Some of the side dishes available at Butcher Carey.
It would be a prime beef experience at Butcher Carey if you leave it in the hands of owner Yusof Dayan Iskandar Carey.
That’s exactly what we did, going with Yusof’s choice of Argentinian Ribeye and Australian Wagyu Picanha.
The smoking hot pan with the ribeye was carried out and placed on a wooden board to rest, followed by another pan with the picanha, the rump cap of MB9 Australian beef.
“There’s one muscle on top of the meat. When you order 300g, I have to cut it with the grain, but once on the board I have to cut it across the grain,” he explains.
In the hands of the expert, the medium rare picanha delivered delicious flavours with every chew.
“The picanha from Australia has become very popular. In South America, they put the picanha on the grill on very low heat until the fat melts and drips over the meat, making it even more flavourful,” he says.
Yusof believes he’s one of the first to offer picanha in Kuala Lumpur.
The chilled steaks can also be purchased raw to barbeque or grill at home.
We also revelled in the taste and texture of the Argentinian ribeye, one of richest, beefiest cuts; its distinctive flavour came from the fat as it was being grilled.
“I would also recommend the US ribeye, which is corn-fed and has a different texture and sweetness,” he adds.
All we needed with the two steaks were avocado salad with citrus dressing; corn salad with corn, lettuce, onions and tomatoes with vinaigrette dressing; sauteed mushrooms, broccoli and asparagus. A bowl of fries made it complete.
Other side dishes on the menu include fried onion rings, mashed potato, garlic bread, corn on cob and even a choice of French foie gras. There’s also the Beef Cups with strips of beef tenderloin and crunchy fried shallots and garlic on a lettuce, finished with sesame infused balsamic and chilli.
On a previous visit, I had the British Purebred Hereford ribeye that was hearty, juicy and robust. Once, Yusof saved a small piece of the best Japanese wagyu for us – the Tottori. It was unforgettably creamy, buttery and flavourful. It’s a notch above the Japanese Wagyu A5 which has the buttery texture, but less flavourful.
A board on the wall illustrates which part of the cow your steak comes from.
All the steaks are chilled beef: “I don’t deal in frozen meat,” says Yusof.
He recommends that it be done medium rare, or at the most, medium. He delivers the steak from the pan to the table, leaving it to rest, and returns to slice it in front of the diners. For a 500g steak, it would need to rest for five minutes.
“In the West they rest it for you, but Asians don’t like cold food. Resting also allows the meat to cook further inside.
“You can also take away raw steaks for your BBQ, but there is no way you can cook and have it taste like the way I do it. For steaks, you need a smoking hot pan and you don’t want your house to smoke!” he says.
When you dine in, Yusof will ask, “fat or no fat”? If “fat” is your answer, then he gives you a ribeye, “no fat” means a tenderloin.
If you love steak, you can be assured you’ll get the best meaty deal at Butcher Carey.
