Crystal Jade Golden Palace (翡翠金阁) @ Paragon

Mentioned Crystal Jade and many may known as a household name in Singapore. However many may not know that Crystal Jade has actually 22 concepts with over 120 outlets in 19 major cities in Asia Pacific region and the United States. One of these is the fine dining concept at Crystal Jade Golden Palace located on the fifth floor of Paragon in Orchard. To welcome the year of the horse, the themes of the lunar new year menu is health, wealth and prosperity featuring seasonal delicacies from around the world done with a light, contemporary touch using premium, fresh and nutritious ingredients.

Hearty Five Treasure Yusheng 4/5

A staple Lunar New Year dish is the Yusheng to usher in the year of the spirited horse. Crystal Jade Golden Palace has brought back the Hearty Five Treasure Yusheng ($78.80/$128.80) after its successful debut in 2012. The auspicious dish comes with healthy vegetable salad, energy giving pine nuts, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, white sesame, peanuts and slices of fresh mango. Fresh salmon and premium amberjack fish slices topped with gold leaf flakes are drizzled with Crystal Jade's special plum sauce and hazelnut oil for a toss to abundant wealth and health in the Year of the Horse.

Deep Fried Japanese Amadai 3/5

Deep Fried Japanese Amadai 3/5

The Japanese Amadai ($5.50/37.5gram) is a small and elegant fish specially imported from Japan. Deep fried to golden brown and sprinkled with shichimi powder, it is enjoyed together with the crispy shimmering scales to resemble a field of gold. It was quite interesting to eat the deep fried Japanese amadai together with its scale. While I appreciated the texture, I thought the execution was lacking in flavour. I was actually hoping that there was a sauce to give the dish a much needed lift in flavour.

Stewed Canadian Lobster 4/5

Using the yin and yang style of cooking, the Canadian Lobster ($11/100gram) is first seared in hot oil and then gently simmered in superior stock containing halibut. The luscious firm white flesh of the lobster was sweet with mildly infused with the sweet taste of halibut.

Sauteed Kurobuta Pork Strips 3.5/5

The Sauteed Kurobuta Pork Strips ($32) uses premium Kurobuta pork from Japan. The rich and juicy pork is sauteed with assorted mushroom, capsicums and cordycep flower. Using organic raw extra virgin coconut oil from Thailand, it gave the dish a light, fragrant and creamy finishing.

Braised Sea Cucumber and Scallop with Barley 4.5/5

The Braised Sea Cucumber and Scallop with Barley ($38) is a good and healthy substitute to the usual fried rice or glutinous rice served in Chinese restaurants. Cooked in a special sauce, the barley was infused with beautiful flavours and each mouth of has delightful bite to it.

Festive Trio 4.2/5

Dinner ends with the Festive Trio of Steamed Black Eyed Pea Cake ($25.80), Steamed Glutinous Rice Cake ($23.80) lightly tossed with shredded coconut and peanuts and Pan Fried Carrot Cake ($25.80). These delectable cakes are available for takeaway at all Crystal Jade restaurants.


Crystal Jade Golden Palace (翡翠金阁)
Paragon
290 Orchard Road
#05-21/22/23/24
Singapore 238859
Tel: +65 67346866
Website: http://www.crystaljade.com/
Nearest MRT: Orchard (NS Line), Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 10am - 11pm

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]

Mr Bean @ Bedok Mall

I am actually quite excited drafting this article because I have chanced upon a discovery that I am very eager to share with my fellow foodies. Not only that, I would say it was a discovery that will change the whole appreciation of the traditional beancurd. Move aside chilled beancurd, the next in thing is savoury beancurd. Mr Bean a household name in the local food and beverage scene has created this new and unique savoury beancurd inspired simply by our local hawker fare, Bak Chor Mee taking the traditional dessert to a whole new level.

