Crystal Jade Jiang Nan @ Vivocity - Reopens With A Stronger Focus On Jiang Nan And Sichuan Specialties

Crystal Jade Jiang Nan at Vivocity has recently reopened, with a stronger focus on Jiang Nan and Sichuan specialties. The refined menu also draws your attention to communal dining over small plates or 小菜, paired with a selection of fine teas, wines and more.

Three Delicacies Platter 3/5

In the Jiangnan region, it is customary to start off the meal with some chilled appetisers. So what we had here is the trio of Three Delicacies Platter 巧手三拼 ($16.80 per portion); comprising chilled Nanjing Salted Duck Slices 南京盐水鸭, Chilled Spinach and fresh lily bulbs with sesame sauce 菠菜鲜百合 and Jiangsu Smoked Fish 江苏熏鱼. While the duck slices was slightly towards the drier side, the crisp Jiangsu smoked fish piqued my appetite with that layer of glaze, prepared with Shaoxing wine, black vinegar, brown sugar and dark soy sauce.

Conpoy and Chrysanthemum Soup 4/5

The soup - Double-boiled Conpoy and Chrysanthemum Soup with Pearl Abalone 杭菊干贝炖珍珠鲍鱼 ($18.80 per person) was superb with the addition of the chrysanthemum. The flora aroma opens up senses and the nature of this ingredient balances the richness of the soup. Fortified with wolfberries, pork and red dates, and served in a Chinese zisha teapot, every serving was palate cleansing and nourishing at the same time.

Cheesy Crisp Mochi Ball 2.5/5

For a touch of contemporary dining, Chef Martin Foo has also created a Cheesy Crisp Mochi Ball 芝士汤圆 ($10.80 for 6 pcs) featuring a chewy mochi exterior enveloping a soft and stretchy mozzarella cheese within. It was somehow too sweet and blend at the same time. This dish might work better should it appear in the dim sum category.

Mala Crispy Roasted Chicken 3/5

For hot dishes, we had one of their signature Mala Crispy Roasted Chicken 麻辣脆皮烧鸡 ($15.80/half, $29.80/whole) served in homemade piquant ‘mala’ sauce. The chicken itself was well done - tender meat with thin and crisp skin, those that you definitely shouldn't be chucking one side. However, the sauce was too saltish for other flavours to come through.

Steamed Yellow Croaker with Chinese Wine 3/5

Also known as the ‘land of rice and fish’, Steamed Yellow Croaker with Chinese Wine 酒香黄花鱼 ($28.80 per portion, about 400g) is a less commonly known Jiangnan specialty. A rustic dish you will find, dressed with just a touch of Shaoxing wine for its delicate flesh. A decent dish but it took quite an effort to have this fish, given the amount of bones and little yield out of the entire fish.

Sautéed Dried Shrimp and Vermicelli with Cabbage 3.8/5

At Crystal Jade Jiang Nan, wok-fried specialties are highly recommended, including this humble Sauteed Dried Shrimp and Vermicelli with Cabbage 虾米粉丝包菜 ($13.80 per portion). The shredded cabbage were lined slightly-charred edges and the wok hei made this pot of really simple dish irresistible. Should it be a little less oily, I think I could polish it clean by myself.

Crystal Jade Yangzhou Fried "Rice Shaped Pasta” 3/5

As I walked through the restaurant, this prominent green Crystal Jade Yangzhou Fried "Rice Shaped Pasta” 米形意粉,翡翠扬州炒饭 ($16.80 per portion) was on many of the tables. A quintessential Jiangnan dish, Chef Foo's version of Yangzhou fried rice is prepared not with rice but with orzo; a short-cut pasta. What gives it the emerald-green is a spring onion blend and then tossed with asparagus, shrimp and egg, topped with crispy sakura ebi. The execution was brilliant as it smelled and looked almost exactly like fried rice. However, I feel the taste and smell do not quite resonate with one another. Without the aromatic flavour of rice releasing from each bite, there is a connection deeply lacking when I really look forward to a moriesh bowl of fried rice. But if you are looking for a pasta, that's another story.

Double-boiled Snow Pear with Osmanthus 4/5

Rounding off the meal is a soul nourishing Double-boiled Snow Pear with Osmanthus 桂花炖雪梨($7.80 per person). It was such a pleasure biting into the soft and chilled pear. Available hot as well, I am sure it will be just as enjoyable.

Souffle Egg White Ball with Red Bean and Banana 2.8/5

What fell short of expectation is the Souffle Egg White Ball with Red Bean and Banana 高利香蕉豆沙 ($8.80 for 3 pieces), that made an dramatic entrance with smokey dry ice with each pillow-soft nuggets looking soft and beautiful. I couldn't wait to open it up, half expecting hot and molten red bean paste and sweet, mashy banana. But what fell out was a small dollop of red bean with a tiny slice of unripe banana. And what also didn't gel well is the taste of the egg white that came with it. A rustic fried red bean pancake would have fare much better.

Overall I feel that while there are some interesting take on some dishes, there are still rooms for fine-tuning and improvement.

Photos and words by Si An. A girl who is allured by travelling, loves the feel of freedom, smell of the rain and the aroma of fine coffee and food. Note: This is an invited tasting.


