Mallard Cottage - St. John's

4 of us dined here in this cutest of Restaurants and had the pleasure of being seated close to the kitchen where we watched the Chef and his 2 helpers bring out dish after dish in a very cool, calm or orderly manner. They are incredibly well-oiled machine and they really know what they are doing. The complex menus (changes daily) would be cause for complete chaos in most kitchens. Not here. All our dishes were perfectly executed, tasted as good as they looked and were utterly satisfying. The one minute shortfall would be that our fine waitress took no less than 4 attempts at sorting out our bill. Otherwise, a absolute must if in St John's.

I've eaten at quite a few restaurants while living in the St. John's area. This was my first time dining at Mallard Cottage. I have to say that it was by far the best meal I have eaten out yet! The whole experience was amazing. Our server Des was extremely helpful and very cool and funny and took care of us so well. The appetizers of smoked mackerel and the corn battered cod cheeks were amazing. The halibut dishes were the best halibut i have ever tasted. And the desserts...oh my god..yet again amazing. Top marks to the chefs and staff for a truly amazing dining experience.

To make a medium story long, here goes: My wife is from Newfoundland and we were visiting her family with our sons. When we are in St. John's my in-laws usually take care of our boys so that we can have a night away on our own--something that is rare for us. I had booked the nicest room at The Inn at Mallard Cottage and made a reservation for dinner a few weeks beforehand. The day before all of this was suppose to happen I received a call from Stephen, one of the owners, saying that the room would not be available due to circumstances beyond their control. He was very apologetic and had booked a room at a couple of other hotels for us so that we could have a choice and said that our dinner would be on the house. We were very disappointed that we weren't going to get our full Quidi Vidi experience (including out plan to hike from the inn up to Signal Hill) and weren't sure that we still wanted to eat there since we'd be staying at The Alt (which was very nice) and not in the Village. We decided to go anyway. We started with drinks at the bar at Raymond's (next door to The Alt) and then took a cab to Mallard. Stephen came to our table immediately, apologizing profusely about the problem with our room, and said that he would take care of us. Did he ever. We let him pick from the menu for us and he just kept bringing plate after plate. We started with a lovely amuse-bouche of flaked roasted cod on a cracker. That was followed by steak tartar with house-made potato chips and pork loin lettuce wraps. Next up was local chanterelles on toast and corn-fried cod cheeks. Then came the halibut and the parmesan-basil-tomato lobster with corzetti. We finished off with a generous sampling of pastries. It's difficult to say which dish was the best as they were all superb. If I had to choose just two I would go with the chanterelles and the halibut but I'd be delighted to have any of them again. The portions were generous and the balance of flavours spot on. The wines were matched well to the dishes and Stephen works hard to find the best Canadian vintages. The other sommelier and the waiters were friendly and professional. One gets the sense of an endeavour where everyone is working together to ensure that each guest has an excellent experience. If you are not at least a little bit of a foodie or aren't looking for new dining experiences then this might not be the place for you. If, though, you want to try the best local ingredients prepared in a combination of traditional and innovative ways then make this a destination. Next time we hope to get to stay in the inn and enjoy the beer garden. Thank you to Stephen and company for a truly splendid evening.

Almost a week since my wife and I enjoyed an evening at Mallard Cottage and it still rings true in my mind. Not just a lovely meal, not just a lovely venue, but a lovely experience all around. All the food was prepared to perfection and piping hot when it arrived at our table. Everything was abundant with flavour(and I do not mean salty like so many other establishments). LOVE how local and authentic the dishes were. Naturally, the seafood was a strong point. If they're serving the diver scallop I strongly suggest you try it. Cod cheeks were a perfect texture with a crispy corn fried breading. Mmm. I could rave on and on... Given the price point I feel this place is head and shoulders a true gem above many competitors in the St. John's marketplace. Do yourself a favour...step away from the typical fare and explore Mallard Cottage.

Mallard Cottage is an amazing dining experience in the idyllic setting of Quidi Vidi Harbour, do not miss eating here if you are in Newfoundland. Great menu, friendly and professional staff, and the decor is appointed in such an interesting and eclectic way consistent with the era it was built. It's like going back to the 1700's but with a modern twist... Great for lunch or dinner, best place I have eaten in St. John's. The whole experience was amazing.