The best French restaurants in Singapore, according to renowned chef Bruno Menard

With over 35 years of experience in the F&B industry, French chef Bruno Menard knows authentic French food better than anyone else

In a city where multicultural cuisines flourish, good food is never further than a stone’s throw away. But the plethora of options in a fast-paced environment can be overwhelming.

Take for example French cuisine, one of the most beloved cuisines in the world. In Singapore, there is no lack of French and French-inspired establishments, but where can we really find French cuisine?

For highly acclaimed French chef Bruno Menard, who is based in Singapore, the answer depends on which part of French culture you are hoping to experience.

“Oftentimes, French food is associated with being expensive. But there’s probably a reason why these restaurants are expensive,” says Menard, who earned three Michelin stars for L’Osier in Tokyo. “If you go to high-end restaurants like Odette and Les Amis, they are giving a level of service that matches the ranking they have, whether it is two or three stars.”

Above Wondering if a restaurant is truly French? Try the bread. (Photo: Facebook/Les Amis)

Wondering if a restaurant is truly French? Try the bread. (Photo: Facebook/Les Amis)

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But not all French is fine dining. There are also a number of French brasseries that the former MasterChef Singapore judge frequents for a taste of home.

When in doubt, the telling marker of an establishment that’s serious about French cooking is its bread. “Asian cuisine has rice, and French cuisine has bread,” Menard says. “The bread needs to be warm and crispy, or soft when it needs to be, and the butter needs to be delicious.”

“In a high-end restaurant, the selection of bread is very important because it is part of French culture. French culture is often represented with a baguette and a beret, so it is really something very important for French people. It goes in every meal: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even afternoon break. We make sandwiches with bread, cheese with bread, everything is bread, bread, bread!” he says with a laugh.

For Menard, an authentic French restaurant transports its guests to France, not just through impeccably executed dishes, but also ingredient curation, interior design, ambiance, and service. To do that, the owner and chef must truly understand the nuances of French cuisine, its culture, and traditions. Only French people can bring out the "French flair" in their cooking, he says.

“These five restaurants (in no particular order) are all very different, but they’ve all got that French flair,” he says.

1. Odette

Above Elegantly bright interior design is part of Odette's captivating appeal (Photo: Odette)

Elegantly bright interior design is part of Odette's captivating appeal (Photo: Odette)

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Three-Michelin-starred and sixth on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, Odette has been a Les Grandes Tables Du Monde restaurant since 2017. Born in Cantal, France, chef-owner Julien Royer famously prioritises the integrity of all components that make up a dish.

Named after Royer’s grandmother, Odette serves modern French cuisine with Asian influences, made with ingredients sourced from boutique producers in different parts of the world. The wine list, too, is meticulously researched to ensure a variety of top quality wines from some of the most highly-regarded producers.

Above (Photo: Facebook/Odette)

(Photo: Facebook/Odette)

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Menard’s favourite dishes here include the “Kampot Pepper Pigeon”, made with a specially chosen pigeon imported from Brittany, France. The bird is coated in Kampot pepper from Cambodia and served in various ways depending on the season. Past preparations include yakitori heart, liver parfait, confit leg, and pan-seared breast. Another signature, “Marukyo Uni” is often used to kickstart the gastronomical journey. Served with prawn tartare, mussel cloud, and Kristal caviar, it is presented in a spiky uni shell alongside a small cubed toast.

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2. Les Amis

Above Sebastien Lepinoy is the creative mind (and hands) behind three-Michelin-starred Les Amis (Photo: Facebook/Les Amis)

Above Caviar cold angel hair pasta at Les Amis (Photo: Facebook/Les Amis)

Sebastien Lepinoy is the creative mind (and hands) behind three-Michelin-starred Les Amis (Photo: Facebook/Les Amis)

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Singapore’s oldest independent fine dining restaurant, Les Amis has remained at the top for the past 29 years–and for good reason. For starters, Les Amis is known not just for its meticulous attention to service and food, but also for having one of Asia’s most impressive wine lists, with more than 1,800 wines to choose from. There is even a “Magnum Room” that pays tribute to the greatest French winemakers.

“For me, Odette and Les Amis are no-brainers. Because these represent the best of what Singapore can have in terms of French cuisine,” Menard says. “This is French cuisine, and French cuisine is Odette and Les Amis.”

Led by Sebastien Lepinoy, protégé and former right-hand man of the late Joël Robuchon, signature dishes include the blue lobster from Jersey Island, caviar cold angel hair pasta, caviar served on petals of Roseval potatoes, and the baba infused in aged rhum agricole & citrus.

3. Bar-Roque Grill

Above Menard loves the terrace seating area at Bar-Roque (Photo: Bar-Roque)

Menard loves the terrace seating area at Bar-Roque (Photo: Bar-Roque)

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Menard loves this French steakhouse at Amara Singapore for its “super French” ambience and menu. “This is a typical French brasserie. They have cold cuts and they do everything in-house, just like we are supposed to do,” he says.

Specialising in meat, the casual eatery is helmed by chef Stefan Istel, who consistently delivers high quality authentic specialties from his home country. Best picks on the menu include the charcuterie platter, tarte flambée with escargots, house dry-aged beef, and 200g wagyu burger.

“This is a place I love because the food is nice, the ambiance is outstanding, and they also have a terrace (which is not common in Singapore) and it’s very nice to eat outside,” Menard says. “The ambiance brings me back to France for all these reasons.”

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4. Brasserie Gavroche

Above Step right into Paris at Brasserie Gavroche (Photo: Facebook/Brasserie Gavroche)

Step right into Paris at Brasserie Gavroche (Photo: Facebook/Brasserie Gavroche)

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Modelled after the charming brasseries in Paris, Brasserie Gavroche on Tras Street is run by chef-owner Frederic Colin, who has taken extra care to ensure guests feel like they are dining in a traditional Parisian coffee shop.

Using recipes passed down from his chef grandfather, Colin’s repertoire of dishes include the baked pork terrine with duck liver, bone marrow on toasted sourdough bread with garlic confit, and pan-seared whole foie gras with apple compote. Special mention needs to be afforded to the French cheese trolley, which offers a beautiful selection of French cheeses.

“You push open the door, and you’re in France... This is a typical Parisian brasserie, from the way they place their napkins to the menu and wine selection,” Menard says. “They know what they’re doing, and people like it. I’m one of those people who like it very, very much.

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Above (Photo: Facebook/Brasserie Gavroche)

(Photo: Facebook/Brasserie Gavroche)

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5. Bar-A-Thym

Above Bar-A-Thym specialises in seafood and meat cooked a la plancha (Photo: Facebook/Bar-A-Thym)

Bar-A-Thym specialises in seafood and meat cooked a la plancha (Photo: Facebook/Bar-A-Thym)

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Located in Telok Ayer, this unpretentious eatery serves up simple and classic French fare, with a special focus on seafood and meat cooked a la plancha (high-temperature searing on a metal plate).

“Francois, the chef, brings French flavours and he knows how to cook French,” says Menard, who says he loves having a meal here.

Chef-owner François Mermilliod presents authentic traditional dishes from the south of France, where he is from. These include bouillabaisse made with fish and seafood, and cassoulet with Toulouse sausage and duck confit. Other gems include Mermilliod’s signature Morisseau Bouchot mussels cooked in a white wine tomato-cream sauce, foie gras “mi-cuit”, roasted tomato tarte tatin, and praliné Paris brest.