When Odette does something, we take notice. Afterall, the establishment is not only three-Michelin-starred, but ranked number one on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants in 2020 as well. It’s a feat few venues have ever achieved.
Recently, Odette has launched a special menu that has caught our attention. It’s uniquely focused on the bountiful produce and artisanal ingredients of Korea, making good use of rarer and underrated sauces, fruits, seafood and vegetables in its creations.
On offer at Odette are three savoury dishes and two sweet ones, expertly put together by the famed Singapore fine dining establishment’s chef-owner Julien Royer himself.
The highlight has got to be the Songi Mushroom & Jeju Abalone Duo, where the highly-prized Jeju abalone is slow-cooked over a bincho grill and paired together with the naturally chewy and smoky mushroom. The dish is meant to showcase the uniqueness and natural flavours of these products.
Then there’s the Baek Hwa Go Dolsot Bap, which makes good use of Korea’s famed Golden Queen 3 rice, known for its sweet, earthy and popcorn-like aromas. The rice is simmered in a mushroom-burdock stock here, with sauteed burdock and white flower mushrooms, then garnished with chives, burdock crisps and candied burdock skin for good measure.
No Korean meal is complete without banchan (a small side dish), of course. And here, Royer has created one made using Korean radish sliced into ribbons, saffron-pickled Naju pear (Korea’s top exported pear), pickled cucumber, charred spring onion, and more seasonal ingredients.
Then there are the desserts, both showcasing how naturally enjoyable Korea’s fruits can be. The Shine Muscat Grape & Yuja Gourmandise is a light cheesecake mousse placed atop a bed of toasted yellow pine nuts and amande crumble, layered with yuja (Korean yuzu) jam, then topped with fresh muscat grapes for a dessert that’s as delicious as it is visually appetising.
Meanwhile, the Korean Muskmelon Sorbet is a straightforward creation that showcases the elegant perfumy aromas and luscious sweetness of Korea’s tantalising muskmelons. Light yet powerful, the sorbet is the perfect end to any meal.
If you’re interested to try these dishes, do so quickly, as we don’t know how long these special items will be on the menu for. Or if you’re feeling game to try using these premium Korean produce and ingredients for yourself, head over to Culina at Como Dempsey and shop away.
More info on premium Korean produce in Singapore here.
