Progressive Italian grill cuisine and refined cocktails at petite open-kitchen restaurant & rooftop bar
October 20th, 2016
Occupying an intimately proportioned double level space atop a refurbished heritage shophouse, Braci restaurant and rooftop bar was launched in September by the upscale Il Lido restaurant group. Elevated above the bustling Boat Quay riverfront promenade, Braci introduces a casual luxe style of dining and rooftop bar experience to the popular inner-city destination. At the restaurant level, modern Italian grill cuisine is cooked and served in close proximity to diners, while on the upper level, the petite cocktail bar and open-air terrace entice with panoramic views and masterful renditions of reinterpreted classic cocktails. As with its sibling Boat Quay rooftop bar – Southbridge – Braci targets a discerning clientele with its polished yet unpretentious service, together with accomplished cooking and mixology.
Design Taking its name from the Italian word for embers, the Braci interior exudes an understated elegance with its contemporary decor in tones of pastel grey, timber-panelled walls, and grey marble island cooking station – accented with colourful suspended ceiling lamps. Anchoring the space, the gleaming stainless steel open kitchen showcases the prerequisite Josper wood-fired oven and shichirin open grill, while a handful of small tables are placed along one wall and the window frontage. At the rooftop, slatted timber benches span each side of the compact terrace, while an overhead awning offers protection from inclement weather.
Cuisine Chef-owner Beppe de Vitto has created a concise a la carte menu representing his progressive interpretations of a modern Italian grill cuisine – and personally heads up the culinary team at Braci. At the forefront of his cooking are grilled and roasted dishes from the Josper oven, with standout dishes including the one-kilogram Piedmontese Beef Rib Steak, and the oven-crisped skin of the dry-aged Duck Breast. A 5-course omakase-style Surprise Menu (S$100++) presents the chefs’ daily selections from the a la carte menu and showcases the full repertoire of Braci.
Cocktails At the petite rooftop bar, the cocktail list features selections of modern classics and originals created with a progressive melding of culinary and bartending techniques. Premium spirits and liqueurs are blended with top quality seasonal ingredients to create refined flavour profiles, well-balanced and with agreeable complexity. Must-try cocktails include the G&Tea – with 3 different gins blended with ginger tea to create a refreshing take on the classic G&T; and the Tiramasu recreates the popular dessert with a combination of orange & vanilla infused vodka, Mozart Chocolate liqueur, Frangelico, and homemade coffee liqueur.
Open Monday to Saturday for dinner, Braci serves a la carte or 5-course Degustation menus, complemented with a selection of organic and biodynamic wines, while at the rooftop cocktail bar drinks are served from 5pm. With very limited seating – table reservations for both the bar and restaurant are recommended.
Braci Design
Braci Cuisine
Braci Cocktails
(Food images credit Braci)
