Mrs. Top Restaurant

7.5 Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  5      Service  8      Value  8     

Dined here tonight. Front of the restaurant is cheery, well lit, warm and buzzy. Unfortunately, we chose to sit out the back which was coooold, dark and bare brick floor (apart from a small carpet) and bare brick walls and lacking atmosphere as couples struggled to read their menus in the dark. Why not string some tiny "fairy lights" around the room which would give the room a more cozy and lighter feel... And more heat please!

Food was tasty, with a home cooked, comfy feel. Rabbit tender and beef checks melted in the mouth. Tarte tatin and coffee good also. Service by waitresses very pleasant although "maitre d" seemed a little distracted for some reason. Would go back but will definitely sit in front section!

May 19, 2012 

9.3 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  10      Value  9     

Christian is back in the Kitchen and Rocco out the front. These boys are a great team. Great French Cuisine. The Escargots à la Bourguignonne is fantastic although could do with 12 rather than 6. The Lapin Ferrier is to die for. Brulee is stunning. These boys would do well in Paris! Fantastique! My only criticism is $15 corkage per BYO bottle is a little over the (Mrs) Top. Halve it please. Food is superb.

Apr 23, 2012 

8.5 Highly Recommended

Food  9      Ambience  9      Service  9      Value  7     

Came on a somewhat busy Saturday night for birthday dinner with family. Classy and warm lovely atmosphere. Waiters were very attentive and knowledgeable, warm and talkative as well. Having read about authentic French cuisine but never really tried, was keen to see what I would be like.

We selected the Escargots à la Bourguignonne and the Confit de canard à l’orange. Very delicious and satisfying helpings, clean, simple and unpretentious presentation.

For dessert, had the Pavlova and Mousse au chocolat Belge which wre quite substabtial helpings and also quite satisfying. Very nice, homely and unrowdy atmosphere. Great for a romantiic or even a lovely dinner with good friends. Charming, would come again.

Apr 02, 2012 

7.3 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  7     

I was left wondering after reading the mixed reviews on this website. But then, not everyone enjoys the same things I do so thought it would be worth a try. Before tonight, I'd dined here at least twice (pre-2010) and enjoyed both of those occasions, but of course, things can change.

Well, to cut a long story short, my friend and I had a great night! The waiter was attentive and not intrusive, and able to gracefully cater to my "dietary" requirements, which I appreciated, especially for a French restaurant. For our entree, my friend had zucchini flower, and I had scallops, and our mains were fillet beef and the duck a' l'orange. My beef was done to perfection, rare, the way I like it, and my friend's duck was melt in the mouth (momentary food envy. I'll be trying that one next time).

Dessert was pavlova, which was very pretty and colourful, and very fruity with berries and fresh banana. Other pros included no traffic noise, BYO at a reasonable price and no freezing airconditioning! Thanks Mrs Top, it's good to know that you're in my local neighbourhood.

Mar 28, 2012 

6.3 Average

Food  4      Ambience  7      Service  8      Value  6     

Mixed. One of the mains was superb and the other was a dry fairly tasteless dish. Loved the side of garlic beans. Dessert was very poor and the cheese platter came with about 4 crackers and ice cold cheeses. One thing I hate is getting a cheese platter with hardly any crackers, I don't want to eat a block of cheese. Maybe they had run out or something. No EFT or credit card came as a surprise at the end, fortunately, had just enough cash to cover it. Staff were very nice.

Feb 14, 2012 

3.5 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  7      Service  1      Value  3     

Service is Terrible. Food average. Not worth.

Feb 14, 2012 

4.8 Average

Food  4      Ambience  6      Service  5      Value  4     

This restaurant has had its ups and downs. I have had some lovely meals here in the past but we had dinner there on Saturday the 14th of January and sad to say this was a "down" time. Beef cheeks seemed to have gone thru a blender with alot of oil and carrot or tomato. Tarte Tatin was a microwaved apple pizza, covered in sickly syrupy sauce.

Jan 15, 2012 

3.3 Below Average

Food  1      Ambience  4      Service  7      Value  1     

Where did it all go wrong Christian?

I've been going to Mrs Tops from way back when they were in Marrickville and always enjoyed dining there. We went this NYE and it has turned to a substandard, money grabbing, overpriced hovel.

There is no BYO anymore yet they can't even let their members know this, how hard is it to send out an email. The food was cold, clearly reheated many times and generally below par. The new wine list is way overpriced for what they are selling and the staff turnover is ridiculous. Marco is still there trying his best but it just isn't good enough.

We definitely won't be back and will be sure to tell everyone why not.

Jan 04, 2012 

4 Below Average

Food  3      Ambience  4      Service  6      Value  3     

What a disappointing experience. The food standard was ordinary, had we stepped back into the 1970s? Whilst the menu sounded French, it wasn't like any French I've ever experienced before.

There were three of us dining, two opted for the three courses whilst one had two courses. The entree scallops, four thereof, were drowning in pesto. The duck liver pate was Ok but the accompanying salad looked like it was definitely from the 70s in style and freshness, three tiny pieces of bread were supplemented when requested.

Mains were more of the plain and ordinary. The beef cheeks serve was small, dry and full of lumps of carrot. The snapper was delicate but plain and the mussels were swimming in a watery concoction that didn't pass for sauce. The side order of green beans were the highlight of the evening along with the expensive bottle of Mersault which we had ordered expecting a meal of equal calibre.

The biggest surprise was the desserts which were all doused in sickly strawberry sauce and spray can cream. The passionfruit ice-cream was icy, the chocolate mousse Ok and the tarte tatin was stewed apples and sultanas on a piece of pastry smothered in caramel topping.

For $180, after a $25 discount for the food alone, it was also daylight robbery! To top it off their credit facility wasn't working and we had to gather up the cash to pay the bill.

Do not bother, try La Grande Bouffe in Rozelle or Ad Lib in Pymble and enjoy a French fine dining experience.

Jan 04, 2012 

6.8 Recommended

Food  7      Ambience  6      Service  7      Value  7     

Given some of the recent reviews, we were very pleasantly surprised. I'd booked Mrs Top because I'd been to the Marrickville one some time ago and my mother loved it, and this was a dinner out for her.

We were shown to a table at the back of the restaurant which might be fine when the weather's nice, but Saturday wasn't so the room was freezing and breezy. We asked to be moved into the main room, much warmer and were accommodated. We later saw a large heater being carried through the restaurant to the back room.

I enjoyed my French onion soup, coq au vin and pavlova, a bit too big a serving of the pavlova, but other servings were a good size, to allow 3 courses. My dining companions had zucchini flowers, lamb shank, the beef, creme brulee and tarte tatin and all very happy.

The staff were very pleasant. Our waitress was given a lesson in how to use a corkscrew, at our table, which we probably didn't need to sit through, but otherwise, the service was very good. We'd go back.

Sep 12, 2011