The Coconut Club Beach Road — Restaurant in Singapore

Tucked amongst the many now closed bars and clubs of Ann Siang Hill is The Coconut Club. This restaurant specialises in Nasi Lemak and is a current recipient of the Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore Award.

The staff here are really friendly and they treat every guest like family. Definitely plenty of positive vibes on entry.

Started the meal with Gado Gado, an Indonesian salad of Fried tempeh, shredded cabbage, french beans, baby potatoes, quail eggs, peanut sauce. Loved the crunch of the belinjau and the tempeh in the dish. Sadly, the dish was a tad bland and even the peanut sauce could not enhance the dish.

The Otah next arrived. Was looking forward to some quality Otah but alas, the texture was more like biting into a fishball. It did not have the soft mousse-like texture. Also, the flavours were a little too light to make any impact on the dish.

When the Nasi Lemak dish arrived, the star dish of the restaurant, it finally made sense on why this restaurant got a Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore Award. The Coconut Rice was really fragrant. The Chicken Leg was grilled/fried to perfection with a nice lightly crispy skin with a juicy meat below. The peanuts and the Ikan bills were little crunches of joy and, enhanced the Coconut Rice. This dish is definitely worth visiting the restaurant for.

Ended the meal with 2 desserts. The first was the Coconut Jelly. A light and flavourful jelly infused with coconut water and flesh, that was a joy to consume. Unfortunately, the same could not be said of its Chendol as the ice were packed too closely and even with the syrup flavours, it was a tad too bland.

With 3 dishes on the bland side, it makes one wonder if it is due to the restaurant trying to align itself with the government initiative to fight diabetes seeing how this restaurant is supposedly a favourite of Pinky. If one is visiting due to the Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore Award, order only the Nasi Lemak with Chicken Leg and the Coconut Jelly, and avoid all the other options to save the calories and your wallet.

General Verdict: Wonderful Nasi Lemak not matched by the other options available on the menu

Opening Hours: Daily 11am-3pm and 6pm-9:30pm

Queue Situation: Next to none but advisable to make a reservation

Price: SG$20++ onwards

Payment Mode: Cash and all Major Credit Cards (Physical and Paywave)

Is this worth a try? Yes Is it worth making a trip just to try it? No Is this worthy of the Michelin Bib Gourmand Singapore Award? Unsure

Items Ordered: 1) Item: Gado Gado Salad of Fried tempeh, shredded cabbage, french beans, baby potatoes, quail eggs and peanut sauce Description: Lovely flavour mix of of the salad with the vegetables but was a tad too bland that could not be saved by the Belinjau and Peanut Sauce Verdict: Acceptable, Order only if you want to try Price: SG$11++

Item: Ayam Goreng Berempah Leg Set Spiced fried organic French Poulet leg Description: Generally tasty coconut rice with a well-grilled chicken leg but the Fried Egg was overdone. The sambal is on the much spicier side so may not be suitable for all Verdict: Good, Can Order Price: SG$18.80++

Item: Homemade Otah Charcoal-grilled fish paste with chunks of Kühlbarra Barramundi fish and traditional herbs & spices, wrapped in a banana leaf Description: The texture was too rubbery or like a fishball, while the taste lacked flavour being too lightweight Verdict: Fail, Don't Waste Time Price: SG$9.80++

Item: Coconut Jelly (Dessert) Refreshing jelly made with coconut water, coconut milk and fresh young coconut Description: A yummy and light dessert that truly represents the namesake of the restaurant Verdict: Good, Can Order Price: SG$5.60++

Item: Chendol Mung bean jellies, shaved ice, palm sugar, fresh coconut milk, evaporated milk with Azuki red beans add-on Description: The flavour mix of syrup on the soft ice was too bland and had little to no sweetness while the ice were too tightly packed Verdict: Fail, Don't Waste Time Price: SG$5.60 (Additional SG$2 for the...

Good:

When it comes to authentic Singaporean cuisine, The Coconut Club hits the mark in more ways than one.

Unforgettable Nasi Lemak: The star of the show, their Nasi Lemak, is nothing short of extraordinary. From the fragrant coconut-infused rice to the perfectly fried chicken, every element is executed flawlessly, delivering a burst of flavors that lingers on the palate.

Warm and Welcoming Atmosphere: Stepping into The Coconut Club feels like entering a tropical oasis. The warm ambiance, coupled with the friendly staff, creates a welcoming environment that makes you feel right at home.

Fresh and Flavorful Ingredients: One thing that sets The Coconut Club apart is their commitment to using fresh and high-quality ingredients. This dedication shines through in every dish, enhancing the overall dining experience.

Efficient Service: Despite its popularity, the service at The Coconut Club is commendably efficient. The staff manages to strike the perfect balance between attentiveness and giving diners their space, ensuring a pleasant dining experience.

Cultural Experience: Dining at The Coconut Club is not just about enjoying a meal; it's a cultural experience. From the traditional decor to the authentic flavors, every aspect transports you to the streets of Singapore, making it a memorable culinary journey.

Bad:

However, even paradise has its pitfalls, and The Coconut Club is no exception.

Pricey Proposition: While the food undeniably delights the taste buds, it comes at a premium. The prices may be a bit steep for some diners, particularly considering the casual dining setting.

Limited Seating: The popularity of The Coconut Club often translates to long wait times, especially during peak hours. Securing a table can be challenging, and the limited seating space can make for a cramped dining experience.

Inconsistent Portions: While the flavors are consistently excellent, some diners have reported inconsistencies in portion sizes. This can be disappointing, especially considering the price point.

Noise Levels: The bustling atmosphere at The Coconut Club can result in high noise levels, making it difficult to have conversations without raising your voice. If you're looking for a quiet dining experience, this might not be the ideal spot.

Reservation Challenges: Securing a reservation at The Coconut Club can be tricky, especially during weekends or special occasions. It's advisable to plan ahead or be prepared to wait for a table to...

Trying too hard to be a refined nasi lemak but left the flavours at home, tourist trap.

Food: The nasi lemak is forgettable, mediocre and definitely not worth it's price. For tourists who ate here, trust me Singapore's nasi lemak is way better than this. The lemak of the rice is like recipe calls for 100ml of coconut milk but you put 10ml only, might as well just use basmati rice than two years old jasmine rice (Spoil already not? Just kidding). Sambal is just fine enough that I can't remember any good or bad of it and the chicken has an identity crisis which taste like a disappointing har cheong gai wannabe (maybe Berempah must be on leave that day). The beef rendang flavour is decent but the beef slightly leathery. Longtong is fine for $2.50 worth of flavour, good entry level taste for people who never had longtong belong.

Place: Interior design is pretty cool with nice furnitures. What's not cool is the temperature which is rather warm, plus either the table is too low or the chair is too tall. Making it uncomfortable for people both average tall or short people to eat. Maybe the intention is for people to not stay too long , quickly eat and throw their money and go. Really dislike the music but then again that's my personal problem.

Service: "Welcome" by your wannabe damn cool front guy asking by the no. of pax we have, followed by some weird gesture making all of us confuse, sorry dude it's not that tough to gesture "please come this way or follow me". For a moment, I thought you were doing some ninjutsu shit from the episode you watch in Boruto the night before. The waiter... bro i didn't force you to work on a Sunday, if you are unhappy, confront your boss, not speak to us in your rude tone with barely understandable mumble (JC will be proud though). I mean I pay 10% service charge on top of your unworthily priced food, so help your bosses a bit dudes, they already can't afford to make the environment cooler for customer.

Final thoughts: C'mon, you have places like Dickson, Uptown and Spicy Wife selling berempah chicken nasi lemak which deserve that $21...