Malaysia
Singapore
Thailand
Nasi Coco is where Japanese cuisine meets Malay food. Opened at the start of 2018 at NeWest Shopping Mall, this humble restaurant boldly brings innovative food concepts to western Singapore.
Hailing from different culinary backgrounds, the chefs-cum-managers Ray and Aric decided to combine various cuisines together – and hence Nasi Coco was born!
The Nasi Coco Supreme ($9.90) sure looked like a heavyweight.
Filled with a tempura assortment of seasonal vegetables, Tempura Luncheon Meat, and other ingredients, and combined with coconut rice, ikan bilis and roasted peanuts, this dish essentially encapsulates the concept behind Nasi Coco.
For its price, the portion was insanely huge. It looked like one of those food challenges people struggle to finish! I absolutely loved the rice which had a strong coconut aroma.
Fluffy and soft, it paired really well with the crisp tempura crumbs. With how delicious the rice was, I’d honestly have no problem eating it on its own.
Though I found the batter to be a bit starchy and bland, the contents of the tempura was very juicy. The tempura assortment was pretty good and I found that the batter added texture to the dish.
The specially curated Ten Sauce added a sharp sweetness to each bite, such that the flavours were in perfect unison. I think I might have just found my favourite nasi lemak!
If you’re looking for something light, you can try the Lotus Root Yuzu Soba ($9.90). Topped with lotus roots and grilled fish slices, and garnished with bonito and scallion, it looked like a dish from a fine dining restaurant.
The food served at Nasi Coco is rather unorthodox, and this dish was no exception. Unlike how soba is normally dipped in the sauce, the Yuzu Soba Sauce was poured onto the noodles.
The buckwheat noodles had a grainy texture and the Yuzu Soba Sauce complemented the mild taste of the noodles wonderfully.
Each forkful was light and pleasant, and I enjoyed the zestiness. The grilled fish slices were pretty average though, and the lotus roots were a tad too piquant for my liking.
This dish was generally quite mild, save for the lotus roots. The flavours were unique and complemented each other rather well. Have the sauce in moderation, because then it pairs exceptionally well with the milder ingredients.
We also tried the Lemak Salad ($6.90), which looked absolutely nothing like a salad. Ikan bilis and luncheon meat? This is my kind of “salad”!
Aside from the standard greens, what really makes the salad lemak is the ikan bilis, roasted peanuts and Tempura Luncheon Meat. Don’t forget their unique Coco Mayo and Sambal Mayo dressing!
Surprisingly, the sauces were rather mellow, which meant they paired with the vegetables pretty well. The raw vegetables and Coco Mayo made for a combination that was an acquired taste, especially with the prominent nutty coconut taste from the Coco Mayo.
What really got me hooked was the delectable Tempura Luncheon Meat. Thankfully, Nasi Coco has the perfect fix with their next food item.
A decadent bowl of Luncheon Supreme ($5.50) hits the spot! The alternative fries dish is a mix of Sweet Potato and Tempura Luncheon Meat. Topped with an onsen egg for an extra $1.50 and drizzled with the same sauces as the salad, this is what I call a sinful indulgence.
I was hooked within minutes. The batter was thin and light, allowing the flavours on the inside to take the spotlight. I also loved how the Tempura Luncheon Meat was soft and juicy. Unfortunately, the sweet potatoes were rather disappointing as they were quite hard and dry.
I couldn’t quite taste the onsen egg as well, since the general richness from the sauces and the fried sticks completely overpowered the taste of the egg. I suggest giving the onsen egg top-up a pass, because this dish is good as it is.
Nasi Coco is but one of a dozen fusion restaurants in Singapore, and I dare say it’s one of the few that will make it. I found the Nasi Coco Supreme to be a perfect combination of the two cuisines. Without GST or service charge, you can get huge portions at affordable prices!
Expected Damage: $8 – $10 per pax
