Epicure
Eye-catching interiors and exceptional avours tease the senses at these posh Singapore restaurants
La Dame De Pic
Opened in July at Raffles Singapore, La Dame de Pic conveys the old-world charm of its historic venue while bringing together elements inspired by Anne-sophie Pic’s culinary philosophy. The 46-seater restaurant is the first in Asia by the French chef, who is the thirdgeneration successor of a family of celebrated chefs—pic took over the reins of the family’s namesake restaurant in Valence, France, in 1997, which was first awarded three Michelin stars in 2007.
Housed within the main dining room of Raffles Singapore, the restaurant interiors are designed by New York-based studio Champalimaud Design; also the firm responsible for the hotel’s interior makeover. “We wanted an honesty to the design and for it to embody the same air of timelessness that’s found throughout Raffles Singapore,” says Edmond Bakos, managing director of the firm. “I like the overall feeling of the room; it’s chic, inviting, and unpretentious.”
Its pastel palette draws cues to the chef ’s favourite hues and is paired with furnishings in rounded proportions that echo the arched portals and French windows of the dining room. A mix of leather, wood, gold trimmings and floral accents completes its graceful look, while drawing attention to the peony bas-relief on the ceiling. The dinnerware is stamped with Pic’s name; these delicate plates are specially handmade for the restaurant by the artisans of Jars Céramistes, a ceramic brand from the south of France. The focal point of the space is a gold chandelier comprising discs with laser-cut spades. It references the name of the restaurant, which is a play on Pic’s last name—it means “queen of spades” in French. www.raffles.com/singapore
National Kitchen by Violet oon
“Violet Oon is a brand that’s been close to my heart,” says Cherin Tan, creative director of homegrown design studio Laank. She and her mum have long admired the doyenne of local and Peranakan cuisine, so it felt like a dream come true for Tan to design a series of restaurants for Violet Oon Singapore. The collaboration began with the original Bukit Timah location before she went on to work on the interior design of the new restaurants that followed at the National Gallery, ION Orchard, Clarke Quay and Jewel at Changi Airport.
“We wanted every little part of the restaurant to tell a story,” shares Tan. “The biggest challenge at the early stages for us, was defining what a Singaporean restaurant would look like. It had to be uniquely Singaporean yet recognisable internationally. Together with the clients, we started looking into Singapore’s local heritage.” While each restaurant has been individually designed to suit its unique concept, it also features recurring elements such as the Peranakan tiles and an emerald bar counter, which is inspired by Violet’s Chinese name, Swee Gek (which means “beautiful jade” in Chinese); green is also a shade closely aligned with the group’s Peranakan heritage.
Of the five restaurants, the National Kitchen by Violet Oon is perhaps the most striking, because of its historic location within the National Gallery. “National Kitchen is our favourite so far among all the other outlets,” quips Tan. www.violetoon.com
Odette
Contemporary French restaurant Odette hasn’t stopped snapping up accolades since earning two Michelin stars within a year of its opening. This year, it ranked 18th on the celebrated list by the World’s Best Restaurants Awards. Its acclaim is largely due to French chef Julien Royer’s “essential cuisine” approach, which sees seasonal, artisanal ingredients featuring in elegant dishes.
The work of London-based practice Universal design Studio, the restaurant’s interiors reflect Royer’s culinary style through the use of natural materials such as timber, pink terrazzo, and nickel and brass accents. Located in the historic National Gallery, the restaurant’s design also references classical colonial architecture in its mosaic-patterned floors and faceted columns.
The restaurant itself is filled with art, too. titled A Theory of Everything, this series of artworks by local artist dawn Ng draws inspiration from the raw ingredients utilised by Royer, deconstructing and rendering them into surreal objects. The series cumulates in a mobile centrepiece of oak, brass and paper that hangs from the ceiling. Finally, its light palette of pink, grey and white is a refreshing departure from the typical dark and staid fine-dining restaurant, while the velvet banquettes are comfortable yet sophisticated. A glassenclosed kitchen allows diners to watch the chefs at work. www.odetterestaurant.com
Restaurant Zén
“Residential-inspired design” may be a common term, but this restaurant takes that homely inspiration to heart, every step of the way. The dining experience starts at the door—from the ring of the restaurant’s doorbell to the gastronomic journey across all three floors of the shophouse building. Opened by celebrated Swedish chef and restaurateur Björn Frantzén in partnership with the Unlisted Collection, Restaurant Zén is the Singapore outpost of the three-michelin-starred Restaurant Frantzén in Stockholm, Sweden, and is designed by Joyn Studios Architects to reflect its Nordic roots.
Taking over the space formerly occupied by Restaurant André, the restaurant’s interiors reference its tasting menu, which pairs modern Nordic cuisine with Japanese-influenced elements. The journey starts at the handsome kitchen-styled lounge area at level one where guests enjoy light bites, before proceeding to the modern dining room on the second floor for the main course. The evening concludes at the “living room” on the third storey, where diners are served petit fours while lounging on cosy sofas.
