3333 Bristol St
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
(714) 265-7997
Average cost: $$
Parking: ample parking at South Coast Plaza! MIAN is located on Level 1 in the Din Tai Fung wing, next to Marugume Udon.
Hours: Open from 11AM to 9PM daily.
Notes: beautiful interior design and decor, with some well thought out features: the menu is accessible via QR codes and there's also a dedicated counter for to-go orders.
Recommended: if you like spicy food, especially the kind that uses bold, pungent, and spicy (and tongue-numbing) Sichuan flavors.
Our group of 5 eagerly visited MIÀN on a Saturday morning at 11 AM when the restaurant first opened. We were seated promptly and were able to enjoy the beautiful restaurant decor before the place got crowded.
The to-go order counter:
A fun placemat:
The menu has so many tantalizing options - looking forward to trying additional dishes on a future visit! My friends mentioned that this location serves similar dishes in quality and selection as the farther LA locations, and how relieved they are to be able to visit this local spot instead. We ordered a nice variety for our table of 5 to share:
Given that it was my first visit, we couldn't miss out on MIÀN's Chengdu Zajiang Noodles:
Via the QR Code menu ordering, I accidentally added an egg not knowing that the dish comes with one egg as its standard, but no one ever complained about having too many eggs. ;) I always enjoy mixing up the toppings and sauce with the noodles.
The minced pork was generously seasoned, and the bold and savory sauce lended this dish that signature spice flavor that Sichuan cuisine lovers know and love. Bon Appetit described Sichuan peppercorns as "tiny, mouth-numbing flavor grenades" and it's easy to see why. It really is more of a mouth-feel than a taste, and it seems like folks either love it or hate it.
Service was fantastic, with offers of help with ordering via QR code, prompt refills of water, offers of small bowls and utensils for sharing, to-go boxes, etc... Another signature dish that we had to order is the Spicy Beef Soup Noodles:
Loved the complexity of the broth and would definitely order this again, especially on a cold day. The beef was tender, with a good mixture of fatty pieces and lean cuts, and well-marinated. The noodles were on the softer side for my taste, but still yummy. The Chili Oil Dumplings were jam-packed with flavor and a generous pork filling, all wrapped in the thinnest dumpling skin and swimming in chili sauce:
Last but not least, my friend recommended that we try the Pork Intestines:
This side dish was also packed with flavor, and had some heat and a chewy texture. In hindsight, our table's order could have benefited from a little more balance with the pickled and/or cold appetizers to complement the heavier flavors of the dishes we ordered. Looking forward to trying that approach next time! :)