Ola Beach Club: A Hawaiian Breeze on Siloso Beach

PUBLISHED January 27th, 2017 06:00 am | UPDATED May 18th, 2020 04:26 pm

Perhaps the most well-known of beaches on Sentosa island, Siloso Beach has plenty to offer when it comes to having fun in the sun or spots to chill along the coastal waters. And now there’s another reason to head on down to the beach.

Inspired by Hawaii’s easy-going island life, Ola Beach Club  is designed by award-winning firm Genius Loci. With strong accents of wood and greenery, there’s a rustic chic vibe about Ola that makes it the perfect place to lounge away a lazy afternoon; and you can do that from the daybeds, the private cabanas, or the bar swings. Talk about being spoilt for choice!

Suntanning sessions aside, the real purpose of our visit was to sample their Hawaiian-inspired dishes. Helmed by Executive Chef Liinson Heng whose previous stints include OCF, Joel Robuchon and Swiss Butchery, Ola offers a decent-sized menu of cold and hot starters, meaty mains and desserts.

We started off with the bite-sized Lomi-Lomi Salmon ($16). Ideal for a group of five, each mini waffle cup is packed full of flavour from the slight sweetness from the Norwegian salmon and Maui onion confit and the saltiness of the flying fish roe (the latter requires an additional $4). Next, the Ahi Poke Bowl ($20), which will also suffice as a main course for one, consists of diced tuna marinated in your choice of shoyu, kimchi or togarashi dressing complemented by toppings such as guacamole, pumpkin seeds, and pomegranate.

The base of somen noodles in the Saimin Salad ($15) is littered with deep fried diced spam, crispy fish cake, thin slices of omelette and lettuce, accompanied with a light Japanese sauce. Strangely reminiscent of our local yong tau foo, we’re guessing this would definitely be a hit with Singaporeans.

Of the hot entrées we tried, the Kahlua Pig Taco ($25) was our favourite. The tender pork that shreds away effortlessly is complemented by the smoky sweetness of the cabbage; the texture of the melted cheddar cheese and the crisp taco shell brings the whole dish together in gooey yet crunchy perfection. For a lighter yet equally exquisite option, go for the Grilled Octopus ($18.50) served with earthy greens and a house-made garlic and saffron mayonnaise.

For the mains, we went with the Loco Moco ($28) and Huli-Huli Chicken ($26). The former is the star; think a delicious Wagyu beef patty cooked to medium-rare tenderness on top of steamed Japanese koshihikari white rice, elevated with a panko crusted egg that oozes golden yolk when cut into. The latter is a Hawaiian version of teriyaki chicken, where the chicken thigh and breast were sous vide with marinade till flavours permeate the meat thoroughly. Presented with burnt leek and a seasonal vegetable puree.

The meal finishes off with their most theatrical dessert – Haupia Sphere ($22). A twist on the haupia, a traditional Hawaiian coconut pudding, Ola’s version sees coconut Chantilly cream, coconut sponge cake, nata de coco, and vanilla bean ice cream encased in a Valrhona dark chocolate sphere. Warm chocolate sauce drizzled over the sphere reveals the sweet treats within – a common yet effective theatric at the dessert table.

You can’t have a beach club without tiki cocktails, am I right? Ola’s head bartender Alex Ng (previously from Bar Stories, and TESS Bar & Kitchen) marries flavours beautifully, and the tipples are also a visual feast. Uliuli Tiki ($22), meaning dark colour, is topped with a brûléed meringue and a chocolate fish swimming amongst the ‘waves’. Also try Alex’s rendition of the classic Piña Colada, Melemele Tiki ($22), which features rum, cream, coconut juice and a special concoction of homemade cinnamon banana puree.

 

Located on the second floor is the Sunset Bar, so named because it’s a great spot to watch the sun go down. However, it’s only open during the weekends. And a public service announcement to young families: Ola is equipped with a nursing room and baby changing stations, so no worries if you’re taking the tots along.

Last but not least, beach bunnies can also look forward to water sports facilities at Ola. Managed by industry veteran SeaBreeze Water Sports, there’s the water-propelled Jet Pack ($228 for 45min, $298 for one hour) and Jetblade for the adrenaline seekers, while more relaxing activities like Stand-Up Paddling ($35 per hour) and Kayaking (single for $25 per hour, double for $35 per hour) are also available.

Ola Beach Club is located at 46 Siloso Beach Walk, Sentosa, Singapore 099005, p. +6250 6978. Open Mon-Fri, 10am-10pm, Sat & Sun, 9am-10pm.