After seven years at Ann Siang Hill, The Coconut Club is moving to a new home at 269 Beach Road. The nasi lemak specialist is a favourite with PM Lee Hsien Loong and visiting foreign dignitaries for its refined take on the beloved dish. Come May 28, it will reopen in a double-storey shophouse which used to be occupied by dine-in-the-dark restaurant Nox.

8days.sg gets a sneak peek and tells you what to expect.

Double-storey space

“The first and second floor can fit about 100 pax in total, and we are considering setting up an alfresco area,” shares The Coconut Club’s culinary director Daniel Sia, 46. The capacity here is slightly bigger than the previous 96-seat Ann Siang space, but you get more seating choices here, from cosy spots for two beside the first-floor bar, to a long tok panjang-style table and family-style communal dining tables.

Or you also grab a seat near the open kitchen, where you can watch the chefs grill satay. “Previously our charcoal grill was in the basement, now it’s on display,” says Daniel (pictured). He also points out a mural on the second floor, where wispy charcoal-drawn banana trees by local artist Aeropalmics overarch gracefully across the wall, like you’re overlooking a kampong yard.

New breakfast menu

The grill, which uses only binchō-tan (Japanese white charcoal), will also fire up a new breakfast menu (from 8.30am-11am) with local-style options. This includes Charcoal-Grilled Kaya Toast ($7.80) with bread from old-school Whampoa Drive bakery Sin Hon Loong crisped up over binchō-tan.

It’s served with sous vide eggs, a slab of French butter and thick kaya house-made with The Coconut Club’s proprietary lemak coconut milk, hand-squeezed from Mawa coconuts brought in thrice-weekly from Malaysian plantations.

There’s also an Otah Katsu Sando ($7.80), which comes with panko-crusted house-made otah, shredded cabbage and mayo, as well as a Hae Bee Hiam Tuna Sandwich ($10.80). Top up $3 for a hot beverage like coffee, teh tarik or teh halia. “The breakfast items are also available at teatime from 3pm to 6pm to cater to the office crowd around here,” says Daniel.

The coffee

The coffee beans here are supplied by Papa Palheta, the folks behind Chye Seng Huat Coffee. Instead of straight-up hipster coffee, The Coconut Club offers cuppas that are like a more atas version of kopitiam kopi. Daniel explains, “I challenged Papa Palheta to produce beans with a darker roast, similar to the kind you find at kopitiams, but [the coffee is pulled using] a barista machine.”

There’s also coconut in the coffee, like Coconut Milk Cold Brew ($8.80) with the same hand-squeezed coconut milk for nasi lemak and kaya, and Coconut Water Cold Brew ($8.80). Non-caffeinated drinks include Fresh Coconut ($8.80) and Coconut Shake ($7.50).

Photo: The Coconut Club

The nasi lemak sets

The Coconut Club has adjusted its pricing over the years (circa 2016, you can order a plate of fried chicken nasi lemak for $12.80). But prices will not be raised for the Beach Road shift, so you can still expect to pay the current price of $18.80 for the Ayam Goreng Berempah Set, which gets you a big slab of spiced-and-fried organic GG French poulet in your choice of leg or breast, coconut rice, and trimmings like a fried egg, house-made sambal, ikan bilis and peanuts. “Prices [for ingredients] went up [due to global inflation], but we want to keep this more accessible,” says Daniel.

The fish Ikan Bakar Set goes for $18.80 too, with grilled rempah-stuffed selar kuning fish. The lowest-priced Otah Set is $10.80, served with charcoal-grilled barramundi otah wrapped in banana leaf. You can zhng your nasi lemak with new side offerings like charcoal-grilled Sate Ayam Bumbu Kacang ($16 for four big chicken thigh-and-tail skewers) and Ulam with Tempeh Dip ($12.80).

Communal nasi lemak

Due to the new restaurant’s seating configuration, nasi lemak sets are available all-day only at its first floor. The second floor (pictured), with tables for bigger groups, will serve the sets from 11am to 3pm, and switch to a communal-style nasi lemak menu for dinner. “We added more dishes to the communal menu, so people can come here for dinner and share food,” Daniel explains.

How it works

Get your free-flow coconut rice at $3.50 per pax (and you should have no problems tucking away unlimited helpings here). The nasi is not as aggressively coconutty and jelak as your typical hawker fare, with a subtle perfume-y richness from the creamy coconut milk coating each al-dente grain. Upon request, a server ceremonially scoops more rice from a rattan basket onto our plate.

A la carte condiments

Note that the condiments here are also sold a la carte, but not free-flow; Sambal Sampler ($5) with three types of sambal, and Sharing Condiments ($5) with yet another type of sambal, fried ikan bilis and salted peanuts, assembled at an open concept counter on the second floor.

Ayam Goreng Berempah, $28

The nasi is paired with feisty a la carte toppings from the sharing menu, like the still-fab Ayam Goreng Berempah. 

Percik Kambing, $38

The Percik Kambing comes with meaty, non-gamey chunks of coconut milk and tamarind-marinated Australian lamb short ribs.

Asam Udang, $28

Also good: the Asam Udang (stir-fried tamarind Angka prawns) and Sambal Sotong ($26), which are flavourful enough for your nasi if you don’t feel like paying $5 for sambal condiments.

Sambal Goreng, $12

Veggie sides include Sambal Goreng ($12) with tau pok cubes, tempeh and french beans tossed with sambal balado.

Coconut Club Mai Tai, $21

The restaurant kitchen here does not use pork or lard, though the bar serves a selection of alcoholic cocktails like Coconut Club Mai Tai ($21) and Pineapple Old Fashioned ($21).

Pandan Sago Gula Melaka, $21.80 (feeds 4-6 pax)

The Coconut Club’s well-loved Chendol ($6.80) is still on the dessert menu, though the new Beach Road restaurant will offer a new Peranakan-style Pandan Sago Gula Melaka. The dessert is traditionally portioned individually, but here it’s served as an XL-sized pudding for sharing, with a server drizzling coconut milk and gula melaka syrup over it tableside before divvying it up. A fun, festive way to round off our meal.

The Coconut Club reopens May 28, 2020 at 269 Beach Rd, S199546. Tel: 6635-2999. Open daily except Mon. 8.30am-10.30pm (Level 1); 11am-3pm (Level 2 lunch service); 6pm-10.30pm (Level 2 dinner service). All-day dining at Level 1 to be launched at a later date. Last order half an hour before closing. Online reservation at www.thecoconutclub.sg. 

Photos: Yip Jieying/ The Coconut Club