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Mr Fox

Rachel Olding

$$

Each time a new place opens on Crown Street, I wonder how on earth someone has managed to find an unused pocket on what must be one of Sydney's most popular strips.

Mr Fox must have been sitting like a grizzly bear, waiting to pounce as something swam upstream towards him. As it happens, a space became available when Solas Bar closed and Mr Fox owner Alex Talbot acquired a prized spot. It's right among the restaurants, pubs and dry-cleaners at the Cleveland Street end of Crown Street, where there's a bit less hobnobbing and a bit more riff-raff.

THE BAR IS FAIRLY SIMPLE and, rather than focus on frills and gimmicks, it's just a room with stools and tables, a few candles and a big, open window looking on to the ever-interesting parade passing by. The walls are chalkboards with scribbles and doodlings, including a fetching sketch of Mr Fox himself. Above are large abstract artworks. There's nothing out of the ordinary, just a nice bar making nice drinks at a nice price. The music is at conversation-level and there's table service if it's quiet.

IT DOESN'T TAKE LONG for the place to fill on a Friday and Saturday night. By 8pm, seating is at a premium but you can still mosey on up to the bar without queueing. We peruse the list of cocktails - some signature inventions, some classics and some sours - and order a Lemon Meringue Pie (limoncello, vodka, house-made vanilla syrup and lemons, with a sugar rim, $12) and the AA (apple and almond liqueurs with a spicy cinnamon infusion, $14). They're both very good. The Lemon Meringue is definitely for those with a sweet tooth and has a great froth on top, resembling the fluffy meringue. The AA is not as interestingly textured but the cinnamon and apple flavours are tasty. They also make a decent Amaretto Sour but the Blueberry and Lychee Caprioska (blueberries, lychees, lime, chambord and vodka, $15) is drowned with too much lime. A small wine list of reds, whites and a rose´ has some good choices, such as the Cape Mentelle semillon sauvignon blanc from Margaret River ($9).

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ONE THING I REALLY LIKE are grazing plates - not the standard cheese-and-meat grazing platters but, rather, a plate with a taste of a few things from the menu of share plates. Can more places do this, please? We were able to try the polenta cubes with coriander mayonnaise, slow-cooked sticky chicken wings, mixed nuts, beef skewers, Australian cured meats, Moroccan-spiced beef skewers with tzatziki dipping sauce and the house-made dips and breads for $14 each. In the way of main meals, there is a club sandwich, beef burger, polenta stack or roast pork and sausage salad. Full marks go to the herbed chips with coriander mayonnaise ($6.50) as well.

MR FOX DOES A GOOD JOB appealing to the ''just a couple of drinks and a catch-up'' crowd as well as the ''getting rowdy with friends'' crowd. The former sit at the high tables at the window and watch the world go by, the latter crowd the tables and couch towards the back of the tiny bar and get louder as the night goes on. Of the plethora of options on Crown Street, this is as good as the rest.

YOU'LL LOVE IT IF you're looking for a new haunt in Crown Street.

YOU'LL HATE IT IF you want a bar with a knockout decor or a quirky theme.

GO FOR Lemon Meringue Pie cocktail, grazing plates, chips with coriander mayo.

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IT'LL COST YOU cocktails $12-$17, wine by the glass $5-$10, share plates $3.50-$12.50, bottled beer $5-$8.

Mr Fox

Address 557 Crown Street, Surry Hills, 0416 324 258 Open Tues-Fri, 3pm-midnight; Sat, noon-midnight.

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