Review: Sway's Bistro

Sway's seafood salad. (Credit: Leah Starnes)

Sway’s Bistro has been in business for a year and is owned and operated by Sam and Alicia Wong. They serve a variety of food offerings and have a daily lunch special. The atmosphere is quite comfortable with a cozy, friendly and invitingly laid-back feel. The staff are excellent from the hostess to the kitchen and are definitely waiting to please their patrons.

The food: A nice variety of appetizers are available and include crab cakes, crawfish tails, mozzarella fritti, three cheese fries, potato skins, fried asparagus and crispy dippers that are chicken and crabmeat dumplings fried and served with a sweet pepper glaze. The Italian chicken pizza is a good bet with its thin crust topped with grilled chicken, mushrooms, tomatoes, bell pepper, cheeses, and marinara sauce. All appetizers are reasonably priced, ranging from $5.99-$7.99.

A fine group of salad offerings are available for a great lunch as they are large enough as a meal alone. They include grilled chicken, grilled shrimp Caesar, seared salmon, steakhouse or the Sway’s seafood salad which we tried. It was fresh and quite large, made from crisp spinach, tomatoes, avocado, red bell pepper and parmesan cheese topped with grilled shrimp, crabmeat, scallops and crawfish. They serve a house comeback dressing that is worth a try along with your salad ($8.99-$9.99).

The daily lunch specials are served Monday through Friday and come with a house salad and a side dish. These offerings include the fried chicken wrap, chicken fettuccine, shrimp fettuccine, grilled shrimp skewers, grilled cheese, three cheese grilled chicken, hamburger steak, veggie pizza or pork chops ($5.99-$8.99). You might want to call ahead to check the menu special of the day as it is subject to change.

They offer plenty of burgers including an 8 ounce burger, cheeseburger, or mushroom Swiss burger, as well as a portabella sandwich, chicken wrap, turkey and Swiss, shrimp, crawfish, or steakhouse po-boy. As a steak lover I enjoyed the steakhouse po-boy which was quite well seasoned and the French bread was excellent. They also serve up a breaded chicken sandwich and their signature Sway’s club, and both are worth a try ($6.99-$8.99).

Plenty of chicken dishes are also available and are reasonably priced. These entrees include portabella chicken, three cheese grilled chicken, chicken parmesan, fried chicken tenders, chicken fettuccine or sweet pepper chicken ($9.95-$12.95).

The seafood offerings come with two sides and include shrimp skewers, shrimp fettuccine, fried shrimp, seafood fettuccine, tilapia, salmon, or flounder ($12.95-$16.95).

The steaks are quite good and easy on the pocket. Rib eyes, sirloin and filets are available with toppings of cream sauce, shrimp, crawfish, onions and mushrooms for an extra charge. Delicious pork chops, pork tenderloin and portabella steak tips round out the offerings ($13.95-$19.95).

Last the menu are some delicious desserts which vary from day to day so be sure to check with your server for the day’s selection. We tried the daily special of cookies and cream pie which was easily shared for a sweet ending to an enjoyable meal.

The drink: Plenty of tea, coffee and sodas are available, however only beer and light wine can be served due to their location. A nice variety of draft and bottled beer and a special light wine by the glass is good for the wine lover. Their bar has plenty of seating for those having to wait on a table, and for sports watchers they have a flat screen over the bar. The bar area is in the corner of the restaurant and is not noisy and is an enjoyable spot to meet up with friends.

The scene: Sway’s Bistro is located near Spillway Road near the reservoir in a high traffic strip mall area. However, once you step through the door you’ll forget that fact as the atmosphere, décor, great service and the variety of offerings are sure to please. There are plenty of booths for a cozy dining experience to tables for larger group gatherings. They offer take out service, and also have gift certificates available. A nice selection of background music makes for a relaxing dining experience, and the extremely friendly staff makes for a great and enjoyable lunch or evening.

The Bottom Line: If you are looking for a wide variety of dining choices for a nice lunch meeting or romantic evening, you can find it all at Sway’s Bistro. They are timely with their service, quick to refill your beverage, and their menu offerings will not break the bank.

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