There is no shortage of new and experimental dishes to try in the culinary kaleidoscope that is Guangzhou. However, the craving for something old school occasionally hits, and every meat-eater has probably wistfully uttered the words, “I just want a really good steak.”
Steakhouses in Guangzhou already serve up some delicious meat, but with the arrival of the Butcher’s Block, the stakes have been upped. Owned and operated by the Shenzhen-based McCawley’s group, meat is taken very seriously here — starting with the butchering.
The owners have opened their own meat factory, employing a master butcher from New Zealand and a small goods maker from Germany. Starting with large whole portions (such as a shoulder), all butchering and preparation is done in-house, from smoking streaky bacon to making sausages.
Once in the kitchen, the meat is grilled in a specialized Josper charcoal oven. Imported from Spain, the oven grills and roasts at high operating temperatures, adding the flavor of the embers and sealing in extra juiciness.
The design of the Butcher’s Block is a throwback to the steakhouses of yore: leather, dark wood and some heavy-duty silverware on the tables. It is simple, elegant and doesn’t detract from the deliciousness of the main event.
Start things off nicely with a delicate, crispy blue cheese and pear salad (RMB68) and a generous helping of grilled butcher’s sausages (RMB48). The homemade factor is immediately evident: the sausages are savory, chewy and juicy, with just a little bit of golden crispiness to the skin.
Ordering steak is done in the traditional way: choose your cut, sauce and how rare you want it cooked. Sides are ordered separately. Seven condiments are available, from the typical black pepper or blue cheese to the more unusual, like chimichurri or caramelized ginger barbecue. If you want to go for gold, choose the beef tenderloin, available in 200 or 400-ounce cuts (RMB145/245). Paired with garlic herb mashed potato (RMB48) and grilled asparagus (RMB58), this is an outstanding example of what steak can taste like when handled with expertise and care.
Cow isn’t the only thing on the menu, however. Char-grilled chicken breast on vegetable ragout (RMB98) is plump and succulent, every bite eliciting an unconscious sigh of satisfaction. Even the grilled sweet peppers in the ragout are infused with a rich, unexpected smokiness. There is something exceptional about the flavors imparted to all the meat and vegetables which we can only attribute to the Josper oven.
This was one of the most memorable meals we’ve had in Guangzhou in quite a while. Even after our stomachs were full, we continued eating until every last bite was gone – and then discovered that the restaurant has rotating weekly desserts. Would we like to try the corn cake with caramel sauce and apple chutney (RMB28) or some chocolate espresso pot de crème (RMB28)? Oh, alright then...
// 16 Huacheng Dadao, Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe District, Guangzhou 广州市天河区珠江新城花城大道16号 (020-3801 7000)
0 User Comments