Aesthetically speaking, Joël Robuchon’s fine dining restaurant couldn’t be more different from his relatively casual, degustation-style restaurant through the opposite door, L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon. There’s no red decor here, but a grand chandelier in the middle of the room, plush black sofa seats with beige-, yellow- and golden-hued cushions, and an indoor winter garden with fully grown tree (yes, a tree). It all sets the tone for an intimate, opulent meal, even though the restaurant holds two more seats than L’Atelier.
Lavish decor aside, the real draw of this two-sectioned classic French fine diner is the 16-course degustation menu ($498), overseen by executive chef Michael Michaelidis. Whetting the appetite are items like wild salmon tartare, spaghetti topped with a soft-boiled egg, sea urchin and Imperial caviar, and strawberries infused with tomato, lemon and fresh basil.
Also sure to set the Singaporean dining crowd scrambling (for both reservations and cameras) are the bread, cheese, dessert, ice cream and tea trolleys, as well as the extensive wine cellar that houses over 1,200 labels.