Sacha & Sons

Sacha & Sons
333A Orchard Road
#03-02 Mandarin Gallery

http://www.sacha-deli.com.sg/


Classic New York Deli With Excellent Pastrami

(Ratings: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 = Worst and 10 = Best)
Overall: 8
Ambience & Setting: 7
Food & Beverage: 9
Service: 6
Value for Money: 8
Spent about SGD $30 per person.


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Stephanie Hancock and Guy Wachs are among the pioneers of the Brunch craze in Singapore. Back when they first founded Wild Honey (Cafe) in November 2009, the concept of a Western style breakfast / lunch was just starting to take root in Singapore, and the subsequent Brunch trend is partly due to their success with Wild Honey (Cafe). Now they're hoping for a second go at another niche, the classic New York Delicatessen.

Named after their son, Sacha & Sons opened its doors in December 2014. Styled after the classic New York Delicatessen / Deli, Sacha & Sons offers traditional American / Russian / Jewish food that, as of the time of this writing, can't be found anywhere else in Singapore. And it's not just deli food, but the entire experience of a typical deli, that makes Sacha & Sons stand out.

Ambience at Sacha & Sons is part of the appeal. Just like a typical New York Delicatessen / Deli, Sacha & Sons has a deli counter which displays their wares, including their home made side dishes and the mouth watering sandwiches. Chalkboard menus flank the walls behind the counter, while staff dressed in traditional deli garb (white, long coats, with black tipped collars) complete the look. Furniture is in dark wooden tones, and good use is made of the small space to maximise seating, while curious patterns adorn the ceiling where quirky lampshades hang. There is an overall vintage appeal to the place. My only complaint is that Sacha & Sons has rather dim ambient lighting, making the place seem dark.

Service at Sacha & Sons also resembles a typical New York Delicatessen / Deli. You queue outside the premises, and the waiting time can be about 30 minutes during peak periods. Once inside, staff bring you to your seat, and assign you the table number. You'll have to remember it, as ordering and payment is self-service at the deli counter, and the cashier will ask for your table number. Orders will be served to your table, and waiting time for food is relatively short, around 10 minutes or so. While staff are knowledgable about the menu items, they tend to falter when asked about ingredients... But thumbs up for them as they do show initiative, and will write down the information from the chef before coming back to you with the answer. Tip: Do decide on what you'll order before queuing, to prevent holding up the queue.

Food at Sacha & Sons features traditional Delicatessen / Deli classic dishes, which is a mix of American / Russian / Jewish influences. Many items in store, including their salads, pickles, bagels, and gravlax (cured salmon that isn't smoked), are made fresh, by hand, daily. In particular, their beef pastrami is outstanding, made with an in house secret recipe that involves the beef brisket being cured and cooked over hours, then steamed on site, and hand carved before serving. Do note that while food here is not kosher, there is no pork and no lard used. Portion sizes for most dishes tend towards large enough for 1 person, and may be shared. Prices are comparable to other mid to high end restaurants, expect to spend anywhere between SGD $25 to $40 per person for a meal.


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The place has a vintage deli appeal, but is comfortable and clean. The menu has clear descriptions of dishes, but I do wish there are photographs to give an idea of portion sizes.

Sacha & Sons Deli Counter

Sacha & Sons Seating

Sacha & Sons Menu 01

Sacha & Sons Menu 02

The Beer Jaipur India Pale Ale (SGD $20) is a clear, golden ale with a medium thick head, grassy citrus aroma with a hint of lemon and tropical fruits, smooth, dry texture with a light bitterness, very refreshing! Pity it's so overpriced here, avoid ordering as you can get it cheaper elsewhere.

Beer Jaipur India Pale Ale

Borscht is a classic Russian soup / stew, that may either be served hot, or cold. Often made using beetroot or tomato as a base, it may also include other vegetables or even meat to make it more hearty. Their version of Beetroot Borscht With Sesame Bagel (SGD $12) here also uses beetroot as a base for the soup / stew, but doesn't contain any other ingredients apart from a dollop of sour cream, and herbs.

The Beetroot Borscht here is thick, rich, and creamy, with a coarse texture, much thicker in texture than any version I've had in Moscow, Russia, though the taste is just as piquant and tangy. The sour cream adds a hint of sour taste to each mouthful. A hand rolled Sesame Bagel is served on the side, and it's incredibly tasty, soft with a nice dough texture, yet light, and the aroma of toasted sesame seeds is so fragrant!

Beetroot Borscht With Sesame Bagel

Beetroot Borscht

Sesame Bagel

The Grilled Reuben Sandwich comes with your choice of Pastrami or Corned Beef, and a choice of Rye Bread, Bagel, or Broiche. You'll also have to choose the portion size from a Regular (150gm, SGD $18), a Large (240gm, SGD $26), or an Extra Large (300gm, SGD $35).

