As the world’s top gourmands descend upon Singapore all week for the very first World’s 50 Best Restaurants ceremony to be held in Asia on Jun 25, we wondered, where will all these food critics and highly acclaimed chefs be eating at? We figured we’ll lend them a hand.
We asked, who else, but chef-owner Julien Royer of Odette—who unseated Gaggan and claimed top spot on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2019—for his dining recommendations.
For the budget conscious:
I personally recommend Tian Tian Seafood, which is a casual roadside joint famous for their local seafood made with fresh ingredients and very Singaporean homestyle flavours. My team and I often head there after service and it’s one of my favourite supper spots as they stay open late. I love their wet-style seafood hor fun.
For the locavore:
My recommendation for this is actually a bar, Native, which has a fantastic emphasis on local ingredients, foraging and sustainability.
For those seeking something new:
I think those new to Singapore or to Peranakan cuisine will find Candlenut a memorable spot to visit. They have a very contemporary approach to the traditional cuisine which makes for a very interesting experience. I would personally recommend to try their Kurobuta Pork Neck Satay.
For a proper fine dining experience:
My new favourite fine dining experience in Singapore would have to be Esora. They do really beautiful kappo cuisine and you can tell that chef Shigeru Koizumi and his team pay very precise attention into crafting the perfect dining experience. Go for the eight-course dinner menu for the full experience.
Julien’s all-time favourite:
My all-time favourite would have to be Brasserie Gavroche on Tras Street. It’s a classic French restaurant in Singapore that reminds me of home, and my favourite is the Pate en Croute et Foie Gras.
