Butcher Boy Singapore – Keong Saik’s Latest Asian-inspired Bar & Grill

Looking for a new hangout that offers great food, spirits and good vibes in Singapore? Look no further, Butcher Boy, an Asian-inspired bar & grill located along the buzzy Keong Saik dining stretch may just be what you are looking for. The second and latest venture by Chef-owner Andrew Walsh of Cure and Cure Concepts, this bar & grill’s key offerings, as its name suggest, are cuts of grilled meat specialties with Asian sauces, together with an array of Asian-centric cocktails, baos and buns, sharing plates, and yummy desserts.

Inspired by Walsh’s all-time-favourite novel and movie, The Butcher Boy, this latest dining concept is intended as a hideaway for you and your pals to escape from the bustle of the city life. Butcher Boy exudes a laid-back atmosphere for lazy weekend afternoons, and lively scene to chase the night on a high note. Strategically housed just a few doors down from Cure to facilitate post-dinner drinks and showcase a different experience between both of Walsh’s establishments, Butcher Boy is a creative dining space that is all about feeling good and having fun.

“My team and I have been exploring ideas for awhile now and we have always known that we wanted Butcher Boy to be fun and energetic, while retaining the ‘approachable dining’ element Cure is known for. Every part of the conceptualization was a team effort and I know all of us here share the same pride and excitement to see it coming to fruition”, says Andrew Walsh, Chef-Owner of Cure Concepts. “Our goal at Butcher Boy is simple; we just want our guests to enjoy themselves, take it easy over good food and drinks in a casual environment”, he adds.

The Butcher Boy – The Food

The food menu at Butcher Boy is largely influenced by Walsh’s travels around Asia, as well as his team mates Asian backgrounds. Conceptualized as an extension of Walsh and his team, Butcher Boy’s menu carries a selection of Asian-inspired plates and grilled items categorized into ‘Snacks’, ‘Small Plates’, ‘Bao, Bun, Banh Mi’, ‘Butcher Boy’, ‘Sides’, and ‘Sundaes & Sweets’.

To kick off the meal, you and your buddies can opt for the re-invented chips-and-dips staples from the ‘Small Plates’ section with the Salmon, Tartare, Ikura, Wasabi, Nachos ($20) for a satisfying crisp of umami,

or the Korean Steak, Tartare, Onion Kimchi ($24) for a spicy starter balanced with fresh endive palms and prawn crackers.

Also not to be missed is the Aubergine Satay, Green Mango, Coriander ($18) – a dish with succulently grilled aubergine served with a contrast of Thai-inspired salad and a bed of nutty satay sauce.

Signature to the venue, the ‘Butcher Boy’ section presents an assortment of meat options for the diners to sink their teeth into. Sous vide for 48 hours before charring over the Josper grill to smokey character, the Beef Short Rib ($33 for 180g) is a standout with its tender profile. Utilizing the same treatment to bring forth perfect textures, the Rib Eye ($42 for 250g) is the house special for steak lovers – best served with a generous slather of the house rendition of the XO sauce.

Other signature dishes to go for include the Butcher Boy Bacon & Cheese Burger, Fries ($28) for an indulgent chow of ground brisket and chopped wagyu,

and the Crispy Pork Belly ($32 for 200g); a salt-baked then grilled variant of the familiar roast pork belly in Chinese cooking.

Aligned with its Asian inspiration and to add an element of fun and experimentation, the Butcher Boy grilled meats come accompanied with a choice from five distinctly different Asian-influenced sauces – Sambal, Black Pepper, Vietnamese, XO Sauce, and Yuzu Bearnaise. Just as the section suggests, guests can pick their choice of accompaniments from the ‘Sides’ section with options including the Skinny Fries, Chilli, Togarashi Salt ($8) or salad options like the Burrata, Nashi Pear, Kale, Beetroot Slaw ($12) which features a mix of salt-baked and pickled beetroot, and Tomato, Tofu, Onion Dashi ($10) for a light palate refresher.

 

For the ones looking for the perfect companion for drinks, the ‘Snacks’ section carries two pairing bites with the Crispy Fish Skin, Nori Salt, Sesame Tahini ($6), a house favourite with a crunch.

Served in pairs for sharing, those with a preference for hearty and no-frills grubs can choose from the ‘Bao, Bun, Banh Mi’ section with highlights including the Fried Chicken, Yuzu Kewpie, Bao ($18) for the fried chicken cravings,

and the Warm Chili Crab, Fried Buns ($18) that presents an authentic take on the local favourite served with doughnut balls for dips.

