There’s nothing quite like the unparalleled ocean view, some good sun and the calm sea, to escape from the city — even better when this place is a short drive from our CBD. If you’re up for the beach life over the weekend, it’s hard to miss the relaxed vibes and good grub over at Tanjong Beach Club, which is the kind of tropical paradise that your friends living in temperate countries get seriously jealous about.
You can book a day bed to lounge around in, laze by the pool, dine in the restaurant, or join one of their pool parties for a boozy good time. It helps that this part of the beach isn’t as crowded as the other stretches, while still offering the same pristine waters and fine sand — you get lunch with a view. We swear, time even moves slower here. So, since you already get an idea of how this ideal locale fills, how about the food?
Well, our verdict is that it’s just as enticing, especially when we’ve gotten to taste some of the items off their new menu. Here are some of the highlights, and really, why you should be spending your entire weekend break at the coastal retreat:
1. Just Look at the Seafood!
Being a restaurant by the sea, it’s no wonder that they serve some fresh seafood, the kind that’s light and easy on the palette. According to The Lo & Behold Group, the people that manage the place, they’re looking for a menu that’s a mix of “classic international seafood dishes with a unique spin”, something that consultant chef Jason Jones has managed to create, after taking inspiration from his favourite beachfront vacations all across the world.
You’ve got coastal cuisine such as a Barbecued Octopus Salad ($23) which you can find in the previous offering but now prepared differently, lightly grilled and served atop a bed of baby spinach, quinoa and pomegranate, as well as a monstrous TBC Seafood Platter ($128) consisting of a whole Maine lobster, oysters, prawns, and blue crab rillette. Even the Crispy Calamari ($20), served with a lemon saffron aioli, makes for food that you’d love to pinch after a refreshing swim.
As for this Snapper Ceviche ($23), we tried it and seriously enjoyed it. It’s clear that this was made with fresh snapper, and when tossed with lime and creamy avocado, these lift the dish without bogging it down with heaviness, making it a refreshing appetiser that we can keep going back to with our fork as it’s both sweet and creamy, light and tangy. The side of crispy tortilla chips helps too, giving the dish a nice crunchy texture at parts.
The mains we tried were just as impressive. Everyone loves a good lobster roll, but they’ve decided to go for a burger too, which is just as brilliant thanks to the perfectly toasted burger buns. No doubt, the Lobster Bun ($38) was the star of the day, and a hot item too, not just because of the generous portions of juicy lobster meat that’s practically spilling onto the plate, but also because they’ve dressed it up with the perfect sauce: lime mayonaise and avocado. Similar to the ceviche, this lends a light, non-cloying flavour to the dish, instead of the heavy or greasy alternatives that exist out there.
Then, there’s the Market Fresh Fish of the Day ($35), whatever happens to be the fresh catch that day, served with a side of tomato and pine nut salsa, tossed in basil emulsion. That combination of flavours is complements any fish they usually serve, a soft and flaky halibut that day. All these dishes, and more, are available on their all-day dining menu, so while we imagine munching on them in the day, you could still order them while on a romantic dinner date.
2. Totally Instagram-worthy Cocktails
Let’s just let the images sink in for a while… it’s alcohol, served in a wooden boat, for goodness sake! These are definitely the stuff we can get on board with, the first, being a concoction called the Hollywood Punch ($41). Yes, it’s way too much alcohol for one person, that’s why this serves at least two, and comes sailing to you in an impressive vessel, garnished with mint (ours had frangipani flowers). The tiki-inspired beverage, a variation of punch, consists of Havana rum, absinthe, banana liqueur, coconut water, lemon juice and orgeat, and apparently cold-dripped coffee as well, which is a delicious combination of flavours that feel like a Summer holiday on your tongue. Interesting, not boring, yet satisfying because you’re getting all these refreshing notes and familiar tropical flavours.
Their Piña Colada ($23) wins points for presentation too, since it comes in a hollowed out frozen pineapple, while bar mentor Julian Serna does a new twist on the classic staple, this time combining Havana rum, Mahiki rum, pineapple juice and coconut cream. There are also other noteworthy cocktails you should try: the Tanjong Spritz ($19) and the Sunset Daiquiri ($23), served in a seashell, and a balanced rum-based cocktail as well. Both new drinks are out this weekend.
3. A Whole Lot of Good Stuff on their Brunch Menu
I mean, what’s a weekend without this right? There’s a variety of hearty and light staples here, but we’ll zoom in to the cafe classics — the Mushrooms & Toast ($19) and Eggs Benedict ($24) that’s poached egg served atop Norwegian smoked salmon. For the latter, the mushrooms are served on the side with a mix of poached egg and baby spinach, ingredients for the most delectable dip on the island, while the toast comes with a generous smear of goat’s curd.
The menu’s great for a group of people, or well indecisive folks, because there’s something for everyone: take this hearty feast of The Weekender Fry-Up ($29) that has all the works, including eggs, bacon, chipolata, mushrooms, smashed potato, homemade baked beans, tomatoes and toast. Did we miss anything out? It’s the best and most comforting kind of English breakfast now served to you by the pool.
If you’re not a big breakfast eater, head straight for the Acai Bowl ($21), a health nut’s dream because of the nutritious blend of organic acai berries, bananas and apricot, topped off with blueberries, a mango and inca berry confit, toasted coconut, and crunchy hazelnut granola. The brunch menu is served on weekends and public holidays, from 10am – 3pm.
4. These Desserts
Something we can’t resist talking about, especially when they’re such a perfect way to end the meal. We’ve got the Cheesecake with Strawberries ($15), not your usual because this comes slightly deconstructed, with the elements of cheesecake, dehydrated strawberries, strawberry ice cream and crumble laid out like a pretty picture. It’s not your typically cloying treat too, since this one’s a lightweight yoghurt cheese mousse that will have you wiping the dish clean in seconds.
For a rich touch, go ahead and order the Banana Coconut Tarte Tatin ($16), a signature item with caramelised banana, almond crunch and vanilla ice cream. It reminded us of a sticky date tart, due to the sweet and gooey nature of the dish, and was so good we didn’t mind that we can’t taste much of the coconut here. The almond crunch made changed up the texture, so much so, that each scoop seemed like a new, delectable bite of the dessert once again.
Tanjong Beach Club
- Address: 120 Tanjong Beach Road, Sentosa, Singapore 098942
- Opening Hours: Closed Monday; Tuesday to Friday: 11am – 10pm; Saturday, Sunday and PH: 10am – 11pm
- Online at tanjongbeachclub.com, facebook.com/tanjongbeachclub or follow them on Instagram at @tanjongbeachclub.
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