Place is oddly exceptional (7)
I believe the answer is:
special
'exceptional' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'place is oddly' is the wordplay.
'oddly' indicates anagramming the letters (letters in an odd order).
'place'+'is'='placeis'
'placeis' with letters rearranged gives 'SPECIAL'.
(Other definitions for special that I've seen before include "Distinct from and usually better" , "An addition to the standard menu" , "Day's non-menu dish" , "Particular, distinctive" , "Remarkable" .)