached salted cod). We had discussed a larger paella and another main but decided that caution would be the best avenue until we knew how much food would come. This proved a very good decision as the amount of seafood in the Discover Portugal was amazing and more would have caused distress to our already overloaded stomachs.
On the whole I was quite pleased with the offerings and the sauces are wonderful, my only slight issue is that while good the seafood was a little over-cooked in my view. This aside I was happy to devour my share of the ample pile of lobster, clams, mussels, shrimp, squid, crab, rice and veggies.
The Bacalhau was quite interesting and the oil and vinegar used to season it added a unique contrast to the fish. I'm told the cod is dried and then rehydrated. I'd never had anything quite like it and really enjoyed this dish.
For dessert I opted for the rice pudding(a weakness of mine) which was full of flavour. I would say however that the rice need have been cooked a little longer so as to be less chewy.
I would very much recommend visiting Mimo to anyone who loves seafood and will be sure to go again.
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The Fooderados Special - Mimo. Having missed last month's Calgary Urbanspoon Night Out, I wasn't going to miss this month, and this time it was Mimo's turn to go under the microscope, and I'm happy to say it has come out very well.
To start, we split three appetizers: grilled squid (with a lightly spiced sauced), snails, and the flaming chorizo sausage. The squid was tender, and the snails were not bad. But the star of the show were the sauces, which were tasty and especially dippable with the bread provided.
Since we were all in the mood for seafood, we chose the "Discover Portugal", accompanied by a paella for one, with a side of poached bacalhau (salted cod) with potatoes -- the entire meal was filling, the seafood was fresh and piled high on both the Discover and the Paella plates. Thoroughly filling with a tasty spice sauce on the Discover platter, with a savoury rice going with the toppings on the paella. The bacalhau was definitely a different way to serve salted fish, and was delicious all on its own with a slice of the potatoes.
The dishes didn't fill us to the point where we couldn't fit dessert in, and for myself I chose a pastel de nata with a Portuguese coffee (a blend of coffees paired with a blend of 5 liqueurs) -- it was a lovely way to end a delightful Portuguese meal; the tarts are smaller than the Macanese-inspired ones from most Chinese bakeries, with a dusting of cinnamon.
For six hungry 'Spooners the meal came to $282.00 before tip -- it may be far off the beaten track, but definitely worth a trip. One note of concern though, is one of the waitresses that stumbled on information about certain menu items: taking the time to get her up to speed, would be beneficial.
Discover Portugal. We got a recommendation for this restaurant from a Portugese friend of ours, and went as a big group for my mom's birthday. This is a restaurant so unassuming we kept missing it as we drove by!
The day before we pre-ordered the "Descubra Portugal" dish, and we were not disappointed. It was a huge plate of every sea animal in Portugal! Clams, Mussels, Crab, Lobster, Shrimp, Veggies, with a delicious spicy broth. We also had the paella which was filled with seafood, chicken wings and more goodies.
Out group just dug in with our hands and were elbow deep in delicous seafood, and by the end of the meal, our table was a mess, but according to the staff (who by the way were extremely friendly and accomodating) that was a good sign.
Also recommended are the grilled squid and homemade chorizo sausage (set on fire!) for appetizers, and the Bife à Madeira (Beef Madallions in Madeira Wine).
Finance manager. The food is to die for always cooked to order, the owners go the extra mile to asure all the customer have a enjoyable time.
We stopped by MIMO Restaurant recently for a hearty lunch. The family restaurant was short-staffed during our visit, but with friendly owners (lovely Isabela was our server) and generous portions, MIMO’s is worth a visit. Speaking of which, after sharing the massive seafood paella and indulging in clams, mussels, squid, crab legs, lobster tails and shrimp, we each had a bit of a seafood coma.
Portuguese flaming sausage. How can you not love the dramatic appearance?
One area of town that I should explore more is International Avenue. There is a diverse range of food culture represented there, one of which is Portuguese. I’ve had Portuguese food once before; when I had a salt cod casserole. It was delicious. Mimo is a family run place, for over 29 years. Mom is the chef and the daughters are servers and hostesses. We had a large party so we got to sample a few dishes. I found the flaming sausage quite entertaining. It was homemade; tasted smoky and spicy at the same time. I also had a nibble of the grilled squid which was tasty. My main dish was the paella and what a paella it was. Lobster, crab, shrimp, mussel and clam served in the shell. Also a braised chicken leg, squid and pieces of beef served on top of flavorful, buttery rice. I had enough to take home. Our server was one of the daughters and she gave us a history of how the restaurant came to be along with memories of a thriving Portuguese community in what is now Little Saigon Mall. She wa
The rice was fantastic. Each grain was firm yet took on all the flavours of the seafood.
In the case of the pork and mussel casserole, the pork was cooked separately from the mussels. The potatoes were fried and then topped with the pork and mussels, and baked so the potatoes soak up the sauce. The mussels were the biggest I’ve ever seen - and so fresh and juicy. The sauce was spicy with a heat that tingles on your tongue. The food was so good, we couldn’t stop eating despite the fact we were already stuffed.
Are You Gonna Eat That
+4.5
Mimo is a tried-and-true neighbourhood gem with affordable prices and food cooked with heart.
Being a seafood lover I'm always happy to locate a restaurant that serves more than the basic North American versions. I'd never had Portuguese food and while the seafood in Macau that we've eaten may be influenced by it I wanted to try the real thing.
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