Restaurant Mr. & Mrs.

My wife and I were somewhat surprisingly able to get a last-​minute reservation here on a Saturday night. From the look of it, we lucked out.
The restaurant is in a cozy and very attractive space in a lively part of town quite close to the Grote Kerk. First impressions were very positive — it’s modern and elegant but comfortable. My eyes first went to a blackboard above the window to the kitchen showing their nice list of wines by the glass — four reds and four whites, I believe, all nicely priced at € 5. I quite liked the Montepulciano; I always appreciate having more than just a ‘house wine’ available by the glass.
Service was very good. The wait staff of two (one of whom I believe was one of the owners) were genuinely nice without being cloying and attentive without being annoying. It would be a great experience anywhere, but it really stood out from the «do I need to blow a whistle or something to get somebody’s attention?» service that I found to be more or less the standard in the Netherlands.
Food is served in small courses, but it’s not a tapas-​style share-​with-​the-​table experience. Instead, it’s a way to try more things rather than having a large ‘main’ course. They recommend about four dishes per person, but you’re free to go with fewer or more. You can choose items a la carte, or you can go with a 4, 5, or 6 course ‘Chef’s Choice’ option, which involves dishes not on the a la carte menu. The chef’s choice option is somewhat less expensive than ordering a la carte would typically be, presumably due to economies of scale. My wife and I both went with the 4 course ‘surprise’ menu, which seemed to be a popular choice. Happily, even when choosing that option they are willing to accommodate dietary limitations — my wife does not eat red meat, so they brought her seafood-​based options instead.
All courses were delicious. The first course of cured scallops (following an amuse bouche and some bread) might have been my favorite, but I would happily have any of them again. The final course was a sweet dessert, though they offered to provide a cheese plate instead for a small surcharge. Presentation was excellent.
Even the four course meal was around a three hour affair. It’s nice not to be rushed and to have time to enjoy each course thoroughly, though it might not be possible to speed up the meal if you wanted to: the small kitchen staff seemed to be working at full capacity, as each plate is detailed enough to take some time to prepare. Simply be aware that it’s not likely to be a quick meal.
We were very happy to have had this meal at Mr. & Mrs. as a capstone to our time in the Netherlands, and would certainly return if back in Haarlem.

What can I tell you about this restaurant?
I highly recommend reservations because it is a smaller space. Their offerings are very fresh, but also have some unique meats such as guinny fowl, wild dove, and venison.
We all chose the Chefs Choice (4) courses and stated things we don’t eat. I for one have a seafood allergy so they didn’t bring me any. My nephew hates mushrooms, so they didn’t bring him any, etc.
They brought homemade bread with a aioli butter.
In no particular order I had the (1) Cheese foam (parmasean) with a roasted tomato (2) the steak tar tar. It was extra lean beef, seasoned to perfection. It had raw egg yolk on top with truffle sprinkled on top, it sat on top of a cracker. It was delicious but incredibly rich! (I shared with the others). (3) Tri-​tip steak with endive and other veggies. (4) Dessert that was the perfect amount it was a marshmallow fruity melt in your mouth flavor.
We enjoyed two bottles of wine between the six of us.
Ambiance was perfect. The wait staff really explained every course to perfection. It was truly a culinary experience. I hope to come back during my next Haarlem visit!

The place is small but very cozy. Great people and food.
All the dishes I had (5-​course meal) were very good and, therefore, would certainly recommend this place for a High-​End Gourmet food experience or just to go with friends and chill out with a glass of wine.
It was truly an amazing experience. Very good food and very good service. I will most definitely come back for more!
Be sure to Make reservations.