Signature Savoury Beancurd 香辣鸡肉脞拌豆花 4.5/5

Mr Bean's Signature Savoury Beancurd ($3.50) is a hot beancurd dessert topped with ingredients such as minced chicken, mushroom, chilli oil, fried shallots, vegetarian floss and vinegar. It somewhat tastes like mapo tofu initially but as the vinegar hits the palate, the picture of a bowl of bak chor mee minus noodle sets in. Interestingly, I felt like I was having tofu instead of beancurd without noticing the soya flavour, probably covered by the flavourful chilli oil and vinegar. The signature savoury beancurd itself can be quite heavy and filling, so it is better to share. In my humble opinion Mr Bean needs to have a more catchy English name for the beancurd as the current name is too generic and does not really represent the dish unlike the Chinese name of the beancurd.

8 Treasure Beancurd 八宝豆花 4.2/5

The other hot beancurd dessert introduced by Mr Bean's new dessert concept store at Bedok Mall is the 8 Treasure Beancurd ($3.30). This is a sweet dessert with 8 different types of beans. The bowl of warm beancurd comes with red beans, green beans, lotus seeds, yellow beans, great lima beans, red kidney beans, barley and peanuts. It is very comforting that comes with different bites of textures that will be enjoyed by both young and old.

Pearly Mango Paradise 3.5/5

Moving on to some cold desserts at the new Mr Bean's dessert concept store, there is the Pearly Mango Paradise ($4.50) that comes with a soya pudding buried underneath the mango chunks, pearls and pomelo pulps. A refreshing dessert that comes with delightful chewy bites. Probably due to the season or the species of mango used, it fell short of the sweetness I was looking for.

Tango Twist 2.8/5

The other cold dessert without soya is the Tango Twist ($4) that is a rendition of the popular mango sago dessert. In my opinion this is the weakest link. I could tell that the mango puree was substituted with syrup which is a disappointment.

Three's A Crowd 三色小圆冰 4/5

An interesting name for a dessert, Three's A Crowd ($4) which comes with specially made grass jelly topped with red beans, soft peanuts and black chewy pearls. The goodness of grass jelly with its hint of herbal taste can be quite boring and flat if to be consumed by itself. Usually the local likes to have it mixed with soya milk or served with longan. Given a little twist, Mr Bean's new creation allows one to enjoy the grass jelly with delightful bites of texture. As there is a layer of crushed ice underneath the ingredients to keep it chilled, my advice is to give it a good mix before consuming to have a bit of everything with each spoonful.

Tang Yuan 汤圆 4/5

At the new dessert concept store, Mr Bean has injected a playful element to the tradition Tang Yuan ($3.30). The usual choice of rice dumpling filing of peanut or black sesame is the same but now in addition of that, one gets a choice of 3 different coating that is available in Peanut, Black & White Sesame and Kinako.

Tang Yuan 汤圆 4/5

Now there is 2 ways of eating the Tang Yuan. One can choose to have it original or roll the Tang Yuan in the preferred choice of coating. One tradition, two ways of eating.

Ice Blended Yuzu Soya Milk 4.2/5

In conjunction with Chinese New Year, Mr Bean has also rolled out the Ice Blended Yuzu Soya Milk ($3/$3.5) for a limited period. The refreshing Yuzu flavoured ice blended soya milk comes with little popping suprises of pineapple pearls making it a auspicious and fun drink.

Mr Bean's latest dessert concept store at Bedok Mall offers a dine in area for patrons to enjoy the new range of sweet and savoury desserts in a refreshing different way. Great news to the fans of SG Food on Foot who quote '我爱甜品' at Mr Bean's Bedok Mall dessert concept store ONLY, gets to purchase a 1-for-1 dessert* (*free dessert redeemed has to be of a lower price than the purchased dessert). Offer is only valid from 1-31 January 2014. Do not miss the opportunity to check out the new desserts!


Mr Bean (Dessert Concept Store)
Bedok Mall
311 New Upper Changi Road
#01-94
Singapore 467360
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MrBeanSingapore
Website: http://www.mrbean.com.sg/index.aspx
Nearest MRT: Bedok (EW Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 7am - 10pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Bedok MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to Bedok Mall. At Bedok Mall entrance, take the right pathway facing the hawker centre (do not go into mall). Continue on the pathway and walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]