Here's the edited review:
We had laksa pasta. It was nasty. The pasta had no taste, and the prawns were not fully cooked (close to raw). My photos show the prawn heads were still grey!
I prefer the burger without all the nacho cheese drizzled all over it.
The mushroom soup bread bowl was nice; the bread was warm and toasted.
Zulfadli Zain
3
I visited Swensen’s at Plantation Plaza recently and found the food quality to be decent, but the service left a lot to be desired. When our waitress brought my wife’s burger, she tilted the plate too much and sent half the fries tumbling onto the table—not once, but twice (the second time with our fish & chips). It was awkward having to pick them up myself, and she never offered to help or replace them.
To make matters worse, the BBQ sauce cup that came with the fries was dripping down the side, as if it had been carelessly filled and not wiped clean before serving. Small details like that really add up.
The ice cream and overall menu selection are still what draw me here, so I’d give them another shot if service improves. Right now, though, it’s more of a “food over experience” kind of place. Three stars.
Add-on: Overheard one of the waiters telling their colleague to hurry with cleaning the table because the couple queuing outside looked like they've not eaten for 10 years. Snarky comments should be private and away from the dining floor. This outlet really has a problem with service.
Si Fu Ho
1
Service was really poor. When we arrived, we stood outside for about 5 minutes even though there were available seats. No one acknowledged us. When a staff member finally came over, we requested to sit in the air-conditioned area, as we could see the table just needed a quick cleanup. Instead of a quick wait, however, we were left standing outside for another 15 minutes while two staff members very slowly cleaned the table.
When we were finally seated, the table was still wet, and there were water droplets on one side of the sofa. It was a very bad start.
Once the soup arrived, we wanted to request chilli and pepper, so we raised our hands multiple times. No one came. Two staff members walked past us, including the manager, and completely ignored us. Later, when our mains arrived, I asked for chilli, pepper, and cheese. The manager only brought chilli and pepper. At that point, I was too tired of their bad service to even chase after the missing item.
As for the food:
I had the dry laksa. It was okay, edible, but nothing special. Even the lime wasn’t cut, so I had to do it myself.
My husband had the crispy chicken chop. It looked huge at first glance, but it was extremely thin. There was barely any meat in the middle; it was just skin and flour. Extremely disappointing.
I know I can’t expect much from a budget restaurant (their prices are more affordable compared to many other places), but that doesn’t mean they should allow such bad service. Astons, for example, is similarly priced, and yet their service is so much better.
Overall, the experience was underwhelming. Definitely not what I expected from Swensen’s. Honestly, I’d rather see Astons take over this space.
Ernie Ng
5
Our last visit to Swensen's was a few years ago at another outlet.
We were contemplating eating here.
While browsing the menu, the server—didn't get his name, a young Chinese boy with glasses, probably a student—recommended a few nice dishes that made us want to dine in.
The server who took our order was another young Malay boy, Zaky. He was patient and friendly in taking our orders.
He was multitasking, taking orders, cashiering, and preparing desserts.
He even apologized for sending our dessert a bit later because he was busy with cashiering (which I was aware of, because we were seated near the cashier).
Food was great, still as good as it used to be.
Definitely recommend dining here. It's not very crowded, but I can't speak for the weekends though.
Ivan Lee Lim
1
Zero customer service, similar to other reviews. We were told we couldn't enter by the side door. If that's not allowed, why don't they lock the side door or put up a sign indicating entry only by the main door? The manager asked us to go out and re-enter by the main door, even though the place was quite empty and there was no queue. If you are a manager who places more importance on procedure than on managing customers, be prepared to lose them. Service is equally important as the food.
Haikal Yusof
5
Newly opened Swensen's (about half a year old). Very quiet and calming because of its ulu location. Food is just as good as other Swensen's outlets.
Would come here again for the yummy chicken and waffles and the ambience.
Suryani Ahmad
3
I am writing this review only after repeated visits to the outlet. I am not writing this to entirely make a complaint, but I am providing feedback so it can be taken into consideration to improve the food quality for a better customer experience.
1st visit - My steak was served with the seasonal veggie option that I chose, which came as only carrot and broccoli blanched in hot water.
2nd visit - My partner’s ribeye steak came not in a fresh state at all. The first bite was not edible due to a sour, unfresh meat condition, which, however, was replaced by the lady manager on duty.
3rd & recent visit - The Pesto Salmon we ordered came with corn and peas that weren't freshly cooked. For this, I will attach a picture for your reference. From the picture, one can definitely see the colour difference of the vegetables, which, as mentioned, were served with a lack of freshness.
My family and I love to dine at Swensen, so I hope that something can be done to improve the food quality being served at this outlet.
Ettie
4
Here's an edited version focusing on grammar and minor improvements:
Situated at Level 1 of Plantation Plaza. Quite crowded on a weekend evening. Waiting time to get into the restaurant was still okay, as it's quite spacious. Food is good, same standard as other Swensen's. I like this new chicken baguette sandwich. However, the service and efficiency could improve. Water was not served. Some side dishes were either forgotten or not prepared, and we had to remind them a few times. Food also took a bit longer than usual. I understand this outlet is new, and it still has room for improvement.
Alvin Lee
4
Here's the lightly edited review:
I feel we can be more patient and understanding as they iron out issues that come with opening a new outlet.
This restaurant will see crowds because it's one of the fully running family restaurants in Plantation Plaza at the moment.
Coming from a frequent patron at West Mall, we noticed they have not moved on to an iPad ordering system yet. (I attempted to redeem my vouchers before my orders were confirmed. Thanks to the manager for highlighting this.)
The menu only looked slightly different, which meant that they changed it recently. I wanted to have baked fish meunière but couldn't find it under mains. The pizza is now called hand-stretched, closer to the one at Swensen's Unlimited, and no longer the one served on a ready-made base with a wooden serving board.
Swensen's will always be a brand for Singaporean families, for both young and old, to gravitate to.
Date of visit: 4 December
Nur Iman Rustam
5
Labour Day was a fun outing date with two university alumni friends and me. They've been together for 11 years, and it's been 9 years since our 2016 graduation. And the easiest dinner was at Swensen's Plantation Plaza because it was new and quite a buzz.
I decided to order their signature Sourdough 49ers Sandwiches Set, which came with Minute Maid Orange Juice and the Soup of the Day. The food was appetizing, with a good layer of juicy chicken and an oozy layer of cheese. It was so good that it filled my belly, and I completely devoured the whole set meal.
The atmosphere was lively but not too noisy. Great meal, with interesting life-sharing conversations and wonderful laughter. A great night out, without a doubt.