Review: Jack Marzoni’s sandwiches are creative, but not all hit the spot

Given that North Bridge Road is peppered with Muslim-owned and halal food spots, Jack Marzoni’s is a breath of fresh air with its sandwich shop concept. 

Situated along the same street as the famed Chix Hot Chick and Brunch Club by The Halal Corner, Jack Marzoni’s is a cosy space that seats about 16 diners indoors and has two additional outdoor tables.

Sandwiches (and wraps) are my go-to for weekday lunches; they’re fuss-free to make at home when time is a luxury, and when I’m in need of satisfactory sustenance to get me through a workday.

Those who come to the area might recall that this space was previously occupied by Lina’s Cafe and its mostly white walls and furniture. Jack Marzoni’s decor is a stark contrast, with its colourful prints, old-school posters, and magazine covers. Its kitchen also now opens into the seating area as compared to the more closed-off kitchen Lina’s had.

The backstory

Started by two sandwich-loving brothers, Shahrom and Rizal, and their fellow sandwich-loving friend, Wan, Jack Marzoni’s is an ode to the trio’s childhood when they’d have them with a sunny side up with cheddar on white bread or with tuna mayonnaise or canned sardines. 

Jack Marzoni’s name takes after the brothers’ father’s nickname. Though they’re unsure where and how the moniker came about, they found it intriguing enough to name the F&B business after him.

Coincidentally, Shahrom and Rizal also used to work at Beigelhaus, a Muslim-owned bagel joint in Tanjong Pagar.

However, unlike the sandwiches they used to have in their childhood or used to dole out at Beigelhaus, Jack Marzoni’s sandwiches take inspiration from New York delis in the 70s, when diners and bodegas often had their owner’s name emblazoned across the shopfronts.

Our verdict

While the idea of sandwiches might seem too little to satisfy as a meal for some, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how full you’ll be after an order of a sandwich, a side, and one of its must-try milkshakes, here.

With all of Jack Marzoni’s sandwiches priced at less than S$18 each, it’s affordable for the area, and especially convenient if you’re looking for something to-go.

Keep wet wipes handy though, as handling Jack Marzoni’s generously stuffed sandwiches can get messy — but hey, that just adds to the experience of truly enjoying them, right?

The shop operates on a self-service system, with a brief wait time to book; we only waited 15 minutes for our entire order to arrive (even during peak dinner service).

If you’re thinking of visiting this Ramadan, it only operates from 4pm to 10pm, from now till April 9.

What it’s good for

We had a tough time deciding what to narrow our order to, out of the 10 sandwiches on the menu, considering it was the first time my dining companion and I were there, and that we were hoping to try as much of the menu as possible. 

Of the three sandwiches we settled on, the Lambegini (S$16.90) impressed the most.

It spilt over the sides with a hefty helping of seared lamb leg, fried eggplant, masala cream cheese, kombu butter, confit cherry tomatoes, and pickled salad.

The flavours in the Lambegini sandwich packed a punch, switching back and forth between deeply savoury and gamey to slightly sweet and acidic. It had an unmistakable tomato-ey sup tulang (bone marrow soup) zing so good that it made us almost not want to share the sandwich with the other. 

Jack Marzoni’s Cheeky Tongue (S$16.90) fared second-best with its fall-apart braised beef tongue and cheeks, loaded with kombu butter, kerisik (toasted, grated, pounded coconut) cream cheese, mozzarella, beef jus, and pickled salad.

It could’ve used a sprinkling of salt, but the restaurant’s selection of sauces helped to amp up the flavours for this significantly. Speaking of which, the wasabi mayo was a killer choice for cutting through the fatty beef cheek.

Everyone knows that you can’t have a sandwich without a side, and with four fries options here, the truffle (S$11.90) fries unanimously hit the spot for us.

While it’s one of the pricier fries (the straightforward nacho variation is S$8.90), the portion is thankfully hefty enough for two to share.

It’s hard to fault piping hot fries blanketed in chunky, aromatic truffle sauce — making this an easy win if truffle is your jam.

The generous combo of nacho cheese, sour cream and truffle sauce on the fries did result in too-soggy fries very quickly, so if you prefer your fries crispy, don’t let this sit out for too long once you’re done polishing off your sandwich.

Although we both have dairy intolerances, we had to give the teh peng milkshake (S$7) a go. Think creamy teh tarik blended with vanilla ice cream — decadently creamy and one of the best ways to beat the day’s heat.

What it could improve on

Our first bite of the Ducktape (S$15.90) sandwich made us do a double-take. 

We could’ve sworn we were served the wrong sandwich, thinking it was tuna, not duck. The scribble on the foil stated “Ducktape”, but we kept tasting fishiness.

A closer look at the ingredients — duck leg confit, creamed feta cheese, mozzarella, sauteed bell peppers and ranch, smashed hash brown, creamy mustard jus, and pickled salad — didn’t reveal anything that explained why the flavours seemed off.

We raised our experience to one of the staff, who was just as amused. Perhaps it was a one-off incident that the sandwich didn’t meet a diner’s expectations. We still enjoyed it, regardless, as it was a departure from the richness of the Lambegini.

Our quick takes

Is it conducive to conversation? Yes. The playlist is a mix of pop and traditional Hari Raya songs  — expected since it’s Ramadan) — but the volume is acceptable and you can still hold a conversation without straining your voice or hearing.

Is a reservation necessary? No. As the space is small, visit just before peak lunch or dinner hours for a guaranteed seat. If you’re coming in a large group  of five or more people, the tables can be a squeeze.

How to get there? Jack Marzoni’s is a nine-minute or 650m walk from Bugis MRT station.

HungryGoWhere paid for its meal at this restaurant for this review.

Looking for more sandwich options? Consider visiting Vernacular Coffee, a cafe inside the former Singapore Badminton Hall, or Two Men Bagel House, Singapore’s popular bagel specialist that’s been operating for 10 years.

Do explore the new GrabFood Dine-in service for awesome deals.

You can also book a ride to Jack Marzoni’s at Jalan Pisang.