Crystal Jade Golden Palace at The Paragon and Crystal Jade Palace at Takashimaya Shopping Centre have welcomed refreshed menus to offer new dining experiences to both new diners and regulars. Crystal Jade Palace's menu is rooted in Cantonese cuisine, while Crystal Jade Golden Palace is known for its Teochew delicacies. We tasted a few new dishes from both restaurants and thoroughly enjoyed them.
Teochew Four Delights 3.8/5
Starting with the Teochew Four Delights ($58), it is a sample platter of Chilled Lobster Crystal Jelly inspired by the Teochew pig trotter jelly, Golden Palace Teochew Crispy Crab Roll, Chilled Mala Jellyfish and Chinese Yam in Aged Vinegar. My favourite here was the appetising Chinese Yam in Aged Vinegar. Note that we had the sample platter here, while the full-sized portion would feed more pax.
Superior Bird's Nest with Fresh Crab Roe in Jinhua Ham Soup 4.5/5
The intricately put together Superior Bird's Nest with Fresh Crab Roe in Jinhua Ham Soup ($88 per person) was a pleasant surprise! It's less common to find bird's nest done savoury and even less so to find one prepared in this unique 'dry-toss' style. Superior bird's nest fresh crab roe and jellyfish are simmered in a small amount of stock and served with a bowl of savoury Jinhua ham broth. To enjoy it, diners are encouraged to taste the delicate dry-toss bird's nest on its own and then take sips of the broth in between. The light seasoning on the bird's nest allowed the crab roe's sweetness to shine, complementing nicely with the savoury broth.
Pan-fried Red Grouper with Radish & Yellow Bean in Teochew Style 4/5
The Pan-fried Red Grouper (Seasonal Price) is stewed with leeks, radish and shiitake mushrooms in a fish stock. It's reminiscent of the classic fish head steamboat but with lighter notes due to the use of radish instead of yam. This was comforting with a mild natural milkiness.
Braised Whole Thick Fish Maw 4.8/5
One of the dishes that left us with the most lasting impression was this Braised Whole Thick Fish Maw ($78 per person). The thick and tender chunks of braised fish maw were fried in a generous portion of spring onions, which helped to bring out an intense fragrance and sweetness.
Sautéed Spare Ribs with Aged Black Vinegar & Lychee 4.2/5
The Sautéed Spare Ribs with Aged Black Vinegar & Lychee ($32) was another popular dish among my dining companions. I found it a little bony, but the meat was tender, and the well-caramelised exterior had a good balance of tangy-sweet and savoury. If you're a fan of ginger, you'll enjoy pairing this with the generous side of finely sliced crispy fried ginger.
Poached Cabbage in Porridge Water with Conpoy & Garlic 3.5/5
On the lighter end of flavours among the dishes we had, was the Poached Cabbage ($26). Here we had Tianjin cabbage poached in porridge water with conpoy and garlic. Some of us thought the cabbage didn't carry the soup's flavour, but some enjoyed that it allowed the subtle sweetness of the cabbage to shine.
Crystal Jade Palace’s Mee Pok 4/5
For our noodle dish, we had Crystal Jade Palace’s Mee Pok ($28). The noodles are tossed in fragrant pork lard and XO sauce, with bits of crispy pork lard, bean sprouts and slices of roast pork belly. The XO sauce carried a mild heat. A portion feeds about 3 to 4 pax.
Chilled Beancurd with Ginger Osmanthus Syrup 3.8/5
The Chilled Beancurd with Ginger Osmanthus Syrup ($8.80 per person) was a delightful end to our dinner, with smooth homemade beancurd paired with candied ginger strips. It's accompanied by a jar of osmanthus syrup if you want an additional floral sweetness, but most of my dining companions and I enjoyed it without the syrup. I would also recommend having the ginger strips in small amounts to avoid it being too overwhelming.
Photos and words by Jo. A girl who loves her Mala (麻辣) at Da La (大辣), discovering hidden food gems and a good cup of matcha latte. Note: This is an invited tasting.
Crystal Jade Golden Palace
The Paragon
290 Orchard Road
#05-22
Singapore 238859
Tel: +65 67346866
Website
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Somerset (NS Line)
Opening Hours:
Mon to Fri: 11am - 3pm, 6pm - 930pm
Sat-Sun and PH: 1030am - 330pm, 6pm - 930pm
Direction:
1) Alight at Orchard MRT station. Take Exit C or D. Proceed to the road level. Walk down Orchard Road until the junction of Orchard Road and Orchard Link. Cross the road and walk to Paragon. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]
2) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B. Proceed to the road level. Turn left on Orchard Road and walk down Orchard Road until junction of Orchard Road and Orchard Link. Cross the Road and walk to Paragon. Journey time about 12 minutes. [Map]
