For a restaurant named after the third oldest city in the world, you’d expect its cuisine to be deeply rooted in tradition. But that’s not the case for Matera. Helmed by chef Bjoern Alexander, the new fine dining establishment at The Fullerton Boat House prides itself on modern Italian dishes accented with Asian influences of Japanese and Chinese.
“Yes chef!” chimed the chorus of kitchen staff in unison as he signalled for the first dishes to be served. With clockwork precision, the canapes are presented, both brimming with Szechuan-inspired flavours. Mixed Kalamanta olives are lent a hot and spicy punch with a marinade of chilli, Szechuan pepper, garlic, and bay leaves. Meanwhile, the fried beef chips had us reaching for seconds thanks to its appetising spicy and sour notes. The latter was paired with a creamy dip made with anchovies to quell the heat.
Fresh from his most recent tenure at two Michelin-starred Octavium in Hong Kong, Bjoern’s new venture goes beyond simply fusing two different cuisines. It’s a reflection of his culinary career that has taken him all over the globe, from Germany to Shanghai, and now, Singapore. This sense of globalisation plays out especially well through the foie gras dish, which was marinated for three weeks with a secret concoction of miso, sweet sake, mirin, and Hokkaido brown sugar. The European delicacy is given a Japanese spin, resulting in an umami-laden dish that’s well balanced with Amalfi lemon jam and pepper to cut through the fatness.
Another standout dish is the gnocchi beef tendon, whose beauty lies in its simplicity. Beef tendon is skilfully cut into small pieces resembling the Italian pasta before being cooked in a rich chicken broth. Finished with parmesan and generous shavings of black truffle, the dish shines with a gelatinous texture and mouthfeel resembling that of braised pork belly.
Seafood lovers will appreciate the whole red prawn with prawn toast and XO sauce, a dish whose presentation alone is bound to draw gasps of excitement. Smoked for six minutes in either almond or lychee wood, the prawn itself bursts with the sweetness of its juice. Though when eaten together with the accompanying prawn toast—an ode to the classic dim sum dish, the dedicate flavours of the fresh prawn were overwhelmed.
Meanwhile, the French pigeon takes on a Cantonese twist with a rich jus brewed with star anise, chili, ginger, cardamom, and cinnamon. It was savoury and hearty, though nothing to write home about. We ended our meal on a sweet note with the Japanese melon, which delighted my taste buds with its honeyed, musky flavours. Served with limoncello jelly and tofu ice cream on the side, it was the perfect treat for a sweltering hot day.
In an F&B scene that’s teeming with Italian fine dining restaurants, Matera holds its own by staying true to chef Bjoern’s masterful fusion of distinct cultural flavours.
