Tar Pau Nation: Nasi lemak ideal for home delivery

(Clockwise from top left) Tahu tempeh sambal belado, coconut jelly, gado gado and Nasi Lemak with French poulet leg from Coconut Club. ST PHOTO: WONG AH YOKE

SINGAPORE - There are some dishes that just need to be warm and not piping hot to taste good. Nasi lemak, coconut milk-infused rice served with various dishes and sambal, is one of them - which makes it ideal for home delivery.

So when I was craving some spice to perk up my sluggish appetite last week, the dish came to mind immediately. And my go-to place is nasi lemak specialist Coconut Club in Ann Siang Hill, which is No. 1 on my list of Top 5 nasi lemak.

What makes it even more attractive is that the delivery charge to my place is just $6. It is usually more than $10 for that distance.

Alas, the restaurant uses the Oddle platform for islandwide delivery and requires a whopping $60 minimum order. As a single diner, I find that hard to reach when the most expensive one-person set costs $18.50.

Then, as luck would have it, someone offered to gift me a set from the restaurant, which I gladly said yes to.

For a couple, it is easy to hit the minimum order. A two-person meal, which comes with two sides and dessert, plus one extra order, would be enough.

Also, you have more options when dining in a group. Coconut Club's basic nasi lemak comes with fried ikan bilis and peanuts, a sunny-side-up egg, cucumber slices and sambal for $5.50. You can add some a la carte main items for sharing. That way, you get to taste more dishes.

If you are not into sharing, get one of the sets. It is the basic combination plus a main item that ranges from otah ($15.20) to fried ikan kembung ($18.50).

I had the Signature French Poulet Leg Set ($18.50), a recent addition to the menu that came with a fried organic chicken leg tossed in a dry spice mix. The bird was well-marinated, with moist and delicious meat covered in fragrant, golden skin.

The sambal for the nasi lemak, more spicy than sweet, was the same as what I tasted during past visits to the restaurant. The egg was perfect with its slightly runny yolk. The ikan bilis was not as crispy compared with dining in, but that was to be expected. Still, it retained some crunch, so it was not exactly a washout.

I also ordered Tahu Tempeh Sambal Belado ($10.80), which I enjoyed for the slightly acidic sambal that gets its refreshing edge from tomatoes. There was also some kueh to end the meal with and the sweetness effectively removed any burn from the chillies.

The food is enough for average diners, but if you need to order a side to hit the minimum order, I would suggest the beef rendang ($24.20). Not only does the tender meat taste really good, but the leftovers also keep well in the fridge for another meal.

Coconut Club

28 Ann Siang Hill

To order: Go to this website. Minimum order of $60

Delivery charge: $6. Free for minimum order of $100

4 stars out of 5

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