The Place From the team behind The Coconut Club comes Belimbing, a New-Gen Singaporean restaurant led by Magic Square and Naked Finn alum, Marcus Leow. Belimbing is located on level two of the shophouse space of The Coconut Club, where the latter now occupies just level one. 

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The name of the restaurant Belimbing takes reference from an often overlooked indigenous fruit – a metaphor for the hidden potential of Singaporean cuisine. 

It is a gorgeous space where you can expect rattan furniture, cosy corners for small groups and a private room. Shophouse restaurant is just charming on its own. 

The Food Belimbing offers a 4-course menu (S$88) for dinner, a 2-course menu (S$58) for lunch and limited à la carte selection offered exclusively at lunch. The menu is designed for sharing, where you can expect local cuisine reimagines in a modern context. 

For beverages, there is a selection of cocktails with local ingredients curated by Side Door’s Bannie Kang who has crafted three exclusive drinks for Belimbing: the Pandan Colada, Tomato, and the Sambal Marg (a twist on the classic margarita, infused with house-made chili relish). For zero-proof alternatives, there is the Bandung which is a clarified rose-infused milk punch, or the eponymous Belimbing which is a nice light flavour of galangal and green apple. 

I had the 4-course dinner menu and here is what to expect from each of the four categories: 

Cold Starter 

Aged Kanpachi- pink guava l mussel l coconut milk 
Pickled pink guava is the starting point for the Aged Kanpachi, which is aged on the bone for five days and brushed with a soy sauce made from fish bones and trimmings. A ‘cold curry’ made by combining The Coconut Club’s cold-pressed ‘White Sutera’ coconut milk—a blend of Kampong and Mawa coconuts, extracted daily along with mussel jus and galangal to complete the dish. 

Smoked Wagyu Ox Tongue – chinchalok | starfruit | stracciatella 

Grilled Firefly Squid – kailan I haegor caramel | strawberries 
The Grilled Firefly Squid builds on the classic pairing of jambu and dark soy sauce, and it tastes just like rojak. The firefly squid carries layers of umami from soy, pickled young ginger, and house-made squid powder. 

Communal 

Crispy Meesua – batang otah I dragon chives I pineapple 
A sharing dish which is a take on a quintessential Singaporean dish ‘meesua’, have the meesua with the accompanying otah paste.

That said, I expected the texture of the meesua to be crispier though. 

Hot Starter 

Clam Custard – scallop I assam pedas I white pepper 
This is like a Singaporean version of chawanmushi, very smooth and harmonious in flavours. 

Braised Angus Oxtail – beef broth I green tomato I smoked potato 

Main 

Fried Chicken – yellow curry I tempra sauce I gooseberry 
This is a take on local Hainanese curry rice, and I do like the fried chicken and the mild curry sauce here. 

Wok-fried Nasi Ulam – seared seasonal fish | tomato I fish floss 
The cured fish here goes with the wok-fried Nasi Ulam which uses Japanese rice. 

Grilled Short Rib (+S$7) – rib finger satay | black garlic percik I green curry 
The grilled Angus short rib here is brushed with beef garum alongside a Wagyu rib finger satay glazed in buah keluak. It is served with The Coconut Club’s signature coconut rice which is very aromatic. 

Desserts are a separate affair from the ala carte menu which reflects Marcus’s Peranakan roots. 

My favourite is his signature Corn Salat (S$14), made with every part of the corn, and is brushed with brown butter and salt, served with a tea brewed from its leaves and silk. 

The Pumpkin Bingka (S$14) comes with tempeh and white miso ice cream, while the Min Jiang Kueh (S$12) is a modern take as it is filled with cempedak and peanut brittle. 

To go with the desserts, there are locally inspired drinks like Traditional Kopi (S$10) and Teh Tarik With Ginger Syrup (S$10), where you can customise the taste according to your own preferences. 

Rants New-Gen Singaporean cuisine as a concept might sound vague to some diners. Indeed, Belimbing is a fresh perspective on Singaporean food, and some might struggle come to terms on paying a premium for flavours they could find familiarity in a hawker centre, for instance. For one, it is definitely elevated Singaporean flavours you are paying for.

Will I Return Again? Belimbing is a great addition to the dining scene in Singapore and this is a spot to check out if you fancy an elevated Singaporean dining experience. It is a beautiful space with family or friends as well, as the menu is quite versatile to suit different party sizes.    

TheRantingPanda says:
Taste bud: 4/5
Hole in the pocket: 4/5
Ambience: 4/5
Overall Experience: 4/5 

Belimbing 
269A Beach Road 
Singapore 199546 
Tel: +65 8869 7243 

Opening Hours 
Tuesday to Sunday: 12pm to 3.30pm; 6pm to 10.30pm 
Closed on Monday 

Ranted by The Ranter