Simple Pleasures

At high-brow restaurant Odette, chef Julien Royer has of late put even more emphasis on simplicity over the fanciful, stripping down the elements of his dishes such that you're able to savour the purity of the produce without gimmick or over-manipulation. His new menu is a testament of that, with our favourites including home-made al dente capellini pasta match-made with aged Comte cheese, comforting egg yolk and a shower of fresh Manjimup black truffles in a perfect union. And how about: Japanese-inspired, wobbly tofu-textured foie gras, tender cubes of abalone and smoked eel in a dashi broth; lobster Provençal; and a re-constructed cherry clafouti with plump cooked cherries, ice cream and crisp raw almonds. Is that enough to win Odette a third star when Michelin unveils its results next week? We'll see but considering how full it is every day, whether it does or not won't put a dent in its popularity.