Butcher Boy

Butcher Boy is the new kid on the Singaporean block on Keong Saik Road, and it’s already winning top marks from the foodie set for its laid-back vibes, tasty Asian-inspired cocktails, and creative menu. Opened by Andy Walsh of Cure (which we’re also huge fans of and is just a few doors down), Butcher Boy takes the fusion route with dishes like Iberico pork belly with sambal, fried chicken bao, chili crab salad buns, and duck banh mi. The cocktails are just as inspired and make use of Asian ingredients like lychee, plum, and Thai milk tea.

Why you should come here:

We’re always on the hunt for places that rock both the vibes and food, and Butcher Boy nails it with dark, cosy interiors; think concrete walls, green leather couches, an island bar that, incidentally, would make a good perch for an easy-going date, and a DJ who throws down fun tunes throughout the evening. The food is on point, with meats grilled perfectly and sauces perked up with Asian herbs and spices, and there are serveral great options for vegetarians that are just as flavourful and filling as the carniverous plates.

What we love:

When we visited there were two of us eating so we only got to sample a few dishes, but of those we did try, pretty much all of them were delish. To start, the aubergine satayfeatured lusciously soft grilled aubergine with a Thai-style salad of green papaya and coriander and a tasty satay sauce, and the hamachi sashimi with soy and Tokyo turnip was light and refreshing.

For mains, the cauliflower steak is an excellent choice for vegetarians; we loved the unique flavour punch from the teriyaki sauce and burnt apple, and it comes with a side of cauliflower mash, making it a substantial dish that filled us up. For meat eaters you can’t go wrong with lamb rump paired with a choice of sauce ranging from miso brown butter and black pepper, to Vietnamese and yuzu bearnaise. We opted for the XO sauce; apparently a house favourite, and rightly so – it’s delicious.

There are so many other dishes that we still want to try, so we’ll definitely be back soon to put some more dents in the menu. There is also a Sunday roast menu that looks scrumptious with offerings like roast fish, pork belly, and beef short ribs and sides like burrata, nashi pear, kale and beetroot slaw and skinny fries with chili and togarashi salt.

UJ Tidbit:

Come a bit early if you can and try some of head bartender Knut Randhem’s imaginative boozy creations. We love the Sake Cooler with sake, cucumber, lemon, rosemary and soda, and the Street Side Milk Punch with cachaça, Thai milk tea and salted caramel syrup. It also stocks a great selection of Japanese craft beers, sakes, and wines from around the globe.

Damage:

About $70 a person with one or two drinks thrown in the mix.

Butcher Boy, 31 Keong Saik Road, t. 6221 6833. Open Mon – Sat: 5pm – 11pm, Fri – Sat: 12pm – 3pm,  Sun: 12pm – 9:30pm

Also featured in Best Dining at the Bar