It’s time to erect the scaffolding, I’m in need of urgent post-yuletide restoration. Weeks of the ‘ah sod it, it’s Christmas’ mantra, has resulted in carb induced lethargy and a Santa silhouette. The overeating sneaks up on me. First I’m swapping my skinny lattes for gingerbread ones with whip cream because they smell more festive. Then there is the chocolate advent calendar, which arguably at 30-something I should have dispensed with years ago, but refuse to, and then the mince pies. I couldn’t find any here in Toronto (apart from a $7.50 box at the Brit shop!!) so I baked my own and you can’t (well I can’t) eat one without a slurp of cream and a wodge of rum butter. Anyway, you get the picture, it all adds up and here I am days into January still foraging through the last of festive confections and woefully deficient of greenery and vitamins. 
So yesterday we dragged our chocolate filled bodies down to Gerrard St East, Toronto’s smaller Chinatown in search of sustenance that was as far removed from turkey and all the trimmings as possible. We settle on Vietnamese Pho which has restorative properties much like a bowl of Jewish chicken soup or Mama’s Minestone. Mi Mi’s doesn’t look much from the outside but a glance inside boasts an encouraging number of diners so we head in. Shabby decor equals great food and Mi Mi’s follows that principle, although I must be fair, there’s not a plastic chair in sight. A bright, sincere ‘happy new year’ accompanied by a corrective pot of green tea is a welcome that overrides the indifferent interior. Regulars are acknowledged by name, kids are encouraged to watch while their juices are concocted and there is a lot of satisfied slurping going on. Even before the food arrives, I’m estimating how many visits it might take until I’m considered a regular. My Vietnamese must have, summer rolls, are verdant with herbs and the blush prawns stretch through the rice paper. I’m beginning to feel more wholesome by the minute and the Pho’s not even here yet. Jerry’s bowl is actually a basin, and I’d wager is bigger than his head. He’s gone for an X-Large with slices of rare beef, and I go for a more dog bowl size with the addition of some brisket. I douse mine in chilli sauce from the condiment apothecary and garnish with beansprouts, a squeeze of lime and Thai basil. The meaty clear broth is addictive and I can almost feel the goodness permeating through me, as if melting away the Christmas excesses, one mince pie at a time. Realistically I know that the weighing scales will probably still read the same tomorrow morning, but at least I am on the right track. Better finish off the last of the choccies tonight so I really can make a clean start tomorrow.
Mi Mi Restaurant
688 Gerrard Street East, M4M 1Y3
1-416 778-5948
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