Popular with the Primrose Hill set, Odettes rude staff and gaudy setting are rescued by great modern French fare.

The Venue
Located on Regents Park Road in Primrose Hill, Odettes is less than a ten minute brisk walk from Chalk Farm underground or Primrose Hill rail stations. The trendy location is complimented by leaf motif yellow and black signage, a theme that continues inside with Shaun Clarkson’s interior design of matching wallpaper, yellow chairs, jewel covered lampshades, and heavy drapes. The effect is totally gaudy - something of a backfired attempt at an ironic juxtapose to the monochrome plastics of so many other London venues, and you may want to avoid looking too closely at the swirly patterns in the wallpaper in case it puts you off your dinner.

The Atmosphere
With Head Chef Bryn Williams (famed for stints at Le Gavroche, Criterion and the Orrery, as well as cooking for the Queen’s 80th birthday) and General Manager Joseph McColgan (previously of Spiga and the Pigalle Club), London restaurant legend Vince Power’s latest venture has, on paper at least, put together a killer team, designed to attract the bohemian Primrose Hill set in their droves. Odettes is the place where Liam Gallagher once proposed to Patsy Kensit can now boast Jude Law and Kate Moss among its patrons, as well as plenty of young and trendy North London locals. Unfortunately, the waiting staff present an appalling display of arrogance, only keen to serve you if they recognise you and making the fact far too obvious.

The Food
Bryn Williams has come up with a French menu of unusual and modern combinations, some that work and some that don’t. Choose carefully at Odettes and you can enjoy exceptional fare.

The roasted scallops with ginger and pumpkin puree and toasted pumpkin seeds are a great introduction to the evening, though they’re pretty hefty for a starter. The sweet flavours are subtle, and don’t overpower the light scallops. The poached duck egg salad is less successful, served in a very small portion with a rather dry and salty pea shoot and mushroom salad. Starters cost £10-£18.

Main courses are all sizeable, with prices between £14 and £25. The pot roast partridge with salsify and Madeira jus is not too gamey, and cooked to a sweet and crispy perfection, while the pan fried turbot with cockles and oxtail is a perfect mix of surf and turf. Other dishes are rather more hit and miss – the tuna steak with cloves sounds like a combination only worth sampling if you’ve got toothache, and the onion and pumpkin gnocchi is so sweet it should be on the dessert menu!

The desserts are light offerings designed to perfectly complement the rather heavier main courses. They don’t come cheap with prices up to £9, but choices such as poached pears and salted caramel or coffee creme brulee with balsamic jelly are not too filling and are perfectly presented.

The Drink
The wine list is small but perfectly formed, with half a dozen white wines, five reds and a dozen Champagnes. With Dom Perignon for special occasions, there’s also great everyday choices such as the £22 Australian chardonnay, with creamy gooseberry overtones.

The Last Word
Odettes serves great food in patches, but you’ll have to contend with exceptionally rude service and headache-inducing decor to enjoy it.

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