Braseiro @ Joo Chiat

If any place in Singapore that does not resemble Singapore, it has to be Joo Chiat. It has a SOHO, bohemian vibe to the place with its multi-national eateries and laid back feel.

Braseiro is old French for Brasserie and Portuguese for hearth fire. I guess it’s a play of words for Frenchman Restauranteur/Chef Alexandre Pini when he opened this nice, little French steak frites place in Joo Chiat. You have to look hard for the sign of the restaurant, and the signboard is only a bunch of hashtags.

Chef Alex studied engineering in France, but gave his degree to his parents after he graduated with a Master’s and started travelling the world. He settled 10 years ago in Singapore at age of 25 and started Braseiro without any prior experience in F&B. I have to give to him, for his guts and tenacity. I love to eat and do some occasional cooking, but I would not quit my full-time job and open a restaurant anytime soon.

The ambience of Braseiro is cosy and casual, and exudes a certain charm for a neighbourhood restaurant. If you are a PSG fan, this would be the regular gathering place for them, so on match nights the energy level of the place will be up several notches. Thankfully, all that happens upstairs, the ground floor is still good for a quiet meal.

I settled in an order a set for the three of us. And instead of a red wine (which nothing came to fancy), I ordered this unique Corsican beer. To quote the informative label, “Colomba is a traditional white beer brewed from barley and wheat. Columba forges its perfume and aromas with herbs from the “Maquis”, the famous Corsican scrubland, during the boiling of the wort.” Too floral for me, Princess loved it though.

And like any steak frites place, you get unlimited homemade French fries and house salad if you order any frame-grilled meat.

Soupe À L’onion (French Onion Soup)

The French onion soup was not presented in the usual format which featured a melted cheese crust. Instead, the cheese (tasted like Provolone, definitely not Gruyere) was melted on the slices of baguettes, and floated on the soup. I guess that way it cuts down on the amount of effort for cleaning burnt cheese on ceramic. BTW, this presentation does not alter the authenticity of the soup in any fashion.

Burrata (125G Italian Burrata, Cherry Tomatoes, Fried Onions, Green Pesto & Balsamic Cream)

Princess and I love burrata cheese, especially if they are freshly made. I wasn’t sure if it was made in house, but I guessed it was commercially sourced. Good presentation with the balsamic vinegar glaze across the halved cherry tomatoes and basil pesto dressing.

If there was one miss in the evening, this was it. The burrata was quite dried out, not the creamy ones that I came to love in many other restaurants. The pesto tried to rescue it, but the main star was not shining through.

Tartare De Bœuf (Fresh Raw Ribeye Beef Traditionally Cut With Knife, Seasoned Like In Paris)

I was sold the moment it said it was hand-cut beef tartare. A good beef tartare has to be hand-cut so that texture of the beef can be enjoyed thoroughly. It came already blended with chopped onions, capers, bits of English parsley (which three Princess off), salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. I am pretty sure a raw egg was among the ingredients. Loved it.

Merguez D’agneau (Flame-Grilled Spicy Lamb Sausage 3X100G)

When the menu says free-flow fries, it is really generous with it as it is served in a big heap for every main course. The hand-cut fries are very fresh, soft and also very tasty. You can also request for chilli or mayonnaise to go along. The lamb sausages were really succulent and delicious, my favourite grilled meat for the evening,

Entrecôte (Flame-Grilled 300G Ribeye Steak)

Entrecôte is a French term for a steak cut from the rib area, specifically between the ribs. It’s essentially a boneless ribeye steak, known for its tenderness and flavour. It’s considered a premium cut.

The steak was pretty decent, and was cooked perfectly the French standard medium rare, which is still pretty bloody in the middle. It wasn’t the beef I was used to as it did not have the marbling of wagyu or USDA prime. For what it was priced, it was still a very good steak. What I felt it needed was some kind of sauce or a good glaze of flavoured butter.

Café Gourmand (Tiramisu, Half Lava Cake, Vanilla Ice Cream & Any Coffee)

Why have one when you can have a tasting portion of three desserts. Café Gourmand came with a slice of tiramisu, half a chocolate lava cake with a molten middle that oozed out onto a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a bed of cookie crumple. And it came with a cup of coffee (Nespresso Dolce, so you can have anything) or tea. The only thing not on the platter was their creme brûlée, but the selection was already a nice, sweet ending to a very filling dinner.

A charming slice of France in Joo Chiat. Braseiro seems relatively under the radar when it comes to steak frites in Singapore and that makes up part of its charm. Head here for a cosy and affordable steak meal, and the service is very hospitable too. Reservation is highly recommended especially for the weekend as it fills up very quickly. Parking is a pain here, and public transport is not good too. That’s pretty much sums up dining in Joo Chiat.

Braseiro Restaurant Grill
333 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427588
Tel : +65 9116 3304 (Reservations)

Visited Apr 2025