Oldest story in the book. Boy sommelier meets nice girl Brazilian chef, they shack up for eight months, and then the question is popped. “Let’s be together.” Drunken Farmer has set up shop at The Butcher’s Wife! And it’s a happy ending, not just for them, but for us all, because head chef Mariana Campos’s delicious gluten-free cuisine just pairs so beautifully with Bayo’s curation of natural wines.

Even though the phrase “gluten-free” often prompts its share of eye-rolling (guilty!), The Butcher’s Wife’s unpretentious good-for-the-gut grub is undeniably tasty. Take the much-lauded Blue Pea Flower Naan Sandwich for example. The suddenly-everywhere (and perhaps unnecessary) blue pea flower aside, Chef Campos’s delightful creation of fermented black beans falafel, green mango chilli sauce and lentils hummus was utterly satisfying, and made this omnivore forget about wanting meat for a moment.

The joy of having a gifted sommelier like Eduardo take you through the wines pairings are his against the grain, intuitive choices. Left to my own devices, I might’ve chosen a rosé or a white, but instead we had the Tète Red from Domaine Les Tètes, a delectably easy-drinking red that actually worked with most of the menu. On its own, a nice midday glou glou.

The vibe at TBW was a chilled sort of lively. Chef Mariana and Sommelier Eduardo have infectious upbeat vibes, clearly passionate about and enjoying their collaboration. It’s a great match.

The instantly ‘grammable Goat Cheese (below) was a lovely, commendable celebration of Singaporean produce – it’s made in-house with goat’s milk from Hay Dairies and served with raw honey from local apiary 13 Honey (didn’t even know we had one!). It had a light funk, and a texture that was closer to yoghurt than cheese. Go easy on the honey though; a little goes quite a long way. With it was Laurent Cazottes’s Adèle, made from the Mauzac Rose grape, an aromatic, floral white with notes of quince and pear.

As much as the non-meat dishes are standouts in an excellent menu (the baby corn with pecorino, smoked paprika & black garlic sauce is a highlight), the Wagyu Picanha (below), a cut very popular in Brazil, is also worth a mention. Australian beef, served beautifully rare on a bed of burnt cauliflower puree, with green papaya salsa & banana powder. How can you resist?

Here, eschew the “safe” choice of wine pairing. Sure, the Danjou-Banessy Espurna works unquestionably well, but allow Eduardo to surprise and delight your palate with something unexpected and take you a little further into the world of natural wines.

5 Bites 5 Wines

Oh, and make sure you keep an eye out for the always exciting 5 Bites 5 Wines dinners that only happen once a month (below). It’s a great avenue for the chef to explore and stretch her culinary imagination beyond the menu, so you sometimes get a wonderfully experimental Bite or a new-to-you wine to discover.

The Butcher’s Wife

19 Yong Siak Street, Singapore 168650

Closed on Mondays

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