Immediately, the dry ageing room is what catches my eye. Suspended from hooks, whole carcasses of ducks, pigs, cows, and a massive 5-foot tuna bathe in a warm, golden glow. With a name like Butcher’s Block, you’d expect steak to dominate the menu. But Chef de Cuisine Jordan Keao repulses that idea. Butcher’s Block is meant to honour his Hawai’ian heritage, embodying a philosophy of respecting the land and nature's bounties through a zero-waste approach.
And he’s not exaggerating, nothing goes to waste here—not even the residual heat from the flames. In the open-concept kitchen, seemingly decorative slabs of duck and viney herbs dangling high above the open-fire stove are actually using the ambient heat to engage a slow cook that coaxes the deepest aromas out of the produce.
The meal begins with a series of appetisers—Beef Pipikaula, Yellowfin Tuna Poke, and the succulent Grilled Oyster with Lup Cheung. Don’t get me wrong; all accomplish their duties to awaken your palate, but what I really want to do is get into the part of the menu that excites me.
First up: Grilled Jeju Island Abalone. Pardon my ignorance, but as someone who’s always side-eyed my father for dropping 50 bucks on a rubbery, chewy piece of sea snail during Chinese New Year, Chef Jordan has completely enlightened me with his take on abalone. Abalone innards are infused in a risotto-like congee, paired with an airy scoop of potato koji (think of it as an Asian-style mashed potato) to create a warm, soulful bite that defies any chewy notions I previously had of abalones. The crispy rice and seaweeds scattered on top creates an intriguing textural interplay of crispy and gummy—all this culminates in my favourite bite of the meal.
It's no easy task following up a dish so excellent, but the Dry-aged Duck Huli Huli manages quite affably. The duck presents itself in three ways here: fire-roasted, shredded duck leg confit, and an aromatic Portuguese sausage. Each form underscores the culinary breadth of Butcher’s Block, and by extension, the range of Hawai’ian cuisine.
Similarly, the Blackmore Farms Wagyu Trio—the beef adjacent to the Dry-aged Duck Huli Huli—uses three method; grilling, smoking and ambient heat to prepare a trinity of cuts, arranged deliberately around the plate. Though they each differ in preparation, the restaurant’s signature wood-fired flavour unites them all. The smoky, oaky aroma lingering just long enough between each bite to tie beautifully onto the next.
For those searching for that extra oomph, an in-house sommelier is on hand to tailor a wine or Dom Pérignon pairing that will elevate your dining experience from great to truly indelible. Butcher’s Block’s Autumn/Winter IMUA dining experience will be available from now till 2 March 2025.
