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.
There is one sentiment shared by everyone who dines at COTE. It is also likely the main motivation to convert from diner to repeat customer. To keep you in suspense, let’s first acknowledge the many accolades driving the hype.
Not only does the restaurant hail from New York as “America’s first Korean Steakhouse”, and notches several James Beard Award nominations under its belt. Not only has it earned a Michelin star each year since opening—literally the only Korean Steakhouse in the world to do so thus far. Not only all of that, but the one that opened here early this year marks the brand’s very first international outpost.
Apart from immediately thinking, damn this place must be really good, let’s also add the fact that Singapore is no stranger to K-BBQs. Whether we’ve tried the crème along Tanjong Pagar or authentic establishments in the country of origin, it’s safe to say we have decent standards in this arena.
At the heart of COTE’s menu are two key tasting experiences. The Butcher’s Feast features four select cuts of USDA Prime and Australian Wagyu with Korean accompaniments, while the 10-course Steak Omakase explores a grand tour of Japanese A5 Wagyu and Petrossian Tsar Imperial Daurenki Caviar.
We’ll simplify this review: Each of the four cuts in Butcher’s Feast did not disappoint. There’s no need for fancy words when the quality of beef and sides speak for themselves.
And then there are interesting dishes like Korean ‘bacon’ (house-smoked heritage pork belly), or even outlet-exclusive Korean Beef ‘Bakkuteh’ (a local spin using prime beef short rib). Still, it’s the Butcher’s Feast that gives you the best value for your money. At SGD98 per pax, it’s a steal for the entirety of your encounter.
Maybe it’s that all the meats are seasoned with a proprietary blend of British Maldon salt, Celtic sea salt, and Korean thousand-day-aged sea salt. Or that the included wines derive from over 600 selections spanning biodynamic, sustainable, vintage depth from both classic wineries and rare blue-chip producers.
The ambience of Millim Bar that greets you on arrival certainly plays a part. Setting the tone with its jazzy interior and pre-dinner drinks, it’s also where you’ll find the dramatic display of cuts dry-aged in-house for a minimum of 45 days. This extends to the dark, elegant Main Dining Hall designed by Modellus Novus with elements of wood and subtle gold.
Tables are inlaid with bespoke smokeless charcoal grills, but the nod to the OG vents mimicked by the overhead lighting is a cute touch. There are, of course, Private Dining Rooms as well as other Ventertainment spaces in the pipeline that will complete an immersive journey. And don’t get us started on service. For now though, what’s already serving awaits to surpass your expectations.
COTE is located at COMO Orchard Level 3, Singapore 229922.
