Bochinche: Masterful charcoal-grilled steaks by a vibrant Argentinian steakhouse

From the folks behind Tiong Bahru Bakery, Tippling Club and Common Man Coffee Roasters comes another stunning restaurant that you absolutely cannot miss: Bochinche.

Nestled along Club Street, this vibrant restaurant dishes out spectacular Argentinian food ranging from top-notch charcoal-grilled steaks to addictive burrata, and of course, an impressive wine list featuring natural wines from all over the world.

Getting to Bochinche was relatively fuss-free, as it’s a mere 3-minute walk from Telok Ayer MRT. You’ll notice it from its eclectic exterior, featuring layered wooden slabs and a circular logo sporting its name. 

Bochinche’s first dining area adopted an open kitchen concept, where diners could sit at counters and watch the skilled chefs at work. This was also where the restaurant’s dry-aging fridge was located, and I eagerly peeked in and spotted slabs of in-house aged beef. 

Meanwhile, tucked away at the back of the restaurant is the main dining area. It’s an open and bright space that I absolutely loved, with several large windows lining a good portion of the room that let natural light stream through. You’ve got that quiet alfresco vibes, and for a second, I allowed myself to forget that I was in lively Club Street. 

What I tried at Bochinche

Our feast at Bochinche started off with several small bites. 

The Wagyu Katsu Ox Tongue (S$16) looked too pretty to eat, and featured delicate pieces of wagyu ox tongue that had been breaded and deep-fried katsu-style, and was served with heirloom tomato fondue, scallions, jalapeno, and cilantro vinaigrette.

The thin breading let out an audible crunch as I bit into my first piece. The wagyu ox tongue was delectably soft and slowly melted in my mouth like warm butter, leaving a mildly gamey taste in my mouth (after all, it is ox tongue). However, I could also taste hints of salt, which helped to accentuate the natural sweetness from the meat. 

I loved dipping it into the cilantro vinaigrette, as it provided that well-needed tangy and piquant touch that made this appetiser a real success.

Next, Bochinche served us a basket of bread consisting of Canasta De Pan Rye Sourdough, Pan De Queso and Bordier Butter (S$16).

Let me stop you before you think that this is just an average basket of bread. 

Served warm and crisp, each piece of sourdough bread was delightfully savoury without being overly tangy, and it paired perfectly with the lightly salted and silky Bordier Butter, which is French butter that’s said to be one of the best in the world.

Needless to say, my dining companions and I polished off every single piece of bread, not because we were hungry, but because it was undeniably delicious, especially when eaten with that silky French butter.

The appetisers were paired with a glass of organic rosé. This was Pares Balta’s Ros de Pacs 2019 (S$80 for a bottle), which was made in Penedes, Spain.

Fresh and fruity, the rosé was amazingly clean and bright, and went exceptionally well with the crisp sourdough bread and Wagyu Katsu Ox Tongue.

If there’s one thing that I’m returning to Bochinche for, it’s the Burrata (S$32). A hefty 300g chunk of creamy burrata sat on a plate and was accompanied by champagne vinegar, olive oil, smoked salt, chives, and little black truffle pearls.

We hadn’t even gotten to the main course yet, and we were already floored by how delicious this starter was. It rendered our entire table speechless, and there we were, three young adults wordlessly devouring this plate of glorious Burrata without stopping.

The Burrata was of an exceptionally high quality and provided that soft, milky flavour without being overly cheesy. It was pure richness, and this was creamy and smooth butteriness at its finest. The little truffle pearls, champagne vinegar, olive oil and smoked sea salt were the icing on the cake, adding subtle notes of aromatic umami saltiness to each bite of soft, smooth cheese.

I think I even dreamed of the Burrata that night. Trust me when I say that this is an absolute must order whenever you’re at Bochinche. I can’t recommend this enough.

We also had the opportunity to try Bochinche’s Hamachi & Cod Ceviche (S$28). Ceviche is a South American seafood appetiser consisting of raw fish cured in fresh citrus juices. 

Bochinche’s rendition of this popular dish came with a citrus-based marinade called leche de tigre, pineapple cubes, avocado, radish and crispy prawns.

The raw hamachi and cod had zero fishiness, and every cube of raw fish was tender and provided a nice bite. The pineapple added a well-needed brightness, and the acidity from the leche de tigre really helped to whet my appetite. 

