Have you ever had a meal so good you start plotting your return visit before the plates are cleared? If not, mon ami, you owe yourself a night at Le Petit Chez Mimi in Santa Monica. Step inside the French country–château on Colorado Boulevard and voilà — you’re no longer in traffic-clogged LA, you’re in Paris, where butter is an art form and soups deserve standing ovations.

Owner Micheline “Mimi” Herbert is basically French dining royalty. She opened her first restaurant, Chez Hélène, back in 1976 on what later became Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice — serving celebrities and locals long before kombucha cafés invaded. After a glamorous detour in Beverly Hills, Mimi brought her magic to Santa Monica, where she still presides over her dining room like a chic godmother of gastronomy. Most nights you’ll find her at the first table, greeting guests with the kind of warmth you wish your in-laws had.

Now, let’s talk food — because Mimi’s menu is a love letter to France. Many of her original classics remain: Truite aux Amandes, Tomato Bisque, and the legendary dessert, Chômeur.

• Appetizers & Soups:
  The Onion Tart is essentially quiche’s sexier cousin: buttery crust, delicate custard, and onions so sweet they deserve their own fan club. The Tomato Bisque arrives piping hot and rich with flavor, while the French Onion Soup — oozing with cheese — has earned the title of my husband’s all-time favorite (and trust me, Mr. Picky does not bestow such honors lightly). Even the humble Carrot Soup, made without butter or cream, somehow manages to taste like a hug in a bowl.
• Salads:
  The Caesar is crisp, classic, and anything but ordinary. Think “salad with a French accent.”
• Mains:
  Don’t miss the Poulet du Jour — roasted chicken kissed with rosemary, cozied up to corn soufflé and green beans. The New York Steak with cognac sauce and mashed potatoes is enough to make carnivores weep with joy (and yes, order the mashed potatoes, they’re mandatory). Fish lovers? The Grilled Salmon with mustard Pernod dill sauce is perfection, and the Sand Dabs Meunière sautéed with lemon and parsley could make a grown man cry. Still hungry? Go back to the beginning with the house classic Truite au Amandes — rainbow trout with sautéed almonds, mashed potatoes, and carrots that taste like they were picked by angels.
• Desserts:
  The holy trinity: Caramel Chômeur (sweet, gooey nostalgia from Mimi’s original menu), Crème Brûlée (because torching sugar is a French sport), and Tarte Tatin (upside-down apple magic).

Le Petit Chez Mimi isn’t just a restaurant — it’s a culinary time machine with butter as its fuel and Mimi as its captain. Come hungry, leave happy, and try not to book your next reservation before dessert hits the table.