Great expectations

Coogee Pavilion’s much-anticipated Mimi’s ups the ante – and the prices, writes KARLIE VERKERK.

- KARLIE VERKERK

Until recent times Coogee has lay dormant; sandwiched between Bondi’s buzz and grungy Maroubra, unable to create an identity of its own. All but a couple of fetid hostels and a handful of dodgy takeaway shops existed in the beachside suburb. That’s until Merivale kingpin Justin Hemmes snapped up the iconic Coogee Pavilion in 2014.

A casual eatery went in on the ground floor, followed by a rooftop bar, and glimmers of life were seen in the area for the first time in, well, ever. But the middle level remained untouched for six years.

After meticulous planning and a complete redesign, it’s now home to Mimi’s: Hemmes’s most ambitious and perhaps most anticipated project yet. I guess it’s only natural to expect great things from a restaurant that took six long years to come to fruition.

No expense has been spared on the fit-out, which is as aesthetically pleasing as the Eastern Suburbs flock that fills it. Think French farmhouse meets Mediterranean retreat, complete with art deco details and 50 shades of linen. It’s all ’grammable; even the bathroom.

The open kitchen, led by executive chef Jordan Toft, hums along efficiently. Four long marble benches are flanked by custom Josper grills and ovens at one end, with a service counter at the other. Seasonal produce sits on display, Chez Panisse-style.