Brasero (Joo Chiat)

Brasero is a French steakhouse in a two-storey corner shophouse at 333 Joo Chiat Road. The idea is simple: meat cooked over a fire, with as many house-made fries and as much lettuce as you can eat. The restaurant was earlier known as Braseiro.

It was founded by Alexandre Pini, a Frenchman who started it at the age of 25, and it has been on Joo Chiat Road for more than ten years. A second branch has since opened on Thomson Road in Novena. The food stays close to a classic French bistro, with steak and fries at the centre.

What to order

Most people come for the entrecôte, a ribeye steak cooked on the grill. The fries and lettuce keep coming for as long as you want them. The ribeye comes in larger sizes for big appetites, and there is beef tenderloin too.

If you want something other than steak, the grill also turns out beef skewers, half a roast chicken, duck breast and lamb merguez sausages. There is beef tartare too. Burgers include a raclette burger, and a mixed grill platter called the planche des copains is made for sharing.

Starters lean French, with onion soup, escargots, burrata with tomatoes and a whole roasted camembert. For dessert, try the crème brûlée, the chocolate lava cake or the house tiramisu. A café gourmand, which is coffee served with small sweets, is a good light finish.

There is a drinks menu too, if you would like something with your steak.

The setting

The room feels casual and cosy, a bit like a small Paris bistro. There are tables on both floors of the shophouse, and the upper floor gets plenty of natural light. It suits a relaxed dinner with friends or a family meal.

Joo Chiat is a heritage district known for its rows of colourful shophouses, so it is worth arriving early for a walk.

Good to know before you go

• Booking: reserve online through the official website, or call the restaurant.
• Children: there is a children's menu.
• Value: Brasero has a name for good-value steak, and the free fries make it a filling meal.
• Dietary needs: the menu centres on meat. Vegetarians should check the options when booking.
• Delivery: the restaurant also takes online orders for delivery.

Nearby

Joo Chiat Road has plenty more places to eat. La Bottega Enoteca, an Italian pizzeria, is just along the same road. Smokey's BBQ on Joo Chiat Place serves American barbecue. After dinner, stroll past the pastel Koon Seng Road shophouses.

For a night in the area, Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong is in the same neighbourhood. See more steakhouses and grills, all restaurants in Katong and Joo Chiat, or our Katong and Joo Chiat guide.