Each section has been designed as individual rooms—the first floor is a handsome space furnished with leather upholstered seats and dark wood cabinetry, while the dining area on the second storey has a softer palette comprising light wood and rose-gold finishes. Much like a home, the dinnerware here feels as personal; these include the custom-made knives by Swedish manufacturers Morakniv, which feature shafts hand-painted by Swedish artist Pernilla Nordman. The resulting space conveys an elegant yet unfussy atmosphere that embodies the essence of that Scandinavian hygge (cosiness) and Nordic heritage. www.restaurantzen.com
Olivia Restaurant and lounge
Kesa House is a hotel and dining destination that fills 10 shophouses along the hip Keong Saik Road in Chinatown; a venue that also includes Olivia Restaurant and Lounge. Upon stepping into the establishment, however, you’ll feel as though you’ve been transported to a breezy home along the Mediterranean coast.
With chef Alain Devahive of El Bulli fame at the helm, Olivia Restaurant and Lounge offers quintessential Catalan cuisine; Barcelona-based design firm Lázaro Rosa-violán has infused the space with coastal charm. Much of the furniture—as well as the floor tiles—were flown in from Barcelona. Handpainted ceramics and sculptures grace the white exposed-brick walls, with an abstract blue art piece and leather seating bringing the ocean to mind. Other hand-painted designs along the bar area reference locales throughout Barcelona, and materials were selected for their ubiquity in Catalan terraces; such is firm’s attention to detail.
Wicker and wooden chairs, as well as linen and other natural fabrics, accentuate the seaside vibe. Diners can opt to sit at the counter for a casual bite, in a cosy booth for a more intimate meal, or at one of the round wooden tables. www.olivia.com.sg
Origin grill & BAR
A Work of Substance, a multi-disciplinary design studio with offices in Hong Kong, Paris and Stockholm, always ensures that its creations tell a story—and that much is true for Origin Grill & Bar at Shangri-la Hotel Singapore. Inspired by Singapore’s history as an important trading port as well as the nostalgia of steam-train travel, Origin is designed to resemble an upscale train station. The pre-existing arches grant the main dining room the appearance of a train platform, which are complemented with hand-stitched Tripolina leather chairs and hanging globe lamps. The bar area, meanwhile, is a handsome affair with the use of deep blue on the walls, upholstery and velvet curtains, as well as a kinetic wall sculpture next to the drinks cabinets.
The studio describes setting foot into the restaurant as a journey from ticket counter to platform to carriage. From crossing the copper-arched entrance to the bar, main dining room, and more intimate private dining areas, visitors witness a specific design narrative unfolding. Enjoy the ambience of the restaurant and its surroundings as much as the craft of Australian chef de cuisine Heidi Flanagan, who whips up sumptuous dishes created from quality meats and seafood sourced from Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. www.shangri-la.com/singapore
Whitegrass
It’s always a visual treat to walk through an interior designed by Takenouchi Webb, and this restaurant is no exception—the designers also consider this establishment as one of their favourite projects. Founded by husband-wife duo Marc Webb and Naoko Takenouchi, the practice’s holistic approach to design has resulted in unique and elegant spaces attentive to their context.
Located at Chijmes, the historic venue of this restaurant served as the starting point for the duo’s design process, while challenging the designers to work within the constraints of the heritage building. “When we researched the history of the site, we found that it was originally a residential property for a judge and we wanted to retain this domestic feel to the space,” shares Webb. “As this was a heritage building, there were also quite severe restrictions on what we could alter in the space; all the existing walls had to be retained and we were even restricted on the type of paint we could use.”
Conceptualised as a series of dining rooms, each with its own design scheme, this venue thus celebrates its classical architecture while drawing reference to the restaurant’s focus on fresh, seasonal produce. Its most unique space is the circular dining room, which features a radiating ceiling design inspired by the room’s striking shape. A soft palette of blush and emerald tones pays tribute to its nature-inspired design, with metallic trimmings adding an elegant sheen to the space. The studio also collaborated with homegrown talents—marine life and divers mingle on a colourful mural wall painted by Singapore artist Messymsxi. Various shelves in the restaurant also proudly display decorative vases by local ceramist Studio Asobi.
While the restaurant has since changed hands—it was originally led by Australian chef-owner Sam Aisbett—its interior has been kept largely intact through its continued relevance to its new culinary direction. Currently helmed by Japanese chef Takuya Yamashita, the restaurant’s five- and eight-course French-japanese degustation menu is crafted around the concept of “La cuisine naturelle”, which brings out the unique essence of each natural ingredient featured.
The Dempsey Cookhouse & Bar
Making waves as New York celebrity chef Jeangeorges Vongerichten’s first restaurant in Singapore, The Dempsey Cookhouse and Bar has earned just as many accolades for its lush interiors as it has for its menu, which comprises a range of dishes originating from the chef ’s 30-plus restaurants across the globe.
Although famed Italian designer Paola Navone spearheaded the interiors, Vongerichten employed his typical approach of being closely involved with all aspects of the restaurant—including architecture and design. Straddling the line between casual eatery and elevated fine-dine, the restaurant is located within a 19th-century heritage building at the Como Dempsey lifestyle and dining destination.
The interior design takes cues from the lush Dempsey Hill area. The airy, high-ceilinged space is filled with tropical touches, delicate filigree wicker chairs, and wavy flooring tiles that evoke a garden-like vibe. A horizontal garden of sorts even graces a beam above the bar. By night, a combination of oversized, geometric lantern-like lights and hanging lamps crafted from crystal pieces bathes the restaurant in a gentle glow. An open kitchen, where installations of pots and pans add interest to the decor, contributes another sensory layer to the experience. www.comodempsey.sg