Crystal Jade Jiang Nan
Vivocity
1 Harbourfront Walk
#01-52
Singapore 098585
Tel: +65 62211830
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Harbourfront (CC Line, NE Line)

Opening Hours:
Mon-Thu: 1130am - 3pm, 6pm - 1030pm
Fri-Sun, Eve of PH & PH: 11am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight at Harbourfront MRT station. Take Exit C or E. Walk to destination. Journey time about 3 minutes. [Map]

Sushi Ayumu @ Mandarin Gallery - Celebration of Seasonal Edo Sushi

Ayumu which means walking towards a new beginning in Japanese, is a fitting name to the newly rebranded Japanese restaurant, Sushi Ayumu located on the 4th floor of Mandarin Gallery. With the rebrand, the restaurant will be focusing in traditional Tokyo (Edo) style sushi, helmed by Head Chef Ryoichi Nakatani and Senior Sushi Chef Yusuke Kawana. The restaurant offers both Omakase lunch and dinner menu starting from $120 and $280 respectively.

Mochi with Botan Ebi Paste 4/5

Our omakase dinner started with the Domyojiko - Mochi with Botan Ebi Paste. A round shaped glutinous rice ball sat in the middle of the plate complemented by the flavourful prawn paste and snow crab sauce. It is a light appetiser but packed with robust flavours.

Otoro in Bincho & Buri (Big Yellow Tail) 4/5

The Otoro is lightly torched on the surface with the binchotan (Japanese charcoal) to give it a tad of smokiness, while the delicate wild Big Yellow Tail is fatty and buttery.

Abura Bouzu with Miso 3.8/5

From the grill we had the Abura Bouzu served with Hoba miso. The in-house Hoba miso is made by grilling fermented soybean paste on magnolia leaves. It liven the whole appreciation of the fatty fish.

Before moving to the sushi, I was introduced to the rice they used for the sushi. Using the finest Japanese rice, it is seasoned with three types of red vinegar to best enhance the flavours of the different types of fish.

Akami Zuke (Marinated Tuna) Sushi 3.8/5

Moving on is the highlight of the omakase where diner get to savour a series of sushi using the freshest ingredients. We started with the Akami Zuke (Marinated Tuna) Sushi. The lean and red part of the Wild Blue Fin Tuna is marinated with a blend of in-house soya sauce, giving it another layer of flavour on top of the freshness. Personally, I prefer the natural flavour of the wild blue fin.

Kinmedai (Golden-eye Snapper) 4.8/5

My eyes brightened up when I had the Kinmedai (Golden-eye Snapper). The flesh was delicate and tender. With the skin lightly seared, the combination tasted like firework in my mouth.

Aki Sake 4/5

Next is Aki Sake. The seasonal trout is topped with fresh trout roe marinated in soya sauce and saikyo miso from Kyoto. It was really refreshing to see the fresh trout roe which sticks together like a block instead of those pre-processed one from the market.

Kohada (Gizzard Shad) Sushi 3.8/5

It is amazing watching the chef prepared the Kohada (Gizzard Shad) Sushi, braiding the thinly sliced stripes of Kohada together. The kohada has a stronger raw taste compared to others, hence I applauded the addition of yuzu zest for a refreshing touch.

Kamasu in Bincho Sushi 4/5

The binchotan made another entrance with the Kamasu Sushi. The Japanese barracuda is torched with the Japanese charcoal and garnished with homemade sea urchin salt. While I can't really taste the sea urchin flavour but the salt helps to enhance the appreciation of the barracuda.

Yellow Jack Shima Aji 4.5/5

Very clean tasting is the Yellow Jack Shima Aji with a brush of in-house blended soya sauce. It also comes with a delighful tender texture.

Chutoro Sushi 4.2/5

For hon-maguro lover, the Chutoro Sushi will leave you feeling satisfied with its medium-fatty texture. Nothing sophisticated, just pure appreciation of the fatty fish.

Gunkan Maki with Uni 4.5/5

Diners will be delight with the sight of the Hokkaido Bafun Uni for its sweet, briny and creamy flavour. However the real deal for the Gunkan Maki with Uni is the precious seaweed that is hard to come by. The restaurant has to bid for it in order to be able to put it on the menu.

Nodoguro (Black Throat Sea Perch) Sushi 4.2/5

A prized catch on the omakase menu is the Nodoguro (Black Throat Sea Perch) Sushi. Small in size but the whole fish is fatty throughout. It is known as the "king of white fish" for its fatty and tender flesh.

Ayumu Roll 4/5

A luscious combination is the Ayumu Roll. The signature sushi roll comprises of chutoro, bafun uni, buri and shiso leaf all wrapped together for an explosion of colours and taste.

Shijimi Miso Soup 4.5/5

Perfect for washing down all the sushi is the Shijimi Miso Soup. The sweet little Japanese clams in the miso soup added the seafood flavour for depth and robustness.

Tamagoyaki 4.2/5

Last but not least we have the Tamagoyaki. The tamagoyaki is slow-baked for an hour, made with shrimp paste, fish paste, mountain yam and egg, plus a dash of dashi. I have tried other versions which is more eggy but here I could still taste the fish paste, which somehow reminds us that this is still part of the Japanese omakase course.

Sushi Ayumu receives their hon-maguro and uni from the same venerated supplier as Michelin-starred sushi-yas Sushi Saito and Sushi Sawada. These suppliers are highly selective of the restaurants they work with and will personally pay the restaurant a visit to ensure top-notch food quality before agreeing the partnership. The restaurant has also developed close ties with Kyushu fishermen and suppliers, which gives them access to rare catches that may not be available in Toyosu Fish Market.

Note: This is an invited tasting.


Sushi Ayumu
Mandarin Gallery
333A Orchard Road
#04-16
Singapore 238897
Tel: +65 67332114
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Somerset (NS Line)

Opening Hours:
Tue-Sun: 12pm - 3pm, 7pm - 10pm

Direction: 
1) Alight at Somerset MRT station. Take Exit B. Walk to ground level. Turn left onto Orchard Road. Walk down Orchard Road. Cross the road and walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]