The last starter that we got to try was the Galacian Octopus A La Braca (S$36). This dish was served on an oval-shaped wooden board, and thick chunks of grilled octopus sat on top of a truffle potato foam, cancha corn, and a sun-dried tomato medley.

I know it’s incredibly hard to cook octopus— it’s so easy to overcook, resulting in tough and chewy octopus. However, Bochinche’s Galacian Octopus A La Braca was cooked perfectly, which is a feat in itself considering how the octopus had been served in such large, square-like chunks. Have it together with the pillow-like truffle foam and you’ll have yourself a dish so good that you’ll be wishing you had this all to yourself.

As a white wine lover, I thoroughly enjoyed what our starters had been paired with— the La Linda High Vines Sauvignon Blanc 2018 (S$19 per glass, S$70 per bottle) from Luigi Bosca in Mendoza, Argentina.

This was a smooth and sweet Sauvignon Blanc, with a citrusy aroma that reminded me of overripe peach and honey. Every sip was super rich and pleasant, and you can bet I’ll be back for this.

Onto the highlight of the meal— the steaks. 

Bochinche offers carefully selected, grass-fed beef that has been imported directly from Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, USA and Japan. It’s aged in-house, typically for 35 to 38 days, before being grilled using wood and charcoal. 

We tried two steaks: Black Label (S$70), an Argentine ribeye that has been wet aged for three to four weeks, and Robin Island (S$160), Bochinche’s priciest steak featuring Australian bone-in striploin (MS7+) that has been dry aged for 28 days.

This was worth every dollar. While the Black Label ribeye wasn’t melt-in-your-mouth worthy, these were incredibly meaty pieces of beef, such that every slow bite resulted in the release of the beef’s natural savoury juices. I loved how this had been so skillfully cooked— the individual pieces of beef still remained soft and juicy, while the exterior had been expertly roasted.

In true Argentinian style, you can pair your beef with Bochinche Chimichurri (S$5), which is a condiment made with olive oil, chopped fresh parsley, oregano or cilantro, garlic and spices. The sauce was piquant, bright and acidic, and added a slick herbaceousness to each bite of meat.

Next, the star of the show— the Robin Island, a whopping 500g bone-in striploin which had been dry aged for 32 days. This steak has an incredibly high wagyu grade of MS7+!

This meat was unbelievably soft, flavourful and juicy. I could taste the natural sweetness of the beef and a subtle smokiness from its time on the wood and charcoal grill. To top it off, the thin crust was absolutely delightful and provided a roasted umami-like flavour to the already delicious beef. 

The striploin was so perfect on its own that it didn’t need to be paired with any sauces. Simply sprinkle a few flakes of sea salt to accentuate the natural juices from the beef, and you’re set.

Is it worth the S$160 price tag? As a budget-conscious Singaporean, I find myself pressed to say that it is. Perhaps I might consider splurging for this once-in-a-lifetime steak for the occasional anniversary or dinner, and only if I’m sharing this with a loved one.

To end off the feast, we had the Argentinian Doughnut (S$19). These are holeless doughnuts dusted with cinnamon and served with dulce de leche and vanilla ice cream.

These are heavenly, pillow-like doughnuts that were devoured the minute they were served. 

Eating this felt like I was being hugged on the outside and inside, as these bite-sized doughnuts were warm and fluffy. The sensation of biting into these toasty doughnuts, especially when dunked in the vanilla ice cream and dulce de leche sauce, which is a caramel-like milk jam, is one that I’ll never get sick of. 

What a wonderful ending to an amazingly delicious meal.

Final thoughts

You know it’s a good meal when you’re left utterly stuffed and speechless. That was the state that my dining companions and I were in after we were done polishing off our plates at Bochinche.

This was a seriously impressive meal that each of us will definitely be back for. It’s rare that a restaurant in Singapore would even produce such stellar steaks, let alone serve up perfectly executed side dishes and appetisers that could easily warrant a visit on their own.

Every dish at Bochinche was well thought out, and it shines through the presentation, freshness and quality of ingredients used, and ultimately, the taste and flavour. Topping it off was excellent service worthy of a fine dining experience.

Thank you, Bochinche, for being the highlight of my entire year. I’ll see you again soon, but until then, I guess the only way to relive that mind-blowing Burrata is through my dreams.

Expected damage: S$45 – S$150 per pax

* This article was brought to you in partnership with Bochinche.

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