Restaurant Review: Braci Brings A Heartwarming Italian Spring To Boat Quay, Singapore

PUBLISHED June 14th, 2023 05:00 pm | UPDATED July 8th, 2023 01:07 am

Spring arrives at Braci, with the season’s colours, scents and flavours intertwined with Chef Matteo’s expression of memories and home. Located in a Boat Quay heritage shophouse, this one Michelin-star contemporary Italian restaurant takes you from the north of Italy and the Padan Plain to the Alpine Lakes and Dolomite Mountains in its refreshed degustation menu (from S$208++ per person), “A Journey through Embers” accented with flavours from wood and charcoal cooking.

A trio of delicate snacks starts us off on the gastronomic exploration of Northern Italian food cultures. Combining “noble and peasant” flavours, the Ricchi e Poveri an open cannolo made of potato is filled with a countryside favourite, pork trotter salad, topped with oscietra caviar. Carrying Chef Matteo’s memories of holidaying along the Ligurian Coast and his love for red raw prawns, Rosso su Rosso, the sweet crustacean is paired with crispy snow fungus and red capsicum sauce.

A twist on the classic vitello tonnato comes in Tonno Vitellato – a tartlet featuring bluefin tuna tartare glazed with veal jus and enhanced with alyssum flower for a subtle horseradish tint. The symphony of textures and flavours was a delightful start to the meal.

Things get more creative with a traditional North Italian appetiser, Carpione. Here, preserved fried fish is immersed in a white wine vinegar and vegetable solution for refreshing, tangy flavours. Although the fish is cooked, it almost has a delicate sashimi-like texture. The artistry continues with layers of cured kingfish, smoked eel, and black radish, arranged as a visually stunning rose, along with carpione jelly crafted from smoked eel broth and Amalfi lemon. This masterpiece is adorned with shiso flower and drizzled with marigold oil, elevating both the presentation and the palate.

Inspired by the popular childhood game, Chef presents Nascondino, translating to ‘hide and seek’ next. In this whimsical dish, charcoal-grilled firefly squid and seasonal white asparagus sit below a luscious blanket of white asparagus milk. The unexpected crunchiness of puffed quinoa added a delightful texture to the dish, while the bagna cauda, a traditional Piedmontese sauce made from smoked sardines, Cantabria anchovies and pink garlic elevated the playful dish with savoury and umami.

The tantalising Agnello Pasquale brings Easter lunch at Grandma’s home to the table. Chef’s artistry shines through the succulent charcoal-grilled maimoa lamb saddle takes centre stage, accompanied by a morel mushroom generously stuffed with pure dark chocolate. The dish is finished at the table with a rich jus, infused with lamb bones and a reduction of Giusti Vermouth (a 100 year-old balsamic vinegar from Modena). This artisanal vermouth crafted from a selection of fine wines and botanicals, including healing herbs and spices, adds a herbaceous and floral flavour and depth.

A selection of petit fours grace the table for dessert at Braci, including the iconic Italian dessert in the Tiramisu Tartlet. It features espresso ganache and marsala jelly, crowned with a charcoal-burned mascarpone marshmallow that blends tradition and innovation in a single bite.

However, the meal is incomplete according to Chef Matteo, whose father always says, “Your mouth is never tired until you taste a cow” (an Italian saying). He pays homage to his dad with the sweet and savoury Tuklin de Grana. Combining 12 months Grana Padano with white chocolate, this treat is accompanied by a swirl of the Braci-exclusive “Riserve” balsamic vinegar from Giusti, aged for over 100 years.

Chef Matteo shares a tradition rooted in Italian culture, where families mark the arrival of a newborn by making balsamic vinegar. The vinegar cask is left to age and presented to the child when he gets married. This cherished gift holds profound value and is even a fitting gift for royalty. And so, with the “taste of cow” and the valued balsamic vinegar, the meal is complete.

Braci is located at 52 Boat Quay, #05-01/ #06-01, Singapore 049841, p. +65 6866 1933. Open daily 12pm -2pm & 6pm-11pm. Five-course Signature Degustation is S$208, Seven-course Signature Degustation is S$258, available for both lunch and dinner.