Dubai’s Acclaimed Mimi Kakushi Debuts a Transportive Miami Beach Outpost
Pirajean Lees channels 1920s Osaka, the glamorous life of silent film star Sessue Hayakawa, and the breezy spirit of South Florida atop the restored Delano Miami Beach
In the five years since Mimi Kakushi burst onto Dubai’s culinary scene, the Japanese restaurant has drawn eager epicureans for both its contemporary cuisine and the richly layered interiors conceived by British firm Pirajean Lees. Inspired by Osaka during the prosperous Taishō era, the original restaurant captured a fascinating moment in Japanese history, when jazz, Art Deco, cocktails, and modern fashion flowed in from the West and mingled with the country’s own traditions. The name Mimi Kakushi even translates to “covering ears,” a reference to the fashionable bob worn by Japan’s Moga, or “Modern Girls,” who embraced the Western hairstyle during the period.
Now Pirajean Lees has reunited with hospitality group Paris Society for the restaurant’s second outpost, which has opened atop the newly transformed Delano Miami Beach exclusively for hotel guests and members of the Delano’s private club. Perched on the fourth-floor rooftop overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the indoor-outdoor destination evokes the coastal ease of Miami Beach while preserving the Japanese references that have become hallmarks of Mimi Kakushi in Dubai. The Delano has long stood as an icon of pared-back modernism, so Pirajean Lees charted another course, enveloping diners in timber, rattan, moody light, and stained glass. “Once you step inside, the warmth is immediate,” says firm co-founder James Lees, pointing to the amber glow filtering through bead curtains and stained-glass screens. “The two spaces are in conversation with each other, a contrast that makes them work well together.”
For inspiration, the studio once again looked to Japanese history, drawing on the life of silent film star Sessue Hayakawa and imagining the sort of retreat the worldly actor might have sought during his travels. “Sessue Hayakawa was a man of many worlds, composed in manner, yet extravagant in life,” explains firm co-founder Clémence Pirajean. “That narrative became the framework for the space, somewhere that feels like a specific moment in a much larger journey. In Miami, it finds a new chapter.”
The rooftop terrace welcomes guests from leisurely lunches through late-night dinners with elevated counter seating and intimate banquettes nestled among lush plantings. Sunlight filters through timber bead curtains while the same stained-glass details from the Dubai outpost and wooden partitions divide the restaurant into a series of inviting dining areas. Throughout, Pirajean Lees layers Japanese references with Art Deco flourishes through custom pieces inspired by Japanese colonial furniture, hand-painted walls, and tactile textiles evocative of the 1920s. Delicate floral fragrances drift through the restaurant as a subtle nod to Japan’s cherry blossoms.
A prominent sushi counter invites guests to watch the chefs at work while the menu builds on traditional Japanese techniques through contemporary interpretations. A menu focused on small plates encourages sharing, from tiger prawn gyoza and nigiri served in pairs to smashed hamachi with avocado purée, donabe rice pots, wagyu strip loin, and black miso cod. Cocktails, meanwhile, promise to prove just as compelling. The original Dubai location earned international acclaim for its bar program, and the Miami outpost continues the tradition with drinks inspired by Hayakawa’s life and screen career. The Nara Nara, a martini frozen inside a block of ice, takes its name from Hayakawa’s character in The Secret Game, a 1917 World War I espionage thriller; it claims to be one of the world’s chilliest cocktails. The silky, gin-based Tsuru-Nita balances the citrus brightness of yuzu with the sweetness of umeshu, taking its name from Hayakawa’s wife and frequent co-star, Tsuru Aoki.
“Having worked alongside Pirajean Lees to bring the original Mimi Kakushi to life, it was important to continue that shared creative vision in Miami, evolving the brand while remaining true to the storytelling and sense of discovery that have defined the experience from the beginning,” explains Rizwan Kassim, CEO of Paris Society. “With this opening, we bring a vision rooted in seasonality, storytelling, and experience to a city that shares our global perspective, where cuisine, cocktails, design, and music come together to create a fully immersive world.”