Review: Straits Club brings its signature crispy berempah chicken nasi lemak to Alexandra

Nasi lemak needs no introduction in Singapore. It’s the kind of meal that works at any time of day — coconut-infused rice, spicy sambal, crispy anchovies, toasted peanuts, and your protein of choice, all packed with flavour. 

Finding a truly exceptional plate of nasi lemak can be tricky — in fact, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve written about the dish. However, I like to think of it as a never-ending journey to see who can make it better. 

And in the pursuit of good nasi lemak, I head to Alexandra Village this time to check out the newly relocated Straits Club.

The backstory

Founded by James Ong, a former IT professional turned hawker, Straits Club began its journey last year in Timbre+ One-North, and has since moved into its own space in Alexandra Village. 

At its latest outlet, James brings back his take on nasi lemak, purportedly inspired by his gastronomic adventures across the Causeway — yes, at the legendary Petaling Jaya spot Village Park, in Malaysia.

His new setup is minimal at best, and at worst looks like something out of a cloud kitchen from the pandemic days. Straits Club at Alexandra is purely takeaway, with two self-service kiosks and a compact kitchen space where orders are prepared. 

Still, despite the small space, Straits Club has expanded its menu at Alexandra, offering not just its signature berempah chicken but also newer options such as beef rendang, sambal sotong, and assam prawns, and even breakfast items such as kaya toast and soft-boiled eggs. 

If nothing on its menu catches your fancy, you can also build your own nasi lemak bowl.

Our verdict

If you’re after a solid, well-executed, nasi lemak with killer fried chicken, then Straits Club is a great option. James has spent the past year refining his recipes, and the quality clearly shows. 

The new items and drinks are a great touch, too — though there were operational hiccups such as several dishes being unavailable despite heading down first thing in the morning. 

The takeaway concept also means you can’t have it fresh there and then, unless you live right round the corner or choose to have it at the nearby Alexandra Village Food Centre, that is.

What it’s good for

The signature boneless berempah chicken (S$6 for a nasi lemak bowl, S$3 for an a la carte add-on item) is the standout here.

“Berempah” translates to “spiced” and refers to the blend of some 10 spices used to marinade the chicken, resulting in aromatic and very tender meat. It’s also fried with curry leaves to amp up the flavour, and finally served with a heap of crispy crumbs.

The chicken is excellent on its own but even better paired with Straits Club’s coconut rice (S$2 when purchased as an add-on), a mound of “lemak” rice that’s mostly fluffy and soft. The version here leans towards the drier side, but I’d argue that it works well with the crispy chicken this way compared to wetter rice, in terms of mouthfeel.

The 24-hour beef rendang (S$7.50 for a nasi lemak bowl, S$4 for an a la carte add-on) is another strong option.

The beef is spoon-tender, having soaked up the coconut milk, chillies, and spices over (what is apparently) a full day of slow cooking. The protein here is deeply flavorful, but it’s worth noting this rendang is on the drier side. 

A bit more gravy would go a long way here, especially if you take a longer time to get home after receiving your takeaway items.

Another fried item, the fried chicken cutlet (S$7 for a nasi lemak bowl, S$4 for an a la carte add-on) is encased in a thin, crisp breadcrumb coating, with juicy and flavourful chicken leg meat inside. 

It’s a simple protein, but the light seasoning allows the natural flavors of the chicken to really shine. Want to amp up the flavour? The sambal — which thankfully comes in a separate container so the crispy chicken stays crisp — has you covered.

Speaking of the sambal, what I love about nasi lemak as a dish, is that every shop has its own take on sambal chilli, tweaking it to its own style. 

James’ signature sambal (S$1) at Straits Club is more sweet than spicy, with strong onion and garlic notes and a light touch of shrimp paste. He also leaves in small slices of partially-cooked onions for more texture in each bite.

Interestingly, the standard nasi lemak bowls don’t come with roasted peanuts and ikan bilis, so you’ll have to pay extra (S$1 for each) for them.

Despite the additional cost, I highly recommend them — the crispy anchovies and peanuts are fresh, evenly-fried, and not overly greasy, adding a delicious crunch and layer of umami to your bowl.

On its achar — it’s not something you’d find at every nasi lemak spot, but I think that while it is often overlooked, it is one of those additions that elevates the entire meal. Straits Club’s achar (S$1.50) is a standout side with a satisfying mix of textures and flavors – tart, slightly sweet, and nutty.  

The drinks choices here (or at least the ones available) can be a bit of a hit or miss. 

The iced kopi tarik (S$3.50) is smooth and creamy, slightly sweet and full of robust coffee flavour, but the iced teh tarik (S$3.50) tasted light and weak. It doesn’t help that both drinks are served in tall cups filled generously with ice, which means they can get diluted far too quickly, given our weather.

What it could improve on

Straits Club does a lot of things right, but some dishes such as the boneless curry chicken nasi lemak (S$6) are less impressive.

The thigh meat may be fully cooked but it is not as tender as I’d expect of a good stewed curry chicken, and the curry itself lacks punch. It’s not particularly spicy, nor does it have a particularly tasty depth of flavour.

You can opt to add some sambal kangkong (S$1.50) if you’re wanting some greens, but it’s nothing groundbreaking. 

The water spinach is tender, and the sambal adds a good amount of heat and umami, but it’s otherwise on the watery side, rather than being thick and punchy. I imagine that James is going for something a bit healthier and less intense, here to balance out the other fried and coconut-rich dishes.

There are also some apparent operational issues that should really be addressed before the crowds really start to pile in, particularly with the availability of certain dishes.

When I headed down right at opening on a weekday, half of the menu items, including the kaya toast, hot drinks, several cold drinks, begedil, assam prawns, and sambal sotong were unavailable, which was a shame as I was looking forward to trying them, or at least having more choices. 

To this, James recommended that we go down on Monday instead to try the new items, when the shop was less busy, rather than on a weekend or on a Friday (which is when we headed down).

Our quick takes

Is it conducive to conversation? Straits Club is takeaway only, but you can chat away if you opt to have your takeaway next door at Alexandra Village Food Centre.

Is a reservation necessary? No.

How to get there? The nearest MRT station (Queenstown) is 20-minute walk away, but you can alight at Commonwealth and take an 8-minute bus ride to the Alexandra Village area. Straits Club is located along the middle of Bukit Merah Lane 1, at the corner of Block 122.

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

For more places to explore, check out the latest openings around town, or this new craft beer bistro at Raffles Place.

Straits Club at Alexandra is on the GrabFood delivery service and offer free delivery (up to S$3 off with GrabUnlimited). 

Enjoy up to 50% off when you dine with GrabFood Dine Out.

You can also book a ride to Straits Club at Alexandra Village.