Rounding off the dining experience, the ‘Sundaes & Sweets’ section is all about wrapping up the meal with ultimate decadence. Churned straight out of the in-house sundae machine, guests can dip their spoons into the Coconut, Thai Rice Pudding, Mango ($12) for an icy remake of the favourite Thai dessert,

or the Chocolate Textures, Salted Crackers, Matcha ($12) for an even more sinful slush reminiscent of the local favourite, Milo Dinosaur.

On Fridays and Saturdays, Butcher Boy is open for lunch with specials including the Hanger Steak, Side Salad, Fries ($28), Pork Belly, Tomato, Tofu ($32) and the NZ Lamb Rump, Burrata, Beetroot ($34) for a satisfying midday meal.

Primed to offer guests a different approach to house meat signatures and to amp up the breezy Sunday vibe, the Sunday Lunch presents a roast version of Roast Beef Short Rib ($36), Roast Pork Belly ($30) and Roast Market Fish ($29).

Best enjoyed with a house cocktail or a beer on hand, the roast items come served with roast potatoes, Asian greens, Yorkshire pudding, and black pepper or buns – all to perfectly satiate the lazy Sunday afternoons. For those itching for a grub and drink out before the beginning of a new week, Butcher Boy is also open on Sunday evenings.

The Butcher Boy – The Drinks 

Abiding by the Asian-inspired theme, the cocktail menu at Butcher Boy presents a bevy of classic cocktails re-invited with an Asian spin. Concocted by award-winning Bar Manager, Knut Randhem, the cocktail list is largely guided by familiar flavours referenced from his retrospect within the Asian region, as well as the food menu.

Boasting a menu that carries a balance of light and spirit-forward cocktails, guests can refresh with the Lychee and Fennel Punch ($18), featuring aged gin, house-infused fennel syrup, and preserved lychees for a fresh and savoury spin from the usual sweet lychee concoctions. Made for the light drinkers and for starting the night easy, the Plum Sloe Gin Fizz ($18) and House Bellini ($18) deliver unique renders of the classic Gin Fizz, and Bellini combinations.

A house signature with a whiff, the Smoking Carriage ($22) brings forward complex profile of smokey and syrupy with a mixture of Dictador 20 rum, salted caramel syrup, bitters and orange that is served in a smoke-densed wooden box. Another one for the hard drinkers, the Butcher Boy Negroni ($22) is a profound exploration of the classic with intense and sips of barrel aged rum, white whisky and plum grenadine.

Deliberately packed in a take-away bag, the Street Side Milk Punch ($18) is the nightcap of the menu with an unsuspecting knock-out of cachaça, Thai milk tea and salted caramel syrup.

Perfect for the enthusiastic drinkers and to stimulate the palate, the Butcher Boy Bloody Mary ($18) is a delicious “hangover cure” with a squash of fermented tomato juice, sesame infused vodka, pickle brine and a squeeze of citrus. Another sipper for the morning after, the Thai Basil Tini ($16) is an invigorating hit of basil, jalapeño infused Columbian gin, sake, lemon, finished off with sugar and soda.

Alongside the list of cocktails, the beverage menu also holds a selection of imported sakes, Japanese craft beers and wines for the straight-up drinkers.

*All indicated prices are subjected to prevailing local GST (7%) and service charge (10%).

The Butcher Boy – Space & Vibe

Designed as an oasis within the concrete jungle with a theme of “nature in the city”. Upon entry through the glass doors, guests are ushered into a dimly lit repose of sit-down tables and a charming main bar counter. Boasting a warm and classic interior scheme, the space is adorned with an amalgamation of walnut, brass and distressed leather to induce a sense of coziness. Perched along the raw, textured concrete walls to accentuate the relaxed ambiance, guests will notice a line of lamps and light box artworks depicting flora in Singapore by prominent Singaporean photographer, Robert Zhao.

Deeper into the back, the space is furnished with a dedicated DJ booth which will see a bi-weekly routine of local DJs dish out tracks across various genres to amp up the vibe. On regular nights, guests can expect an eclectic groove of tunes ranging from the old school 80s, hip-hop to the contemporary hits to keep the feet tapping through the night.

The Butcher Boy

Address: 31 Keong Saik Street, Singapore 089138 | Opening Hours: 5pm – 11pm (Mon – Sat), 12pm – 3pm (Fri & Sat), 12pm – 4pm & 5pm – 9.30pm (Sun) | Website: www.butcherboy.com.sg | Instagram: @butcheryboysg