The hype: Much has been said about the former occupants of the address Table65 takes over from—the three-Michelin-starred Joel Robuchon Restaurant. It’s as if implicit that the new concept should live up to that legacy. But Table65, opened by Dutch Chef Richard van Oostenbrugge of 212 in Amsterdam, easily stands on its own two feet.
The vibe: It’s a re-creation of 212 at Table65. Pull up a chair by the U-shaped chef’s table that’s fully equipped with a cutlery toolbox drawer (where you pick your own utensils to use) and a visual projection device used to add theatrics to your dishes. Easily catch all the kitchen action up close from any of the 32 counter seats.
The food: They offer dinner service only, save for Saturdays, where a three-course lunch ($85) option awaits. It feels big of them to offer an a la carte menu too, though for dinner, it is highly recommended that you go for the five-course Discovery ($148) or eight-course Experiential ($218) menus to fully appreciate the gamut of their culinary creations.
There are no waiters here. Chefs take turns to present and go through each dish with you, and there’s always some kind of flourish, whether it be the scooping of a homemade oyster ice-cream (that’s crazy delicious in all its briny glory) directly from the tub onto your plate of caviar, or the pouring of a sauce onto a perfectly portioned (and meaty) red mullet.
While branching from the same trunk that is 212, the chefs here pay close attention to the produce available locally and regionally, resulting in Table65 offering unique dishes like a main made using duck sourced from Toh Thye San farm in Malaysia. Meanwhile, plump mussels used in a gnocchi dish come from Vietnam. Logistically speaking, sourcing closer to home means less carbon footprint and greater freshness.
A highlight has got to be their A5 Ohmi Wagyu, a well-marbled steak usually already divine because of its pedigree, but at Table65, takes you to another level of euphoria thanks to the daring use of white clams and fermented oxtail jus.
Desserts are a real treat, but it’s the Apple, a ginger-poached version of the one from 212, that steals the limelight. Well documented on Instagram, you get an apple sorbet shaped into an apple core (complete with “seed” and “stem”) resting on a bed of salted caramel, puff pastry and walnut, then enveloped in a bubble. Watch it get served in a spectacular projection mapping fashion you won’t find anywhere else.
The drinks: The wine pairing ($128 for Discovery, $178 for Experiential) here is generous. Be treated to a well-kept cellar with sommeliers offering you fine vino and quips in equal measure. Also expect healthy use of the Coravin for your pours; a move we’re sure the winemakers (and us) will appreciate.
There’s also a proper cocktail bar (with their own infusions and bitters) you’ll find at a different section of the restaurant, though you can order drinks from there no matter where you’re sitting. Signature drinks include an Old Fashioned with a Dutch stroopwafel treatment, but feel free to go bespoke by letting the bartender know your preferences.
Why you’ll be back: It has a fun factor no other fine dining establishment can replicate, plus the doing away with cutlery etiquette is a much-welcomed breath of fresh air. Besides, where else will you be getting a visual spectacle along with a meal so satisfying and unique?
