Swensen’s is a fond, familiar name to those of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s. This classic American chain restaurant opened in Singapore in 1979 and offered Singaporeans an affordable introduction to western food: chicken salad, surf ‘n’ turf, and of course, ice cream sundaes.
But times change, and so do tastes. Western food is no longer as classy and exotic as it once was: when we’re in the mood for something less local, we’re just as likely to treat ourselves to Japanese, Korean, Thai or Vietnamese cuisine than a meal of steak and pasta.
So how is Swensen’s keeping up with the times? Rather than racing to keep up with trends, it’s trying to become more inclusive. It’s added Asian dishes to some of its chains, and ensured that every single one of its restaurants is halal certified.
Recently, the company’s also opened a slightly more upmarket version of itself called Earle Swensen’s. The VivoCity branch recently invited us for a tasting session of their new menu.
We began with a trip to the Salad Buffet Bar ($16.20 a la carte, free with any main). The selections here are eye-poppingly diverse: on one end, there’s keropok right next to nacho cheese, Ritz crackers and alfalfa sprouts. On the other end, there’s you cang (fried shallots) next to the hummus and arugula.
This might look bizarre, but it’s all very practical. If you’re bringing your family to the restaurant, you’ll find there’s something for each of them, whether they’re hipsters, health nuts or junk food lovers. Plus, if you’re on a budget, it’s a meal unto itself: you can get protein from the Greek chicken salad, carbs from the spaghetti and dessert in the form of watermelon, grapes and honeydew.
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A dish of Salad from the Salad Buffet Bar
Many of the starters and main courses follow a similar theme of western-Asian fusion. I loved the Grilled Stuffed Mid-Wings ($10.90): boneless chicken wings stuffed with crunchy carrot strips and dipped into reinvented satay sauce of peanut butter and honey―a delightful mix of tastes and textures.
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Grilled Stuffed Mid-Wings
Likewise, the Grilled Cod Fish with Wild Rice Broth ($37.90) was savoury and satisfying: the chicken broth, Shimeji mushrooms, springy wild rice and lemon jasmine rice were a fantastic accompaniment to the soft, flaky cod. It’s a holdover from the original Swensen’s menu, but with the added tweak that the fish skin is seared to crisp.
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Grilled Cod Fish with Wild Rice Broth
However, other selections are more of a gamble. Shrimply the Best ($9.90), a dish of deep-fried prawns with coconut breading, was a fun novelty item, but the prawns themselves were relatively flavourless under the crust.
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Shrimply the Best
The Pineapple Beef Rendang Baked Rice ($23.90) and the Boston Lobster Roll ($34.90) were both too sweet―again, the sweet bread bun and dressing overpowered the actual lobster flesh in the sandwich.
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Pineapple Beef Rendang Baked Rice
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The Boston Lobster Roll
Many at the table were impressed by the Braised US Beef Ribs ($69.90), which came in huge portions and were steam-roasted to supreme tenderness. I had more mixed feelings: though the surface was deliciously glazed in barbecue sauce, meat on the interior was disappointingly bland.
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Braised US Beef Ribs
As for drinks, I was thoroughly pleased with my Lychee Glacier, a tart and refreshing frozen smoothie of lychee and raspberry. Other fruit blends, such as the Strawberry Jubilee and the Peach Razzle, tasted like liquefied candy, and may leave you too full to finish your meal.
If you find you’ve room for dessert, however, I do recommend the Mocha Affogato ($12.50). It’s frankly not made of the best vanilla gelato―competing ice cream brands have raised our standards for that―but the way it’s served makes up for that. The scoop comes with chocolate sauce and brown sugar: you then douse everything with a cup of espresso, mixing everything together with a spoon. It even comes with millefeuille pastry sticks for dunking, and an embedded ice cream cone to nibble at. This isn’t just a dessert: it’s an experience.
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Mocha Affogato
As you can see, Earle Swensen’s isn’t really a boutique restaurant yet―you probably won’t impress your date with a visit, unless they’ve got a really sweet tooth. But there’s definitely a market for this menu. With its generous portions and broad selections, there’s a bit of something for everyone. It’s food that’s designed to be shared; not about class, but about community. Not just about what’s on your table, but who’s sitting at the table with you.
Earle Swensen’s
1. 1 Harbourfront Walk, #02-117, VivoCity, Singapore 098585 Tel: +65 62723306
2. 3 Gateway Drive, #03-10/11, Westgate, Singapore 608532 Tel: +65 63583859
Opening Hours: 10.30am – 10.30pm daily
Website
Text by Ng Yi Sheng @yishkabob
Pictures by Kelvin Dao @sg.food
