White Marble: Newly-opened Mediterranean restaurant serving cuisine from 21 countries

By happenstance of geography that produces some of the richest ingredients possible, and the ingenuity of its inhabitants, who crafted delectable dishes with primitive tools over millennia, Mediterranean cuisine has risen to be recognised as one of the healthiest diets in the world. White Marble at Orchard Hotel Rendezvous brings the finest of Mediterranean and North African food and drink to our shores in truly extravagant Otto Weibel style.

You are certainly not part of the Singapore gastronomy scene if you have not heard the name Otto Weibel before. Regarded as one of the anchors of the local fine dining landscape, Chef Otto has been creating exquisite dishes and mentoring the cream of Singaporean kitchen talent for decades. That pedigree shows at White Marble. 

True to the establishment’s name, the crisp, pristine lines and exquisitely restrained tones of its decor set the tone for magic to follow. And follow it does; the serene setting of the opulent restaurant is just a precursor to the scintillating food that follows. 

Chef Otto has managed to encapsulate the incredibly diverse range of flavours of the Mediterranean in select dishes that celebrate its wonderful tastes and textures. His personal creations, crafted during his extensive travels in the region, bring the aroma and character of the sun and sea to the Singaporean plate.

I was privileged to have the opportunity to sample a number of their dishes which really blew me away.

The evening started with the Octopus (S$36). This is a charcoal grilled Spanish octopus with garlic cream and crispy potato, finished with pistachio and chilli oil.

The Mezze Plate (S$34, serves two), loaded with tabbouleh with quinoa, fattouche, eggplant, moutabbal, hummus, chicken skewers and pita, is like the Mediterranean condensed into one platter. If you visit White Marble in a group, the Mezze Plate is ideal for sharing and goes well with snacks and drinks.

The Chicken Leg Bone in Tagine (S$60, serves two) is White Marble’s star dish, and was the highlight for me. This is a Moroccan dish cooked in a traditional earthen pot with a cone-shaped lid called a tagine. The cooking process seals in moisture and makes the chicken so tender that you don’t need a knife to cut through it. The accompanying gravy was no slouch, either.

Not spicy at all, it complemented the chicken amazingly well and was the perfect way to wet the curry leaf pilaf rice, too. I feel like I am gushing about this time but the rice was soft and well seasoned.

In purely presentation terms, the skewers are the clear winner. White Marble gives you the option of Seafood Skewer (S$38) with prawns, swordfish, and octopus, or Australian Lamb Skewer (S$48) of chermoula marinated lamb. 

The prawns on the Seafood platter were huge and prepared to perfection. The fish was soft and juicy, and the octopus was just heavenly. The quality of the meat on the lamb skewers was evident with each bite.

Dessert arrived in the form of Crema Catalana (S$16). Chef Otto chose not to use cream like creme brulee but substituted it with milk and cornstarch, making it lighter and more airy. Brilliant! It is peppered with little bits of freeze-dried tangerines that crackle on your tongue like rock candy. My, what a sensation! I swear, I will keep returning to White Marble as long as they have this dessert on the menu! 

The bar at White Marble has a very wide selection of wines, cocktails, and mocktails so you will find something to pair with each delicacy on the menu. The wine dispenser at the side of the bar definitely caught my eye— not something you see at many restaurants.

To say that I enjoyed myself at what was just a light preview of White Marble’s menu would be an understatement. 

With its enviable location facing Orchard Road, the restaurant will be a magnet for gatherings (especially as group sizes will be expanded to 10 from 29 March). When you run into me there in the coming months, remember to say ‘Hi”!

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