Fancy dining on a boat? On this boat, you won’t get seasick.
Welcome to The Fullerton Waterboat House.
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.
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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.
S$15++
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A striking white bowl arrives with a morsel of sea bass carpaccio at the centrum; the hot chowder is then administered by the server, cooking the fish right before our eyes.
S$19++
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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 flavour is a tad monotonous and gets tiresome after a while. Give us a plate of Aglio Olio over this anytime!
S$33++
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What impresses is the braised beef ribs, soaked in a flavoursome 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.
S$15++
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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.
Where is the most unique place you have ever dined at? Share with us in the comments!
The Fullerton Waterboat House
3 Fullerton Road #03-01
Singapore 049215
Tel: +65 6538 9038 | Website
Service:
Opening hours:
Lunch – Monday to Friday, 12noon – 2pm
Dinner – Monday to Saturday, 6:30pm – 11pm
Brunch – Sunday, 11am – 3pm
Mar 31, 2010
137
Hey, I know this place! Walk past it all the time but don’t dare to venture in because the restaurants all seem obscenely expensive! The pasta looks delish though.
Apr 1, 2010
3472
That’s what I thought at first, but the prices at Boathouse restaurant are much lower than what I expected. Not to say it’s cheap, but certainly not scary expensive as I initially thought, especially for this one-of-a-kind location.
Apr 3, 2010
20
I think you are referring to the Saint Julien French Restaurant next door where oysters cost $14 EACH and a bowl of soup can easily come up to 40-50 dollars.
Apr 5, 2010
3472
Hope the food is worth the price!
Apr 15, 2010
19
Hmm..fish chowder. First time i’ve heard of this. Wonder if there’s a fishy smell
Apr 16, 2010
3472
Just a little but hardly detectable, otherwise I would have hated it!
Feb 19, 2011
1
Just went to the Boathouse with my bf on Mon to celebrate Valentine’s Day. We ordered their Valentine set dinner. But my bf had diarrhoea after taking their oysters and soup. I had diarrhoea after leaving the restaurant that night. Took MC the following day to see doctor when the diarrhoea continued. Doctor prescribed pills for my condition. Went back to work on Wed but still did not feel well. Went to see another doctor that night and was given antibiotics. Took MC on Thursday, finally felt better after taking the antibiotics. Just wondering is it got to do with the oysters that we ate at the Boathouse? Called the Manager (who claims that he is the boss as well) about this matter. He said that so far none of the other customers who took the same set dinner as us had complained about the oysters or food poisoning. In fact, we are (unfortunately) the first case to happen at the restaurant. Not going back there again. Unless they change their Manager-cum-Boss (whom I feel is not very sincere in looking into the matter even when he says that he will handle it personally).
May 25, 2011
1
Beasutiful pictures. I’m surprised at the price. It has this super upmarket feel. Was wondering if there was any dress code? I tend to go out in jeans and snickers but with a proper collared shirt. I wonder if that is an issue in this place
May 25, 2011
3472
Yes, the prices are very good for the upmarket Fullerton district :) Their dress code is smart casual, hence I’m not so sure about the jeans.
Mar 21, 2012
1
Is the food halal?
Mar 21, 2012
3472
No, it isn’t.