The Fullerton Waterboat House – Aboard the Boathouse

Fancy dining on a boat? On this boat, you won’t get seasick.

Welcome to The Fullerton Waterboat House.

Photo by Benjamin Lyons

It is hard to miss this iconic building due to its eye-catching shape. Built in 1919, the Waterboat House was once occupied by the Port of Singapore Authorities to supply fresh water to ships anchored offshore. Today it is home to a few restaurants, including Boathouse, which serves modern European cuisine.

On invitation, we come by for a food-tasting session at this promising new restaurant. The dining area is small and cosy, perfect for an intimate meal. Being the history aficionados that we are, we find the old photographs of Singapore hanging on the walls, some which are browned with age, particularly intriguing.

Amuse-bouche

We start with the amuse-bouche: a shot of sweet fruity blend with a dash of mint. It is the first time we have something this refreshing to start a meal. While it tastes very good in the thirst-quenching sort of way, it does not do much in prepping the taste buds. I personally feel that this works better as a dessert to end the meal on a sweet note.

Fish chowder
SGD15++

You don’t see much here. But when the waitress first serves this dish, it is in the form of sea bass carpaccio. Then she skilfully pours the hot fish chowder from a pot around the carpaccio until it is fully cooked right before our eyes!

Tagliatelle wild mushroom
SGD19++

While the tagliatelle wild mushroom is also a signature dish, we’re not too wild about this pasta. The portion is ample, with assorted wild mushrooms tossed in truffle cream sauce. It will probably appeal to mushroom fans. But for us, the salty flavor is a tad monotonous and gets tiresome after a while. Give us a plate of Aglio Olio over this anytime!

Braised Wagyu beef ribs
SGD33++

What impresses is the braised beef ribs, soaked in a flavorsome aged red wine jus that complements the meat very well. The ribs are juicy, meaty and saucy, while the slices of poached pear on the side provide a nice reprieve.

White chocolate semifreddo
SGD15++

Our dessert arrives as a duo of white chocolate semifreddo and fruit compote. We are fans of white chocolate AND gelato, so it is easy to like this semi-frozen dessert. The fruit, not so much though.

While there are some hits and misses with this meal, the unique location of Boathouse is a clear winner.

Rooftop bar

The Boathouse operates a rooftop bar that goes by the name Prelude.

The bar opens only at night. At this prime location, you get a magnificent view of the river and the surrounding landmarks. Another place that offers an equally spectacular view is Forlino, the Italian restaurant across the road.

Have Your Say!

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Boathouse
The Fullerton Waterboat House
3 Fullerton Road #03-01
Singapore 049215
(65) 6538 9038 | Website | Menu
Service:

Bus services: 10, 57, 70, 75, 97, 100, 107, 10E, 128, 130, 131, 162, 167, 196, 700, 97E, NR2, NR5, NR7, NR8, 196E
Nearest MRT: Raffles Place

Opening hours: 12noon – 2pm, 6:30 – 11pm (Closed on Sundays)