DINING at Butcher’s Block was an easy option, even though I was drawn to the different cuts of beef and lamb on display at this gourmet meat market in Kuala Lumpur, and tempted to make purchases to take home.

I explored the offerings in the chillers – wagyu beef, Iberico lamb ribs, wagyu and lamb burger patties, chicken sausages, French duck breast, Spanish octopus and many more.

At this pork-free establishment, you can select your preferred meats and get the chef to cook them for you.

Our Spanish Iberico Lamb Ribs were chargrilled and served with mashed cauliflower and honey balsamic mushrooms. We also had the Chargrilled Wagyu Rib-eye MB 8 with asparagus, French beans, a beetroot-and-carrot coleslaw and hazelnuts.

The lamb ribs were lush, tender and naturally sweet, with none of that gamy smell that puts off some people. Such quality meat calls for nothing more than good salt – in this case, a French sea salt – and pepper.

Owner Jarrod Chek invited us to taste the lamb and beef with a little charcoal salt, and then Spanish Albea Blanca salt, which had gingery and smoky notes, and red wine salt. Each added a unique dimension to the meats.

The mashed cauliflower, with truffle oil, Parmesan, almonds and cashews, is a signature side. It was lovely; creamy and studded with bits of the vegetable. Otherwise, it could have passed off as mashed potato. This is perfect for those on the keto diet. The tartness from the honey balsamic mushrooms balanced out the richness of the lamb.

The Chargrilled Wagyu Rib-eye MB 8 (denoting a marble score of eight) was buttery and juicy, sending me straight to beef heaven.

I like how they do the vegetables here – fresh and sweet asparagus and French beans with Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes, hazelnuts and the beetroot-and-carrot slaw.

Our starter of Baked Portobello Mushroom, with tomato concasse and covered with melty cheeses, namely Emmental and mozzarella, was delicious.

The Chargrilled Spanish Octopus came with two dips: wasabi with Japanese pickles, and tomato salsa. The octopus, on its own, made for meaty, delectable bites, but the wasabi dip gave a great pungent kick.

The desserts of the day were the Burnt Cheesecake and Orange Carrot Cake. The cheesecake could be creamier and less dense, but the orange cake was just nice, moist and lightly sweet.

If you wish to dine in, there is a RM10 cooking charge on top of meat purchases.

The lamb ribs were RM112 for 300g, wagyu rib-eye (RM200 for 200g), Portobello mushroom (RM18) and octopus (RM50).

There is a good selection of wines, costing slightly above retail prices. If you buy bottles to take home, there is a 20% discount.

Butcher’s Block features a traditional Sunday roast with chicken or beef, Yorkshire pudding, braised vegetables and roast potatoes with rosemary gravy.

Free delivery to Damansara Heights, Mont Kiara and Bangsar is provided for purchases of RM250 and above. The establishment also offers the dry-ageing of beef, from 30 to 45 days.

The outlet is open from 11am to 10pm on weekdays, and 10am to 10pm on weekends. It is located at 124, Jalan Kasah in Medan Damansara, Damansara Heights, Kuala Lumpur, and can be reached at 03-2011-7373. – October 26, 2019.

* Eu Hooi-Khaw has been writing about food for the longest time, covering all aspects, from restaurant reviews to cooking and recipes, as well as the healthy side of it. She has written for major newspapers and magazines, published the cookbook Fresh Ingredients, and also writes for her website hooikhawandsu.com.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.