While private members’ club Straits Clan offers a uniquely Singaporean perspective, its efforts to embrace a broader appetite are commendable
Taking over the four-storey conservation building on Bukit Pasoh Road—where many of Singapore’s clan associations are located—is swanky private members’ club Straits Clan. But unlike what one might expect from a seemingly archaic construct, this revival aims to be a catalyst for change in the wider community. In short, it is not a gentlemen’s club.
“My journey as an entrepreneur in the last decade has given me the incredible opportunity to work with many progressive creatives, business leaders and change-makers across numerous fields,’’ says Wee Teng Wen, co-founder and managing partner of The Lo & Behold Group, which manages the club. It is this impetus to create an inclusive space for genuine connection that led Wee, together with The Ate Group co-founder Aun Koh and hospitality veteran Sally Lim, to establish Straits Clan, which is said to cater to a purposefully diverse population.
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Not surprisingly, a similar desire to nourish and embrace a varied audience can be found in its food and beverage offerings, spread across three distinct concepts—the Clan Cafe, the Dining Room and the Bar—that cater to various moods and occasions.
It makes perfect sense. Why settle for a club sandwich when you can soothe the soul and satiate the palate with a nourishing miso salmon bowl, complete with carrot and lotus kinpira (a Japanese accompaniment of sauteed and simmered vegetables), edamame, kimchi and mixed greens. The kakiage bowl with genmaicha (brown rice green tea) broth, says the club’s executive chef David Thien, features a medley of kale, okra, Japanese sweet potato, aubergine and Asian mushrooms, which have been crisped in a light batter and served on a bed of mixed grains.
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