With a location simply the best of Jumeirah, in its own stand-alone villa, and even a real, lively, French market, Odeon is the de facto French culinary representative of Dubai!

I mean, check out their “marketplace”!

And yes, of course there is a bakery on the premises – the Boulangerie – and naturally there are French conserves and jar products, but check this out:

A Poissonnerie section, stocked with the freshest seafood you can ever dream of!

So forget about the usual corner of “regional products”, Odeon is a real and true marketplace, and they have gone all out to bring the French market to Dubai – impressive.

The cheese section is not far… just past the roastery!

And the selection is amazing!

And so, in the heart of Jumeirah, two steps from the beach, Odeon presents a light French-style weekend brunch, À la Française – the striking villa is unmissable, and free parking is available in the private courtyard at the rear.

The ground floor is the marketplace and a quick-and-easy coffee and treat bar, if you’re on the run, Parisian style: café et croissant and go!

And from there a thoughtful elevator, or a few steps up the stairs, leads to the main dining area – a third rooftop floor looks over the town, blessed by the deep blue sky, and I can’t wait to find out what the good people at Odeon are planning up there for this cooler season!

Odeon embraces a typical modern French style in its decor and indeed approach to fine-dining – a little understated, especially in comparison to Dubai’s extravagant fake diamond and ice sculpture brunches, but give Odeon the chance, and the expertise in gastronomy will shine.

In fact, Weekend À la Française hits the sweet spot, where it counts.

First and foremost, the coffee is magnificent!

Not only is there a great selection, but it is considered included in the brunch with as many cups as you like – because, well, you are now in France, where the coffee is an essential part of life!

And the same generous hospitality is extended to an extensive selection of freshly baked delicacies – after all, you are dining above a boulangerie!

Each piece is a masterpiece on its own – see Odeon’s croissant, for example:

Look closer, and admire the perfect crispiness – I dipped mine straight into that luscious coffee, and just there I could have died and gone to heaven!

Same story for the other baked goodies – all traditional French, by the way – these are original creations that span back centuries of tradition – adapted and halal for UAE.

Clockwise from top left, a light and simple madeleine, a proud canelé (minus the rum), and a marvelous raspberry cookie

A complete breakfast emerges as you add your choice of egg dish, selecting from a concise menu of options.

In my case, Eggs Benedict, prepared to perfection, on smoked salmon, and accompanied by crunchy asparagus, a tomato gratin, and an elegant slice of potato dauphinoise.

Yes, it was just as delicious as it looks!

For the second dish – there’s more! – I regret not going for the crêpe, because I’m sure it would have been amazing.

But, there’s always next time!

Instead I went for the French cheese, inspired by the magnificent cheese counter at the market below.

All in all, Weekend À la Française brunch serves as an intriguing introduction of what Odeon can offer, both in the marketplace as well as à la carte dining for lunch and dinner – with its spectacular location and approach to excellent French food, Odeon presents a fresh and interesting way to start the weekend in Dubai.