Another day, another new food place in Bugis. The latest contender hoping to make its mark is Stack, which sells unique sandwiches – all at nett prices! The shop is owned by the same people behind Afterwit and The Mad Sailors, so our expectations were already pretty high coming in.
Its name may have made us chortle, but once the Makcik ($13) slid down our throats, we were practically beaming. Tucked between the rye bread was a copious amount of greasy beef rendang, greens and slathered in garlic aioli.
The sandwich was toasted just right, and the rye did well to hold the ingredients together.
The main highlight was the beef rendang. It had a robust taste that went beautifully with the rich meat juices. The smooth garlic aioli also deserved a shoutout as it gave the depth to the sandwich, without overpowering the other ingredients.
If you ever plan to visit Stack, the Makcik is the sandwich you must get.
When we got to the Sweet Valley High ($11), the country apple and peach compote filling was practically oozing out. On its own, the compote was divine. Its syrupy consistency complemented the soft fruits; its taste is one that’ll satisfy even the sweetest of teeth.
The problem starts once you eat the whole sandwich.
Maybe it’s ‘cause we didn’t consume it immediately, but all those flavours I just described? Gone. The bread was too doughy for our liking, and the Hickory turkey ham and blueberry cream cheese spread barely had any flavour.
Similarly, there’s the Chunky AF ($15) where every single ingredient was a winner…on its own. The bagels were dense and chewy – the way they should be. The squashed lamb meatballs weren’t overly moist and had a nice earthy taste. The roasted beets were almost gelatinous and gave a pleasant mouthfeel.
Eat them together in a bite, however, and the flavours start clashing. The combination of the chewy bagels and beets wreaked havoc on my jaws. And worst of all, the little nuances in the flavour of the meatballs were gone once the juices seeped into the bagel.
Stack definitely has fewer seats as compared to other shops in the area. That being said, I don’t expect customers to have any trouble finding them ‘cause sandwiches are pretty much grab-to-go anyways.
Despite its open-air concept, the ventilation here is good; in fact, it’s pretty cooling.
Stack is a bit of a toughie to judge ‘cause the ingredients making up the sandwiches are all on point. The combination, on the other hand, requires a bit of tweaking.
Still, the Makcik is a good enough reason for a trip here. And the fuss-free concept definitely sets it apart from other shops in the area.
Address: 4 Jalan Klapa, Singapore 199316
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 6pm
Tel: 6904 8117
Website
Stack is Muslim-owned
Photos taken by Ho Jing Yi
This is an independent review by Eatbook.
Summary
Pros
– Ingredients tasted wonderful on own
– Nett price
Cons
– For most of the sandwiches we tried, the ingredients didn’t mesh well together
Recommended dishes: The Makcik ($13)
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 6pm
Address: 4 Jalan Klapa, Singapore 199316