The Butcher's Wife Restaurant, Tiong Bahru Singapore

We had dinner at The Butcher’s Wife restaurant at Yong Siak Street in Tiong Bahru, Singapore. It takes over the Open Door Policy (ODP) restaurant. We were told that the owners are the same but the name and concept of the restaurant had changed. The main change seems to be that the new restaurant serves a gluten-free menu. As for the name, we were given a description but all I can remember is that it had something to do with the lady boss. It has nothing to do with the movie of the same name (starring Demi Moore) was what we established.

The layout of The Butcher’s Wife Restaurant is the same as its predecessor’s. A long straight row of small tables along the narrow restaurant. The counter seats face the open kitchen where the chefs are in action. The wall finishes and upholstery had been updated but it looked very much like Open Door Policy but a bit more serious.

The Butcher’s Wife Restaurant Menu

The Butcher’s Wife Restaurant is a nice restaurant to pick if you are dining with an indecisive guest. The menu is simple and one can probably complete ordering in a minute. Here are pictures of The Butcher’s Wife Restaurant Menu and a page from the wine list.

We had the baked focaccia ($9) as a starter. This gluten-free bread was topped with some delicious tomatoes, onions and thyme. We do not eat gluten-free food often. What we can tell is that this bread tasted different. The texture was smoother and less fibrous than normal focaccia.

Our main courses were the Grilled Octopus ($29) and Cod ‘A La Plancha’ ($32).

The octopus arrived first and we were happy to have ordered it. It was a decent portion of octopus tentacle, cut into manageable chunks. The octopus was cooked till just right. The sauce, made with wonderful tasting things as described in the menu, was very well made.

The cod was presented with a few mussels on a bed of buckweed risotto. It was also a beautifully presented dish. But it was mostly enjoyment for the eyes. The fish itself was really salty. We sampled from different parts of the cod fillet but it was uniformly salty. We left most of it uneaten. The mussels and risotto were fine.