Odette

National Gallery

#01-04, 1 St. Andrew’s Road

Singapore 178957

Tel. +65 63850498

The dishes

Marukyo Uni (Masi ebi/Dashi cloud/ Daurikus caviar)

Summer crudo (Shima aji/Green almond/Basil)

Rosemary Smoked Organic Egg (Smoked potato syphon/ Chorizo Iberico)

Jeju Abalone and Foie Gras Duo (Shitake/Pork broth/Yuzu)

Langoustine comme un dumpling, Manjimup black truffle (Leek fondue/Vin jaune/Beurre noisette)

Shimane Amadai (Yari Ika/Kabu/Sauce Indochine)

Kampot Pepper Crusted Pigeon (Petit Pois/Pancetta/Black garlic)

Mara de Bois Strawberry Vacherin (Lemon verbena/Yoghurt/Ginger)

The best meal of the year I have had so far, no questions asked, was at Odette in Singapore. In fact, it was one of the best restaurant meals I have ever had. And while the atmosphere, décor, service and wine list were all excellent, the main reason why I feel Odette went where few other restaurants have taken me before was in the food courses themselves. Each was more than just successful in its own way, showcasing levels of culinary technique and precision, not to mention depth of flavours, that are truly uncommon.

Odette is housed in Singapore’s prestigious national Gallery Museum: beware that the closest entrance to the restaurant is at the Supreme Court wing’s foyer, so try and have the taxi drop you off in that vicinity, or you end up walking through the whole museum just to get to the restaurant (Odette is located in the former Supreme Court building, near the Cricket Club end of National Gallery). Not that that being ensconced within a museum is a bad thing, and in fact I purposely arrived at the National Gallery two hours ahead just so I could in fact see the museum before my dinner. Odette hasn’t been around for that long, but it has certainly shot to the top very quickly. Established in 2015, winner of two Michelin Stars in 2016 and described as Singapore’s best dining experience that same year by the city’s Tourism Board, it was listed n.9 spot in the Asia’s 50 Best restaurant list the following year. In 2018, Odette debuted on the world’s 50Best list (it sits at n.25 in the world in the latest edition of said list) and earned three Michelin stars in 2019, and still more accolades have followed since.