Braci

Not being able to travel for 2 years means I have not been able to indulge myself in Michelin worthy fine-dining restaurants. After hearing about Braci from my friend, we decided to splurge and book dinner but our reservations were changed at least twice due to the change in dining restrictions last year. When we finally got a confirmed reservation in Sep, we were pretty excited to make sure the dinner happened

Hidden on the top 2 floors of a shophouse located along Boat Quay, Braci is not that easy to find as the lift to the restaurant is partially hidden behind a pillar. Look out for the floating balloon for the actual location or lookout for this small signboard on the pillar between an izakaya bar and a Korean barbeque

The dedicated lift lobby will bring you right up to level 5 where the restaurant is located. Owned by Michelin starred Chef Beppe De Vito who heads the Il Lido Group, Braci serves progressive Italian cuisine and cocktails by both Chef Beppe De Vito and Chef De Cuisine Matteo Ponti

The restaurant sits 20 with another open bar sitting 30 patrons. The main draw of the restaurant is the open kitchen concept which takes centerstage with the Josper oven and the Shichirin grill which is supposed to produce optimal results in cooking. The open food preparation island also means you get a full view of the chef’s preparation of your meal and allows interaction between patrons and the chefs

Our booking was for the last seating at 8pm for dinner and the moment we entered the restaurant, the server told us we booked the entire restaurant as we were the only diners at this timeslot. It was great to have the restaurant to ourselves but at the same time slightly intimidating as everyone’s eyes were on us. The setting at the restaurant was modern with simplistic lines but at the same time emanates a classy atmosphere

We went for the 7-course signature degustation at SGD 208, at the time of writing, I checked their menu online and the SGD 208 menu is now a 6-course menu and there is a new 8-course menu at SGD 258. The first 2 items on the menu are foie gras and Tagliolini which is payable and the &-course only starts from the Season’s menu which changes depending on the season you visit the restaurant. As we visited in September, the menu reflected the falls flavours

To save our wallet from further damage, we opted out of the wine pairing and went with beer and other beverages instead. Due to the high heat from the Josper oven, the temperature in the restaurant was kept at a constant high, which was enough for me to remove my jacket and depend on my sleeveless top. So one note is to dress light for Braci if you do not want to sweat inside your immaculate dress or coats

One of the key highlights of the dinner definitely goes to the bread which was served as the 2nd dish on the menu. We were very surprised to have Chef Beppe De Vito himself coming to our table to explain this particular bread to us. The Pane Toscano is a particularly large roundish loaf of bread that is traditionally cooked in the wood-fired ovens of Tuscany. The ones served at Braci were specifically made in Tuscanny and the dough was flown over to Braci daily and baked in house fresh before any menu bookings. To preserve the authenticity of speciality foods from a specific geographic origin, the bread was given status by EU law. Long story short, this is the best bread I have ever eaten. The crust is crispy and the bread was airy and crunchy. We tried to ask for a 2nd serving and even wanted to pay for it but due to the limited quantity, they rejected our request

The other dish that left an impression on me was this 100-year-old balsamic vinegar served with cherry gummies. The Giusti Balsamic Vinegar of Modena collection is the result of skills and experience handed down over four centuries by the Giusti family since 1605. The oldest balsamic vinegar brand in Italy, Giusti 100 is the most exclusive in the Giusti’s Reserve, extracted every year in limited quantities from the oldest casks. Retailing at 100 ml at Euro 580, it is extremely difficult to get a bottle of this vinegar. Enjoying just 2 drops of the vinegar with the gummy, you can taste the deep fermentation of the vinegar flavours elevating the sweet and sour notes of the gummy taking this dish to a totally different level. This was also the 2nd time the Chef came to our table to talk about the heritage of the vinegar

The other dishes came immediately after we cleared our plates with the servers introducing each and every dish and ingredient used in each dish patiently to us. There were so many dishes that I have lost touch with the names of each dish

Many of the dishes are presented in very delicate and beautiful plating with every single detail of the dish placed in precision. It is a great experience to be surprised by every dish brought to the table and to hear about the Chef’s inspiration behind each dish

We added 3 additional dish which is the sea urchin Tagliolini at SGD 32 and foie gras semifreddo at SGD 22 as well as a crab pasta for sharing

There was a choice for the meat which was pork or beef which were both cooked perfectly

There were a total of 5 different dishes for desserts and after-meal snacks which includes creme mousse, chocolate balls and cheese

When the final last 2 dishes were served, we were pretty stuffed and the last few dishes were pretty rushed as we were running quite late into the evening and the kitchen was closing. But throughout the meal, the servers were attentive and friendly

Overall, I enjoyed my meal although there were some dishes I loved more than others. From the delicateness of the meal, you can see the thoughts and efforts being put in by the Chef. I was also pleasantly surprised by the Chef visiting our table and explaining some of the key highlights of the meal. The price tag of the meal is indeed high and it is really difficult to get a table as reservations have to be put in 1 month in advance at least. However, I do feel it is worth the splurge for a special occasion or just a meal to reward yourself. I won’t be comparing them to other fine dining restaurants since the concept is all different

Address: 52 Boat Quay, #05-01/ #06-01, Singapore 049841

Operating hours:

Wednesday	12–1:30pm, 6–8pm, 8:30–10pm
Thursday	12–1:30pm, 6–8pm, 8:30–10pm
Friday	12–1:30pm, 6–8pm, 8:15–10pm
Saturday	12–2pm, 6–11:15pm
Sunday	Closed
Monday	6–8pm, 8:30–10pm
Tuesday	12–1:30pm, 6–10pm