Mimi's Cafe - Grilled Cheese

Marc Summer's show on FoodTV had a spot on this 30 year old chain.  Featured one of their signature items..Grilled cheese of all things.  Anyone see it?
 
They took sour dough bread, spread one side of each piece of bread with a butter and herb mixture, cut off the crust and then dipped it into grated paramasan cheese.  Face down on the griddle with that surface treatment and then they placed an assortment of cheeses on top of the two slices of bread.  They pointed out that they never flip the face down sides over....
 
What I didn't catch was how the cheese was going to melt?  Maybe someone else saw this spot?  Was the griddle hot enough to melt the cheese sitting on top of the bread without buring it first?  Or, did they place a cover on top of the two slices with that cheese on it.  Either I missed it or they didn't show it.  The finished sandwich looked great,  Crispy and stringy..Nice! 
 
Normally, I'd put this on the Recipe Forum, but I'd like to give them kudos for getting on Unwrapped and taking a basically mundane sandwich and tweaking it up a notch.  That's what I love about creative chains..There is someone or several creative people behind the scenes coming up with some great ideas to separate themselves from the rest of the competition.  Some of the most creative people can be found behind these successful chains.
 
Mimi's website actually tells you about the newest young man behind some of their interesting menu ideas.  A CIA graduate, the guy has brought some rather interesting ideas.  Check out the menu!  I ate at Mimi's in Greenville, SC.  Had breakfest..Nothing special.  But, in looking over the lunch menu, I'd go back and try something else.  Their location map shows they are representated in nearly half of our states!  Never heard of them until last year when I just happen to stop for breakfast.
 
Anybody been to Mimi's? What do you  think?

Funny you should mention Mimi's - I ate there this past week in Kansas City for the first time.  A group of us after a grueling 15 hour day of implementation support headed there for a quick bite before passing out in the hotel.  Overall I thought it slightly above average for a chain restaurant; had the flat iron steak, cooked perfectly, and we had excellent service. Overall I think everyone was pleased with their meals. I'd go there again based on my first positive experience.

Mimi's is a Southern California chain.  They have been in business there for as long as I lived there, over 20 years.  For a "upscale popular priced" chain they have very good food with many dishes that you don't normally find in a chain; I once had braised lamb shanks for lunch.  Several years ago the chain was purchased by of all companies Bob Evan's. Upon the purchase our local paper The Orange County Register commented on the mismatch; the food; the prices; and most of all the customer demographic.  Bob Evans has expanded Mimi's outside of it's home base and appeared not to have messed with success.  I went in the Ft Myers location several weeks ago and it was just a s good as when it was just in So Cal.  Great Muffins served with lunch and dinner

I forgot about the bread basket - it came with some amazing bread that tasted like carrot cake....went for a half slice but had to go back and get the rest, it was like eating dessert as an appetizer.

i saw that episode of "unwrapped", and the sandwich did indeed look tasty. i just recently ate at First Watch, which i believe is also a California chain, and they had a sandwich (not grilled cheese, but roast beef) that was on the toasty parmesan bread , looked just like what i saw on the tv show. i imagine it's just from a nice hot griddle, but i plan on experiminting at home and seeing if i can recreate it.

 i don't know if there is a mimi's by you, but there is one in jacksonville at the st. john's town centre.

if your going to have a grilled cheese, you can't lose if you put in BACON

Mimi's makes the best pot-roast I ever had (sans gravy).

I'm going to Palm Desert on 8/3 for 10 days, I Googled Mimi's, theres one only a few miles from THe Marriot Palm Desert Resort, where we always stay, this must be the first year for Mimi's there, great to know there's a good breakfast place nearby. Going to have to try dinner 1 night, great comfort food menu.

This sounded so good I went there for lunch today.  I could not find it on their menu, but was able to order it anyway.  It was very good. 

Not to get offtrack, but Chewingthefat... you're going to Palm Desert in the Summer?  Brave man!

If you like Deli food try Sherman's.

Their matzoh ball soup almost tastes like home made.

It's on Country Club near Monterey.

73-161 Country Club Drive
(760) 568-1350

Back to topic:

The Simm's family are very nice people.  

mar52


Not to get offtrack, but Chewingthefat... you're going to Palm Desert in the Summer?  Brave man!

If you like Deli food try Sherman's.

Their matzoh ball soup almost tastes like home made.

It's on Country Club near Monterey.

73-161 Country Club Drive
(760) 568-1350

Back to topic:

The Simm's family are very nice people.

I love really hot dry heat, assuming there is a pool right next to me.
Been to Sherman's many times, great place. Going to finish the trip with 4 days at the Beverly Wilshire, a short walk to Nate'N Al's, I can taste the Hash Browns and Corned Beef Hash and 3 eggs over med with toasted Sourdough, can't wait. Jackie Cooper has been eating there every day for over 50 years, very nice man, he looks about 70, gotta pushing 95, Larry King is always there to, I always say Hi Larry, good to see you again, and he pretends he remembers me, my wife and daughter get a kick out of it!

I've only been to Nate 'N Al's once.  Went with a friend who said she'd pay.  Good thing because I had no money.

I had the oh my God good potato latkes.

When the bill came my friend put her VISA card in the folder thing.

The waiter came back and said..."We don't accept VISA, only American Express."

Neither one of us had AE.  We looked at each other knowing neither of us had any money.

We cleaned our wallets, bottom of our purses and one of us went out to the car to check every nook and cranny for change.

It took awhile, but w came up with enough for the bill and a small tip.

I can never go back!

Back on topic:

The Simm's live near here but I don't think there are any Mimi's nearby.  I know want a grilled cheese sandwich.

Palm Desert in August?  It's great!  You should stop in at Shield's Date Garden. They're famous for their date shakes, but the thing to zero in on is the fresh squeezed ice-cold grapefruit juice. There's nothing better on a hot afternoon.