The Coconut Club

coconut rice, chicken leg, ikan bilis, peanuts, cucumber, fried egg and sambal
(complimentary side dishes: sambal sotong, iga bakar and sambal okra)

Delicious!

It’s actually my first time trying The Coconut Club’s Nasi Lemak, but I absolutely loved it! I went during the soft launch phase and there were complementary side dishes too, which was so lovely. The price is definitely higher but I’d say it’s 100% worth it given the large portion sizes.

The chicken is actually massive (this picture doesn’t do it justice) and is so tender and juicy inside. I love the flavourful crust which seems to contain hints of lemongrass, and don’t miss the breaded crust that fried chicken in nasi lemak normally has. (My brother missed that though!) Their coconut rice is also fluffy and each individual grain doesn’t clump together - perfect! There’s also free rice refills. Lastly, I’m partial to a perfect gooey egg yolk, so this completed it for me.

The sides were also pretty yummy. I liked the sambal lala, which was quite sweet, and the tender roast beef that was a bit sweet too, with a strong lemongrass taste. (I enjoy sweet savoury food quite a lot, so this was right up my alley.) I will be back for more nasi lemak when the craving hits me! P.s. there was a queue, but there’s also free wine for people waiting!

One benefit of @thecoconutclubsg still being on their soft launch phase is that they trot out an armada of complimentary side dishes as part of an ongoing guinea pig experiment on their patrons. Granted, this guinea pig experiment was extremely enjoyable, as the beef ribs and hae bi long beans were simply sublime.

The beef ribs had a nice overarching taste and scent of lemongrass and the spice mix was brilliant, but I found the beef too tough. A waitress explained that they didn’t want the beef ribs to be tender enough to fall apart at the slightest provocation but have a bite and resistance to it. Well, they accomplished that too well apparently. The green chili mix on the side was perfect for the beef, while the red chili mix was a bit forgettable.

The dried shrimp paste in @thecoconutclubsg was the most pungent and piquant one I had thus far, and it transformed a cheap veggie into a stellar superstar of flavor. Regretfully, I had to leave half of it behind as I was beyond stuffed by the massive Nasi Lemak, but the long beans are ready to have a permanent home on the menu as it is.

I don’t know when the soft launch is gonna last until, so hurry and roll up to The Coconut Club for some real good eatin’.

After seeing @veronicaphua post about the newly reopened Coconut Club, I knew I had to do it to em. Oddly enough, I never tried them when my old office was a lot closer to their old premises, and now I’m mildly kicking myself for having missed out on the flavor fiesta.

They’re still in the soft launch phase, so the only main course is their signature Nasi Lemak ($12.80++). They’ve been known to have a consistency issue, but mine was absolutely amazing. The rice was thoroughly perfumed with the scintillating scent of coconut and it was fluffy and moderately moist. The perfectly fried sunny side up egg had a pretty yellow yolk that squirted its load all over the redolent rice as soon as my fork penetrated it, making the nasi even more lemak.

As a man of culture, I’ve always been more of a thigh man than a breast man. Even though the staff informed me that I had to wait an extra 8 minutes, I still chose the chicken thigh (although that was also influenced by the knowledge that I was gonna get a piece of fabulous, freshly fried chicken). It was utterly unctuous, with all the seasonings and spices penetrating deep into the meat. The stellar skin was a delight to devour, and I just couldn’t get enough of it.

Of course, nasi lemak wouldn’t be outstanding without the sambal chili, and Coconut Club did it perfectly. It was the perfect balance (Thanos approved) of spicy, sweet, savory and the consistency really hit the spot. The peanuts and ikan bilis were crazily crunchy and downright delightful to loudly chomp on, and I want The Coconut Club to sell the fish & nut mix in a bag for me to snack on.

The portion size of their Nasi Lemak looks deceptively small, but even without the stellar sides, I would’ve been rolling outta there like a coconut. That’s right, the Nasi Lemak’s portion size is yuuuuuge.

It may officially be their soft launch phase, but this ain’t their first rodeo. The Coconut Club knows what they’re doing, and what they’re doing is great.

All-time fave nasi lemak in sg! Torn between the rendition here and Boon Lay Power Nasi Lemak’s. Picked their signature nasi lemak with chicken breast this time, which is a new option on the menu. Whilst the rub was still wonderfully fragrant and the breast meat was tender, it could not hold a candle to the famed, juicy chicken legs here. In essence: same old delicious nasi lemak with fantastic, fragrant rice, runny egg, crispy ikan billis and sedap sambal — just stick to the chicken leg, and you’re all set for a consistently fantastic meal.

You'll always find a queue here at lunch hour, but it's worth the wait. Having recently shifted to a bigger, more stylish space on Ann Siang Hill, their food has remained excellent. Be sure to have their signature Nasi Lemak Ayam Goreng Berempah ($12.80) for fragrant and sinfully addictive coconut rice served with a perfectly crisp and juicy chicken leg accompanied by ikan bilis, peanuts, fried egg and a killer sambal. For dessert, share their Cendol ($3.80) for the perfect sweet finish.
Photo by Burppler Veronica Phua