Review

iODE, self-describes as neo-bistro, the relatively new trend of neighbourhood restaurants offering innovative cuisine, in a casual ambience. A recent opening, they have captured attention with a warm and inviting restaurant, open kitchen and creative French based cuisine. The kitchen is helmed by ever present chef and proprietor, Parisien Franck Le Bayon. The short a la carte menu is augmented with a stellar selection of freshly imported seafood including platters of Fines de Claire oysters, shrimps, mussels and scallops. Inventive dishes from the a la carte, include an appetiser of crunchy, but lusciously rich, potato dauphine with silky bearnaise and a golden fried grey shrimp croquette with a bisque cocktail sauce and bonito flakes. Mains include a stunning veal tartare with oyster, sour cream, mustard pickles and bottarga. Or a classic bavette flank steak with red wine shallot and anchovy sauce, a culinary triumph. For sharing, dry-aged sea bream sashimi with yuzu kosho vinaigrette is the headliner. To finish, the cheese platter is a super choice and desserts are equally must order, including an unctuous Brillat-Savarin burnt Basque cheesecake with strawberry plum jam or Asian pavlova with pineapple, coconut cream and Korean chili. The wine list, French heavy, offers ample choice to match the creative cuisine.