The Solo Scale:

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While Topolino’s Terrace may be primarily thought of for a character breakfast, it’s also a fantastic dinner option. Some might even say it’s superior at dinner, given that it’s on the top floor of the Riviera hotel. If you time your meal right, you’ll be there as the sun sets. If you’re going for dinner, keep in mind that you won’t be able to access the restaurant early.

The first reservations open at 5PM and that’s when the elevator access begins. Before that, only guests at the Riviera will be able to access the floor. I booked my dinner reservations for that first slot because I was visiting in winter and wanted to see the sunset. It meant that I had the restaurant nearly to myself, as well as the terrace. That made for plenty of great photos and time to enjoy before the crowd arrived. That crowd absolutely did arrive. There was a full house by the time my meal was done.

My waiter greeted me promptly and walked me through the menu. I began with a glass of wine and opted to sample a few appetizers to get a good breadth of options.

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The Food

In terms of my meal, I did have some quibbles with my choices. I really enjoyed my drink and found it refreshing and the perfect acidity levels, but that’s where the balance ran out. I ordered both the ricotta and the escargots en gougieres.

The ricotta was surprisingly lemony — a trend that continued into the next item. The bread served with it was a highlight and when mixed together, it was tasty, but I still came away feeling like this dish was a little unbalanced. I wouldn’t order it again unless they figured out the balance and managed to give it a little more richness to cut the lemon.

The escargots en gougères was also good, but also had a lot of lemon, leaving it feeling unbalanced. I came away tasting mostly citrus rather than the herbs and the richness of the butter & escargots (and yes, I did have these separately with the wine & water in between to palate cleanse, so it wasn’t just lingering lemon from the ricotta).

However, the unbalanced ended with dessert — the star of the meal! I ordered the crème brûlée, which came with fresh berries, meringues, and other small crumbles. This was a revelation after the unbalanced appetizers. It was light, refreshing, and lovely in a way that made me happy to end the meal with a star.

The staff at Topolino’s did manage to surprise me with another treat, too! When checking in, I mentioned that I was celebrating a birthday and at the end of the meal, they brought out a lovely little free pastry. It’s a perfect bite and the kind of hospitality that doesn’t cost much, but makes you feel appreciated.

Overall, I really enjoyed Topolino’s for both the atmosphere, the views, and the food. While my appetizers weren’t to my expectations, I also ordered lightly as this was by the end of my vacation and the entree sizes were too intimidating. I would absolutely go back to try more off the menu, because after tasting the dessert, I absolutely know this kitchen has great tricks up their sleeves.

Want to peruse the menu and make your own decision? Check it out here!

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