Ola Beach Club, situated along at Siloso Beach Sentosa, is Singapore’s latest and only all-encompassing Hawaiian-themed lifestyle venue. On the ground floor, there are daybeds where you can relax on, or any of the six private cabanas to rest your tired feet. The Sunset Bar is on the second floor that overlooks the beach and sunset right in between the coconut trees which explains its name.
Up at the Sunset Bar is a welcome respite from the hot sun but with similar relaxing vibe. The presence of wood, planters, and hanging floats all seek to exude Hawaii’s island feel. Not just a holistic destination for outdoor activities and watersports, Ola offers an interesting beach dining experience, with .a menu of Hawaiian-inspired specialties crafted by Executive Chef Liinson Heng.
Lomi-Lomi Salmon 3.5/5
Be it as appetisers or alcoholic accompaniments, their cold starters will suit your needs. Reach out to a dainty cup of Lomi-Lomi Salmon ($16) in between sips of your cocktail. Traditionally served in a big bowl for sharing, the mixture of flaked Norwegian salmon confit, tomatoes and sweet Maui onions had been elegantly scooped into a mini waffle cup. Crowning it with flying fish roe or caviar (+$4) certainly drew our attention to it. The confit was moist and amazingly creamy on its own, with a dash of lemon to give its richness an edge. The flavour of the meat could have been more profound if not for the slightly overdoses of salt, but the sweetness from the crunchy waffle managed that quite abit.
Kimchi Tuna 3/5
Shoyu Tuna 3/5
As a starter for sharing or a main on its own, their Ahi Poke Bowl ($20) of diced tuna offers 3 flavours - shoyu, kimchi or togarashi, complemented by your choice of 2 sides from the basket of creamy guacamole, crunchy pumpkin seeds, pomegranate seeds and refreshing cubed pineapples. I would recommend to have some coarse grains (+$1) to counterbalance the rich poke. Their brown rice was unexpectedly well done, with the right bite and moisture. The marination was not too overwhelming either, which happened to some poke bowls.
Saimin Salad 3/5
One of Hawaiians' comfort food, Saimin Salad ($15) is a cold noodle salad. Simply pour the soy-based sauce over the Japanese somen and toss the chunky ingredients. What amused me was the use of battered fishcake and spam creating a new chemistry with each other and with other ingredients.
Kalua Pig Taco 3/5
From the hot starters, the Kalua Pig Taco ($25) gives you a chance to taste the Hawaii’s famous Kalua Pork – one-day cured pork shoulder steamed and baked for three hours till soft and tender for shredding. Sautéed with white cabbage over open fire, the Kalua Pork supposed to exhibit a smokey sweetness but that seemed to be lost in the pool of melted cheddar cheese. Great for cheese lovers though. The house-made Roma tomato relish and guacamole up the taste a notch, not to forget the Chef’s special sour cream, which is a “chutney” of bird’s eye chilli, red pepper, parsley and onions. Really delicious, that I had to stop myself from pouring the whole thing over my taco.
House-smoked Squid 4.2/5
The complexity that goes into creating House-smoked Squid ($21) is notable, giving us a glimpse into Chef Liinson's culinary mind. Smoked over an open fire in a special netted basket, the grilled octopus were 'poached' in heat. What resulted was soft and springy texture, carrying strong hint of smokiness. These little creatures looked somewhat adorable in the plated seabed, sitting on the olive tapenade.. For some flavours highlights, Chef paired them with tangy confit tomatoes, roasted fava beans, piquant artichoke and a house-made garlic and saffron mayonnaise.
Huli-Huli Chicken 4/5
Huli-Huli Chicken ($26) is Hawaii’s version of teriyaki chicken with chicken thigh and breast plated elegantly with burnt leek and a seasonal vegetable puree (ours was celery puree). Steeped in a teriyaki marinade and sous vide, I love the smokey and deep sweetness of the teriyaki that glazed over the meat. The breast meat wasn't sidelined at all by the usually more popular chicken thigh, as it was moist and tender, with the ability to balance the entire dish with its subtly. Even the burnt leek was not neglected, with its exquisite charred flavour.
Loco Moco’s 3/5
Rice is seemingly one of Hawaiian's staple food, which is evident in Loco Moco’s ($28), in which a 150g Wagyu beef patty is paired with steamed Japanese koshihikari white rice flavoured with sesame seeds and finely chopped konbu. The crusted egg succeeded in satisfying our fetish in oozy egg yolk, but I couldn't say the same for the much anticipated beef patty. It wasn't as juicy as I wanted it to be, perhaps it was done way over medium-rare, and its natural beefy flavour was mask by burst of saltiness from the capers within the patty. The saving grace was the thick and rich mushroom sauce, which I could pour it over and form a deeply satisfying beef rice burger. What a brilliant idea and execution.
Haupia Sphere 3.5/5
Rounding off our meal was Haupia Sphere ($22), one of Chef Liinson’s intricate creations. Inspired by the traditional Haupia (Hawaiian coconut pudding), the valrhona dark chocolate sphere encapsulates a layer of coconut Chantilly cream, desiccated coconut sponge cake, nata de coco and vanilla ice-cream. Simply pour the warm chocolate sauce served at the side to unveil the treasures within.
In the hands of Chef Liinson, the dishes have gain a finesse without losing their intrinsic fun and casual attributes. That, stays true to its name - Ola, which means “life” in Hawaiian, and all I could imagine is the energetic, positive vibes of life.
Written and photography by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.
Ola Beach Club
Siloso Beach Sentosa
46 Siloso Beach Walk
Singapore 099055
Tel:+65 62506978
Website
Nearest MRT: HarbourFront (CC Line, NE Line)
Opening Hours:
Mon-Fri: 10am - 10pm
Sat-Sun: 9am - 10pm
Direction:
1) Alight at Harbourfront MRT station. Take Exit E or C. Go to Sentosa Express Station at Level 3 of Vivocity. Take Sentosa Express Train to Beacht station. Alight at Beach station and walk to sentosa beach walk. Walk down sentosa beach walk to destination. Journey time about 20 mins. [Map]
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