the peony
Kurobuta Pork Soup Xiao Long Bao
Eight soup dumplings, kurobuta pork.
A family-run garden cafe
·
Modern Chinese, by hand
·
Rancho Santa Margarita
The garden, in season
mimi
Garden
A family-run garden of modern Chinese cooking. Kurobuta pork xiao long bao, pan-fried bao, wok-tossed noodles, sautéed greens. Three rooms across South OC.
★ 4.5 · 312 Google reviews
kurobuta xiao long bao · sheng jian bao · sichuan wontons
the family table
The Story
A garden cafe, in
Rancho Santa Margarita.
"
Mimi Garden is a local, family-run restaurant that blends Chinese culinary traditions with modern creativity. The menu is built around handcrafted dumplings and bao, with kurobuta pork as a signature, served in a calm, light-filled room that reads more like a garden cafe than a banquet hall.
Steamed dumplings and bao, pan-fried sheng jian bao, Taiwanese braised beef noodles, wok-tossed rice and noodles, sautéed greens. Three rooms across South OC: Rancho Santa Margarita, Lake Forest, and Newport Beach.
4 XLB
Kurobuta soup-dumpling styles
Bao
Steamed + pan-fried
3
South OC locations
★ 4.5
312 Google reviews
The Garden Map
Six plants. Six dishes.
One menu.
A way of meeting the menu. Hover a plant to see the dish it's standing in for — six signature plates pulled from steamed dumplings, pan-fried bao, wontons, noodles, and greens.
tap or hover a plant to see what grows
the fern
Crispy Beef Rolls
Flaky pancake, sliced beef, cilantro.
the chrysanthemum
Kurobuta Pork Spicy Wontons
Kurobuta pork wontons, Sichuan chili oil.
the magnolia
Pan-Fried Kurobuta Pork Buns
Sheng jian bao with golden bottoms.
the vine
Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodles
Slow-braised beef, noodles, spicy broth.
the tendril
Sautéed String Beans w/ Garlic
Wok-blistered string beans, garlic.
From the Kitchen
Six plates we'd
start with.
A short pull from the steamed, pan-fried, wok, and noodle chapters. The full menu is wider, with multiple kurobuta XLB variations and a rotating dessert list.
- 01
Kurobuta Pork Soup Xiao Long Bao
$15.62eight per basketThe original soup dumpling. Kurobuta pork, hot broth inside, eight per basket.
- 02
Crispy Beef Rolls
$16.88six per orderFlaky scallion pancake wrapped around sliced beef, cucumber, and cilantro.
- 03
Kurobuta Pork Spicy Wontons
$18.75the chili oilKurobuta pork wontons in Sichuan chili oil. Bright heat, deep aromatic.
- 04
Pan-Fried Kurobuta Pork Buns
$18.75sheng jian baoSix pillowy buns with a golden seared bottom. Pork filling, juicy inside.
- 05
Taiwanese Braised Beef Noodles
$18.12spicySlow-braised beef in chili-spiked broth over noodles. The bowl that warms the table.
- 06
Sautéed String Beans w/ Garlic
$16.88from the gardenString beans, fresh garlic, wok-blistered until just tender. The clean note between courses.
The Kurobuta Lineup
Xiao long bao,
four ways.
The same kurobuta base. Four signature fillings, eight per basket.
- I the soup$15.62
Kurobuta pork and hot broth, the original. Thin skin, bite the corner, sip first.
- II the shrimp$19.38
Kurobuta pork with shrimp folded in. Sweet bite from the shellfish, still the broth inside.
- III the crab$19.38
Kurobuta pork with crab. Richer broth, the deeper register on the dim sum cart.
- IV the truffle$30.62
Kurobuta pork with black truffle. The special-occasion basket. Order one for the table.
eight per basket
What guests say
★ 4.5 on 312 Google reviews
The xiao long bao here are the real thing. Thin skin, hot broth, perfect pleats. The room is the prettiest Chinese restaurant in South OC, all cherry blossoms and soft light.
Found my new favorite. Beef scallion pancake roll is unreal, the bao are pillowy, and the Shanghai noodles have that proper wok smoke. Service is genuine, owners stop by.
Mimi Garden is a hidden gem in RSM. Everything is handmade and you can taste it. The wontons in chili oil bring the heat without burying the dumpling. We come back monthly.
Beautiful space and the food matches it. The dou miao with garlic was bright and tender, the soup dumplings genuinely good. They treated us like family on a first visit.
Visit Us
Avenida de
las Flores.
We're tucked into the plaza off Avenida de las Flores in Rancho Santa Margarita. Lake Forest is up El Toro Road. Newport Beach is on West Balboa, by the water.
