THERE’S something about the atmosphere at Mimosa that makes every visit feel like a bit of a treat.

I’ve had many a memorable lunch sat in their plush chairs, nibbling on tapas or enjoying a bread board while appreciating the excellent bookcase-print wallpaper (ideas where I can purchase a roll for my dream study would be gratefully received.)

I’ve devoured sticky ribs, seafood, pasta and burgers - in separate sittings, I promise - and can’t wait for summer so I can set up a semi-permanent camp in the garden area.

A visit felt long overdue then when I turned up on a chilly Monday with colleague Vicky in tow.

A few tables were occupied and the scene was set – there’s nothing I dislike more than bright lights at a restaurant but Mimosa is always pleasingly dim and mysterious.  Fresh seafood is normally set out on a counter by the bar, which I assume was the reason for a slightly odd smell when we first walked in.

We treated ourselves to a cocktail, because it was Monday, and my Kir Royale was just the tonic - very fruity and a bit too easy to drink. Vicky went for a Mimosa, a mix of champagne and passionfruit, which reportedly could have been sweeter.

We skipped the starters and went straight in for the main event – both female members of staff that served us were incredibly warm and polite, and didn’t hover.

Food envy is a bit of a problem for me, and I have to say Vicky’s posh fish and chips almost made me want to reconsider my wild mushroom and courgette tagliatelle – until I dug in.

I’m a big pasta fan and for a vegetarian dish costing £13.95, I was expecting something special. It’s not what I would normally order at Mimosa but I went for it in the name of experimentation. What I got was wide ribbons of fresh pasta, cooked to an absolute tee, coated in basil oil with strips of courgette, meaty mushrooms, sweet tomato and pine nuts – my all-time favourite. It didn’t want for anything. The mushrooms and pasta brought some seriously satisfying texture and the whole dish was packed with flavour.

Vicky made light work of her two pieces of monkfish with curried batter and chunky chips, which were served with little pots of tartare sauce and mushy peas. The fish was firm and flaky but the curry flavour didn’t quite make itself known. The chips were spot-on for seasoning and Vicky took to halving them to maximise the amount of peas and tartare sauce she could get through. In her words, it was ‘winning’.

Obviously I had to have a dessert (Vicky was too full to carry on.) Without hesitation, I went for the baked blueberry cheesecake and didn’t regret it. The cheese topping was thick and creamy, and a ‘watermelon granite’ – read crushed, frozen watermelon – added the perfect amount of bite. The subtle flavour went perfectly with blueberry compote, and cute, tiny dots of meringue appealed to my inner miniaturist. It was a perfectly presented and incredibly naughty treat that rounded off the night.

If you’ve not been for a while, or if you only ever dash in for lunch or coffee, I urge you to re-visit Mimosa.

  • If you’re planning on a Valentine’s treat, I’d say it’s a winner – but there is a set menu for £49.95 a head with a £20 deposit per person.

Mimosa Restaurant + Deli
The Crescent, 
Colchester Business Park, 
CO4 9YQ

01206 751555 

MENU

Wild mushrooms and courgette tagliatelle 13.95

Posh fish and chips £17.95

Baked blueberry cheesecake £6.45

Kir Royale £9.95

Mimosa £8.95

VERDICT

Food 4/5

Atmosphere 5/5

Décor 5/5

Service 4/5

Value 4/5

Disabled access? Yes