If dining in the Little India and Jalan Besar area just hasn’t been the same for you since the closure of Cocotte at Wanderlust Hotel, you’ll be happy to hear that its former space has reopened with its French roots intact. After hosting southern-American-meets-Indian pop-up Meatsmith @ Cocotte earlier this year, the spot is now occupied by Audace Bar & Restaurant, a produce-driven French bistro helmed by Chef Jeremy Gillon.
Gillon is best known for his stint as executive chef of Le Montana, a hotel in the French Alps; a stint which culminated with one of the hotel’s restaurants, L’Epicurien, earning a Michelin star in 2015. You might also remember him from his time as a consulting chef at Me@OUE.
At Audace (that’s short for “audacious”), diners can expect contemporary French bistro fare with Asian inclinations. A number of dishes are made with ingredients sourced at nearby Tekka Market and produce will also be brought in from around Southeast Asia—think Vietnamese oysters and caviar, and Thai micro herbs. Open all day, highlights include their two- and three-course lunch menus ($28 and $32) and three- and five-course dinner menus ($68 and $98). An ala carte menu is also available.
Signature dishes will vary with the seasons, but you can look forward to sampling their roasted black carrots with green chili, garlic and curry leaves; slow-poached chicken with grilled pumpkin and pomelo sauce; and slow-cooked pork belly marinated for 48 hours in a mixture of beetroot, lemongrass, soy and ginger. At the bar, you’ll have your pick of eight cocktails—five classics and three house creations—accompanied by unusual bar bites like parsnips braised in hay-infused butter.