I tried the Grilled Reuben Sandwich With Pastrami On Rye Bread (150gm, SGD $18), which features their excellent beef brisket pastrami, dry rubbed with secret spices then cured, cooked for hours, steamed, and hand carved into thin, savoury strips. The pastrami has a nice pink hue, and each bite is savoury with a smoky aroma. The texture isn't too tough, but the meat borders on dry. Traditionally paired with Rye Bread, the version here is crisp, with the fragrant aroma and flavour of wheat, and shatters nicely when bit.

The sandwich also contains their house recipe Sauerkraut, a tangy, slightly sour, finely chopped pickled cabbage, that pairs well with the gooey melted Swiss Cheese, and piquant Russian Salad Dressing within. Served on the side are tangy, juicy, and slightly sour dill pickles, and a fresh, slightly sour coleslaw, all made in house. Interesting to note that a traditional Grilled Reuben Sandwich With Pastrami On Rye, in the United States Of America, is actually called a 'Rachel Sandwich', because the classic Reuben Sandwich is made with corned beef on rye bread.

Grilled Reuben Sandwich With Pastrami On Rye 01

Grilled Reuben Sandwich With Pastrami On Rye 02

Grilled Reuben Sandwich With Pastrami On Rye 03

The traditional, classic American style Reuben Sandwich is a hot sandwich of corned beef, sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, and Russian salad dressing, between slices of rye bread. Their version of Grilled Reuben Sandwich With Corned Beef On Rye (150gm, SGD $18) stays true to the original versions sold in New York, United States Of America, served with the yummy house made dill pickles and coleslaw, and is incredibly flavourful and moist.

Biting into the Grilled Reuben Sandwich With Corned Beef On Rye, you get the crisp shattering of the fragrant Rye Bread, followed by the slightly sour, crunchy Sauerkraut, then the savoury, salty aroma of the moist Corned Beef. So good that you can't stop eating it! A point to note: the difference between pastrami and corned beef, although both use beef brisket, is that pastrami is dry rubbed and smoked, while corned beef is salt cured in a seasoned brine, not smoked.

Grilled Reuben Sandwich With Corned Beef On Rye 01

Grilled Reuben Sandwich With Corned Beef On Rye 02

Grilled Reuben Sandwich With Corned Beef On Rye 03

In Russia, a Blintz is a thin pancake, normally thinner in texture than a Blini, and Russians normally eat these stuffed with various fillings, or rolled and topped with various ingredients and sauces. It can be a savoury or a sweet dish, and is usually baked or pan fried. Eastern European Jewish immigrants usually stuffed a Blintz with cheese, and serve it during Hanukkah.

The Blintzes (SGD $12) here resemble the Jewish version, which has the pancakes rolled into layers, then stuffed with cheese, lightly pan fried till the outside is savoury with a slight crisp texture, and served dusted with icing sugar. Chef has chosen to stuff the Blintzes with a mixture of mascarpone and ricotta cheese. Cutting into the pancake, you'll see nice layers, with the crumbly cheese stuffed into a pocket. Consume these by topping each slice with a dollop of both sour cream and a home made cranberry jam, which are served on the side. Taste is sweet at the front, then you get a slight hint of savoury from the cheese, and the texture is so soft. Not too outstanding in taste, but this does closely resemble traditional versions.

Blintzes 01

Blintzes 02

Blintzes 03

Returned to sample the Half & Half (SGD $16), which is perfect for small eaters. I got the Classic Chicken Noodle Soup, a savoury, clear broth with a hint of sweetness, enhanced with sliced carrots and a flat, wide, egg noodle. This classic American home cooked comfort food soup is done very well here, but ultimately, is only average as a dish. The Classic Deli Sandwich With Pastrami And Mustard On Rye Bread though, features their signature beef pastrami front and center, with no other ingredients or condiments except a tangy yellow mustard and rye bread. I find this to actually be just as tasty, as the savoury notes really shine here, but the lack of moisture means this borders on dry.

Half & Half

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup 01

Classic Chicken Noodle Soup 02

Classic Deli Sandwich With Pastrami And Mustard On Rye 01

Classic Deli Sandwich With Pastrami And Mustard On Rye 02

The Chocolate Kugelhopf Cake (SGD $8), also known as a Gugelhupf Cake, is a popular dessert bundt cake in Germany and Switzerland. The soft, moist cake is properly sweet with a zesty lemon sponge base and a rich chocolate top, a nice slightly crisp crust, and completely delicious. Served with a side of sour cream, which helps to cut through some of the sweetness of the cake, and works surprisingly well together.

Chocolate Kugelhopf Cake 01

Chocolate Kugelhopf Cake 02

Reserve a table now @ Sacha & Sons

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