Review: Belimbing, The Coconut Club’s new sister restaurant, mostly hits the mark with its “new-gen Singaporean” fare

The belimbing —  a smaller, more sour version of the star fruit — rarely stars in popular local dishes here, and when it is used, it’s mostly used in pickles and sambals, quietly confident and punchy in its own way. 

It’s that very same kind of ethos that the eponymous Belimbing, The Lo & Behold Group’s latest concept on Beach Road, wants to present to its customers. 

The backstory

If you find its name familiar, Belimbing is the spiritual successor to another earlier venture: Belimbing Superstar, a glammed-up mixed rice concept by hospitality group The Main Squeeze, which closed at the start of 2020.

The group had also owned nasi lemak specialist The Coconut Club before handing it over to The Lo & Behold Group in 2021. 

While the former offered variety, Belimbing is a more focused exploration of what Singaporean food can be. 

The restaurant is led by Marcus Leow, a chef with an impressive resume — he’s been in the experimental kitchens of Magic Square, and earned his seafood stripes at The Naked Finn. In end 2024, he joined The Coconut Club as its head of research and development before stepping up as Belimbing’s head chef.

For lunch and dinner, it offers a four-course (S$88) set, where you can pick and choose a cold starter, communal dish, hot starter and main. 

If you prefer more agency, you can also order from a limited a la carte menu during lunch only, with options between S$18 and S$45.

Our verdict

We opted for the four-course dinner, and it’s pretty good value considering the quality and execution of what’s served. 

Sure, it’s not nearly as affordable as The Coconut Club, but when you compare it to other fine dining modern Singaporean restaurants such as Ming Kiat’s Mustard Seed and MasterChef alumni Woo Wai Leong’s Restaurant Ibid, it’s not too bad.

Belimbing’s set menu feels substantial and well-paced, and dishes come as thoughtful compositions — some looking dainty in small bowls, others spilling over small trays like a bento. 

The namesake “belimbing” with its distinct bright character appears throughout the dishes in clever forms, explained to us by the attentive and informed service staff.

Still, I get that Belimbing won’t be for everyone. 

Those looking for hearty and substantial cooking should look somewhere else, or just below at The Coconut Club. But if you want a place that cleverly plays with local flavours and are willing to pay for it, Belimbing at Beach Road is the one.

What it’s good for

Dinner begins in the form of a complimentary amuse bouche: A charcoal-coloured kueh pie tee filled with gong gong (yes, those sea snails you find at some zi char spots) and pickled melon, and topped with raw Argentinian red prawns and fried leek. 

It’s a quick bite that got us excited for the rest of the meal. 

From the cold starter section, the aged kampachi (S$28, a la carte) is buttery yet so clean, boasting plenty of umami without a hint of fishiness. 

Pickled pink guava provides a perfumed sweetness, while mussels and a cold curry (made with The Coconut Club’s prized White Sutera blended coconut milk and laksa leaf oil) reminds us of both laksa and a sashimi course at the same time.

Equally excellent is the smoked wagyu ox tongue (S$28, a la carte) on a bed of stracciatella. Yes, that’s cheese, and if you’re a cheese board fan, you’ll know the combination works. 

The thinly-shaved smoked beef tongue has a rich pastrami-like depth, while the inclusion of salty chinchalok and tart starfruit delivers funk and acidity respectively. The whole thing is stunningly balanced out by cool and creamy stracciatella.

Then comes the communal dish of crispy mee sua (S$28, a la carte) packed into a cake and fried to lacy crispiness. 

If you find that it lacks flavour, you can make it up with a fresh spoonful of the pate-like batang otah paste, served alongside it, or dip it into the most wonderful sauce made with tau cheo (fermented soybeans) and chilli padi. 

It’s also served alongside the prettiest gado gado I’ve laid eyes on — made with dragon chives, pineapple, edible flowers, radish, mixed lettuce, peanuts, and a touch of dill.

The salad tastes fresh, to say the least, made even better by a milky fermented pineapple sauce that’s sweet and tangy with a touch of acidity.

Up next, what’s Asian fine dining without a fancy take on chawanmushi?

The clam custard (S$18, a la carte) could have turned out gimmicky but actually works well here. 

The steamed egg is creamy and light, the assam pedas hits spicy and sour, then gives way to a creamy, buttery finish from sliced up Hokkaido scallop. There’s also a white pepper emulsion that lingers pleasantly in the background.

Next up, the  braised angus oxtail (S$23, a la carte) feels a lot more European in comparison, but is no less tasty. 

In this dish, green tomatoes and beef, braised till soft and unctuous, sit on a bed of smoky and airy potato puree, with added depth from a savoury beef broth. It’s a shame this is only a starter rather than a full main.

Let’s talk about the wok-fried nasi ulam (S$38, a la carte) next, which is more like two rice dishes in one.

Here, rice is steamed in fishbone dashi, then wok-fried with sambal balado and belacan, grilled in banana leaf, and crowned with herbs like laksa leaf, ginger flower, and ulam raja. If that sounds like a lot of flavours, you’re right — this is part sambal fried rice, part nasi ulam.

The second part of the dish is a pomfret with the most incredible crispy skin and flaky flesh. There’s not much to say except that this is a brilliant piece of fish cookery, served on tangy balado sauce and romaine lettuce.

On the side, there are small plates of steamed and salted okra in oil, chewy ikan bilis and roasted peanuts, and pickled belimbing that’s pleasantly vinegary and sweet.

One reason why you need to leave space for dessert: the exquisite corn salad (S$14, a la carte). 

Instead of the traditional kaya custard, Belimbing features a fragrant corn custard that’s brushed with brown butter and salt for a subtle savoury finish, on top of sweetened glutinous rice. You also get a cup of corn tea brewed from its leaves and silk – talk about not wasting anything.

Or try the fried pumpkin bingka (S$14, a la carte), another kueh twist where chef Marcus blends pumpkin flesh with tapioca to create a rich, chewy cake that’s then fried for a divine crispy finish. 

The seeds are used to create a silky creme anglaise at the bottom, while a scoop of tempeh and white miso ice cream uplift the dessert with an earthy and nutty contrast. 

What it could improve on

Of its mains, the fried chicken with yellow curry (S$38, a la carte), feels a bit safe compared to the rest of the menu. 

The chicken is crisp and the curry rich with fruity gooseberries and soy-onion flavours. On the side, you get coconut rice spiked with chicken skin and berempah crumbs, a jammy braised quail egg and the same pickled belimbing and steamed okra from before. 

It’s good, but its price tag makes me question if I could’ve ordered something similar from The Coconut Club down below for a tad cheaper.

Our quick takes

Is it conducive to conversation? Yes, though the restaurant can feel very quiet at the start of service.

Is a reservation necessary? Absolutely — bookings open 30 days in advance.

How to get there? Belimbing is a 9-minute walk away from Nicoll Highway Station Exit A. 

HungryGoWhere paid for its meal at this restaurant for this review.

For more places to dine at, check out our latest articles: Broth & Beyond is a new hotpot spot from Yunnan with individual hotpots, while Steak Sudaku serves up affordable A5 Omi wagyu with plenty of sizzle.

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You can also book a ride to Belimbing restaurant at Beach Road.