I wanted to take my mom and sister for lunch, somewhere with a lively atmosphere and a large menu. My sister is vegetarian, my mom prefers eating a meal with fish and I was really craving some pasta, so I needed to find a spot that served all dishes for all tastes.
I hadn’t been to Topper’s in a while but had heard from various persons that they had something for everyone, and that Topper’s always knows how to give a good time. So we decided to check it out.
Topper knows how to make his guests feel welcome. The restaurant has an open, friendly feeling to it and the décor makes it feel homey and comfortable. Only the small barstools weren’t as comfortable to sit on for someone with a more round butt, so we eventually decided to sit at the picnic tables, as we didn’t want to sit inside.
The staff persons were quick with giving us our menu and taking our drink orders. Deciding it was 5:00pm somewhere in the world, my mom and I both ordered a glass of house-rose, which was delicious. As an appetizer, we ordered the Hummus & Baba Ghanoush, which were homemade chickpeas and eggplant dips served side-by-side with pita bread. That also was served quickly to our delight, as we were all very hungry.
As for our main courses, my sister the vegetarian ordered the Pesto Spinach Salad that held fresh baby spinach, walnuts, blue cheese and granny smith apples served with Topper’s Pesto dressing. My mom ordered the Fish n’ Chips – English style, made with fresh Red Snapper served piping hot and juicy, with French fries, homemade tartar sauce and malt vinegar. And though the sandwiches on the menu sounded really tasty, I stuck with my craving for pasta and ordered the Gnocchi, light potato dumplings tossed in your choice of red sauce, alfredo sauce or vodka cream sauce with grilled chicken, spinach and goat cheese.
My mom thought the Fish n’ Chips a bit oily; I thought my Gnocchi was very tasty, I loved the sauce and the juicy chicken; my sister was also happy with her salad and its abundance of flavours.
As a dessert, we went on a sinful and forbidden adventure and ordered the Chocolate Fix, which turned out to be chocolate cake with melting chocolate in the middle. Yum! I’d recommend Topper’s to those travelling with a big group; the menu truly does offer something for everyone, and the restaurant has plenty of seating. I also heard that their rum is a party-starter, but I think I’ll try a few sips of that when my mom isn’t watching!
Info:
Topper’s Bar & Restaurant
113 Welfare Rd, 5995 Simpson Bay, St. Maarten
Phone: + (721) 544-3500
Cuisine: American (New), American (Traditional), Burgers, Italian, Sandwiches, Seafood and Steakhouses
Open: Monday-Sunday, 11:00am-2:00am
Good: Great for big groups, also those with kids, and the start to a night out and about.
Price range: $6-30
Payment methods: Cash, Visa, American Express, MasterCard and Discover.
Reservations: Not required but recommended on busy weekend nights.
Vegetarian dishes: Available
Other services: Good for groups, kids, take out, catering, outdoor seating, safe parking.
Ratings:
Staff friendliness: ****
Service speed: ****
Restaurant cleanliness: ****
Food quality: ****
Value for money: ***
Ambience: ****
