This Branding & Design by Saint Urbain was created for Milu, a contemporary fast-casual restaurant, offering traditional Chinese flavors with a modern twist. Opening in the heart of Manhattan, just blocks from Madison Square Park, Milu was born of an enthusiastic exploration of Chinese regional cuisines and a desire to share the flavors and cultures.

Created by alums from Daniel Humm’s Made Nice Group, their clients tasked the designers with crafting a modern, wholesome, and unpretentious brand that conveys authenticity and quality through design for both their restaurant and line of sauces and condiments.

They liked the double meaning of Milu (米路), pronounced as [mee-loo]. In a literal sense it means “rice road” but it also sounds like the the Chinese words for 迷路, which means “getting lost." Because of the client’s different backgrounds and relationships to Chinese food, the brand they crafted is not bound by traditions, so the name worked on both levels.

The designers inspired themselves deeply with traditional Chinese illustrations, but executed them with modern design practices. With this, their result is a brand that showcases fun, creative, whimsical illustrations and warm, bold, colors. The aesthetic is inspired by historic Hong Kong-style cafes and their cultural significance in serving affordable, Canto-Western food.