Is This New Western Hawker Stall By Ex-French Restaurant Chefs Worth A Try? 

Swag & Sizzle is a new Western hawker stall in Tanjong Pagar 

When a cook calls it quits at a fancy restaurant and moves to a humble hawker stall, it grabs our attention. So when two former executive chefs from popular French restaurant L’Entrecote teamed up to open their own stall in Tanjong Pagar, Swag & Sizzle, we knew we had to visit. 

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Food at Swag & Sizzle

The menu at Swag & Sizzle is divided into four sections: All-Day Breakfast, Mains, Burger & Pasta, and Desserts. 

If you’ve ever been to L’Entrecote, you would know that their crown jewel is their steak. Here you can find something similar at a fraction of the price: the Hanger Steak ($21.90). We opted for medium rare, but you can get your steak done however you like it. 

Instead of mimicking L’Entrecote’s highly-coveted ‘secret sauce’, the steak here is drizzled with a green chimichurri instead. Having never tried the former version, I wouldn’t know what I would be missing out on—but as far as I was concerned, Swag & Sizzle’s herby rendition hit the spot. 

The chimichurri truly elevated the dish, giving the meat a grassy and tangy edge. According to this Food Republic article, hanger steak is known for being one of the most tender and juicy pieces of steak when cooked to an optimal medium-rare. 

Though this steak was undeniably juicy, it was cooked slightly less than I would have preferred, and ended up being a bit too strong-tasting for both my dining companion and myself. Nevertheless, the steak here was a cut above what you would find at other Western hawker stalls, so I have to give them their kudos. 

Skinny french fries truthers, like myself, would be happy to know that the fries here are right up their alley. The fries were thin-cut, well-salted, and crispy, so no complaints. 

Next on the chopping board was the Chicken Roulade ($11.90). Think of roulade as a sort of savoury swiss roll: spinach and wild mushrooms rolled in roasted chicken, and dressed in a creamy tomato relish. 

Upon first bite, I was pleasantly surprised at just how flavourful it was. The chicken was nothing particularly noteworthy, but when paired with the spinach and mushrooms, it was nothing short of delicious. 

It was a classic example of don’t judge a book by its cover, as the plain-looking chicken ended up being moist and tender. On the other hand, the exterior of the meat roll tasted rather lacklustre and did not offer the smokiness I was expecting from the charred, golden look of it. 

Though it proved that a smear of the sweet tomato sauce across the roulade was a quick fix for this issue. The sauce was essentially just pulverised tomatoes, but it worked in the dish’s favour. 

Onto my favourite of the lot: the Smash Burger ($14.90). If a burger is good, it would stay on my mind for weeks, and I’m glad to say this was one of those instances. 

Sandwiched between buttery, brioche buns were two beef patties, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, bacon jam, and a spicy tartare sauce. The patty was super juicy, and the sauce lent the sandwich a nice fiery kick. It also had that signature slight crisp to it, a trait that sets a smash burger patty apart from a regular one. 

Breakfast foods are superior, at least in my opinion, so I was pretty compelled by the concept of Swag & Sizzle’s all-day-breakfast options. We went for the chef’s special, the Croque Monsieur ($6.90), which also happened to be one of the cheapest options on the menu. 

I did not find this Croque Monsieur to stand out in any way from a typical ham-and-cheese toastie, which was slightly disappointing. But if that’s what you’re up for, this is still a pretty passable breakfast sandwich. 

Ambience at Swag & Sizzle

Swag & Sizzle is located in a coffee shop in the CBD, so you can expect the space to be well-occupied by office workers during lunchtime. The stall is well-ventilated with plenty of fans, and is located in a relatively open area. Swag & Sizzle is a 10-minute walk from Tanjong Pagar MRT Station and a 13-minute walk from Outram Park MRT Station. 

Swag & Sizzle – Eatbook review

Swag & Sizzle is a refreshing and much-appreciated addition to our ever-growing local Western hawker scene. With years of culinary experience under their belt, the stall offers restaurant-quality food at hawker prices, making it worth a try.

Address: 243 Cantonment Road, Singapore 089770
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 9:30pm
Tel: 8088 1057
Website
Swag & Sizzle is not a halal-certified eatery. 

Photos taken by Tao Zhi Tan.
This was an independent visit by Eatbook.sg.