Cheese, cheese, and more cheese. That’s the situation at The Mast’ of Mozzarella & Co, which has just opened its doors at Frasers Tower, its first Southeast Asian branch. From Rome to Singapore, the concept combines an osteria, retail area, and cheese production lab, the latter of which is housed in a glass corner for patrons and passers-by to watch the process of curd turning into cheese, then stretched and shaped by hand right in front of them.
“The Mast” means “cheese master” in a Southern Italian dialect, and the three-year-old brand bills itself as the only place on the island to produce its own mozzarella, burrata, and stracciatella in the restaurant daily. The machine can apparently churn out 6kg of cheese in about 15 minutes, we’re told. Naturally, the owners import pretty much everything here from their home country — from the cheese curds and the bread to the tableware and the furnishings.
Granted, you can easily pick up some mozzarella at any supermarket in town, or have burrata at any Italian joint for a high price. But what sets The Mast apart is its passion for its products and its attention to detail — apparently they strictly abide by serving mozzarella at an “optimum temperature” of about 15°C to 16°C, for maximum freshness.
With indoor and outdoor seating, the rustic restaurant serves pastas, pizzas, pastries, and meats whipped up by a Puglia-born chef formerly from Pete’s Place.
Breakfast starts with croissants ($4) and pastries like sfogliatella ($2.50), filled with ricotta, alongside savories such as crostone ($14), with burrata, rucola and a splash of extra virgin olive oil on warm bread.
Lunch offers set meals of pastas, salads, and desserts for those with only an hour to spare, while dinner is a relaxing affair away from the rush of the CBD. But no matter the time, its house-made mozzarella, burrata, and stracciatella are always available for takeaway in 125g portions (from $16).
This being a cheese-centric spot, the dairy product takes the limelight in almost all the dishes. To nibble on a variety of buffalo milk cheeses, order the Tris Di Bufala ($28) for a trio of burrata, mozzarella, and flavored burrata (essentially the cheese stuffed with anything from pesto to truffle) served with bread. Each bite is fresh, creamy, smooth, and so worth the price tag.
Other highlights include the Mozzarella e Prosciutto ($20), a mix of mozzarella, 24-month aged parma ham, tomato confit, and greens; a selection of Crostini ($12-$16) topped with stracciatella; and Salmone Scozzese e Zucchine ($18-$22) with buffalo mozzarella, smoked salmon, and zucchini.
To complement all that milky goodness, you’ve got platters of cold cuts and grilled vegetables (from $18) and salads (from $16) to munch on. For something a little heartier, the burgers ($22) all come sandwiched with cheeses, while the selection of pinse (Roman flat pizza bread, from $8) is available in options like black truffle, anchovies with capers, and smoked salmon with zucchini.
End off with sugary treats like tiramisu ($12), chocolate lava cake ($14), and white chocolate soufflé ($14), or go for liquid calories with sips of crema limoncello ($10).
FIND IT:
The Mast’ of Mozzarella & Co. is at #01-05/08 Frasers Tower, 182 Cecil St.
6513-8010. Mon-Fri 8am-10pm, Sat 10am-10pm.
MRT: Tanjong Pagar
