Celebrate Mother's Day and Father's Day at Crystal Jade Restaurants

With the upcoming Mother's Day and Father's Day in May and June. Crystal Jade Restaurants will be launching several promotions at its group of restaurants for this two months. A line up of thoughtfully crafted dishes and tantalising set menus to celebrate the occasions.

Pan Seared Foie Gras with Crispy Beancurd wrapped with Crepe 4/5

Probably inspired by the way we have Peking duck is the Pan Seared Foie Gras with Crispy Beancurd wrapped with Crepe ($16.80/pax). I find this combination much better than Peking duck. The creaminess of the foie gras gives it a substantial bite while I though the crispy beancurd is a good substitute of the crispiness duck skin. This dish will be available at Crystal Jade Palace which has re-opened in early June after a major renovation,

Supreme Fried Rice with Prawn, Bacon and Lychee wrapped in Lotus Leaf 3.5/5

Another dish available at Crystal Jade Palace is the Supreme Fried Rice with Prawn, Bacon and Lychee wrapped in Lotus Leaf ($30). The fried rice is wok fried to fragrant with the egg aroma. However the sweetness from the lychee in the savoury dish needs getting use to.

Double Boiled Giant Grouper Head with Ginger and Premium Nan Zao 3.8/5

Over at One-Michelin Crystal Jade Golden Palace, look forward to a bowl of nourishing and collagen rich Double Boiled Giant Grouper Head with Ginger and Premium Nan Zao ($22/pax). The giant grouper is prized for its high collagen content while the Nan Zao also known as black date has several health such as enhancing the digestive system, keeping blood pressure normal, high in vitamin C and more.

Deep Fried Groupa Fillet with Prawn Paste tossed with Crispy Garlic 4.2/5

One of our favourite dishes is the Deep Fried Groupa Fillet with Prawn Paste tossed with Crispy Garlic ($26.80 for 4pc) available at both Crystal Jade Kitchen and Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao. The prawn paste gives the generous pieces of grouper fillet an addition crunch in texture complemented by the crispy garlic that has been tossed with curry leaves and sliced chillis.

Deep Fried Yellow Croaker with Sweet Vinegar Sauce and Pine Nuts 4.2/5

Over at their newest concept Crystal Jade Jiang Nan, one can look froward to the Deep Fried Yellow Croaker with Sweet Vinegar Sauce and Pine Nuts ($29.80). This is a classic Jiangsu dish in which the deep fried fish is cloaked in an appetising sauce concocted with vinegar, hawthorn and red wine lees.

Chargrilled Iberico Pork Rib 4/5

There are also some items that is available at all the three Crystal Jade fine-dining (Crystal Jade Palace, Crystal Jade Golden Palace and Crystal Jade Dining In). One of these is the Chargrilled Iberico Park Rib ($26.80 per portion). To appreciate the dish, one needs to dip the tender pork with the piquant mala dip.

Creme Brulee Ginger Egg Tart Topped with Bird's Nest 4/5

Exquisitely crafted is the Creme Brulee Ginger Egg Tart Topped with Bird's Nest ($6.80/pc) and Lychee Begonia Flower-Shaped Pastry ($11.80 for 3pc). The egg tart with its caramelised surface is an inventive take of the traditional snack. While I applauded the crowning of bird's nest, it didn't really help to elevate the flavour. As for the lychee begonia flower-shaped pastry, lotus paste is filled inside the flaky pastry.

Lychee Begonia Flower-Shaped Pastry 3.5/5

During the promotional periods, diners who dine at Crystal Jade Jiang Nan, Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao and Crystal Jade Kitchen will receive origami paper with instructions to fold an origami tuip to present to their parents. Customer who share a photo of the completed tulip origami with any Parent's Day special dish on instagram will stand a chance to be one of five lucky winners to win $100 Crystal Jade Dining voucher. Those who also share a memory of their first gift to their mum or dad in the caption of the post will receive double the chance to win.

For more details of the promotions and outlets, do log on to the website at www.crystaljade.com

Porta @ Park Hotel Clarke Quay - Revamped Menu With Crave-worthy Appetisers

Porta Fine Food & Import Company at Park Hotel Clarke Quay has recently revamped its menu with a stronger focus on European and Mediterranean dishes, combining fresh produce sourced both globally and locally. With the belief that appetisers are keys to paving the way for a good meal forward, Porta’s Executive Chef Alex Phan has panned out new appetisers that offer light and refreshing flavours to whet your appetites.

Grilled Summer Vegetables with Hummus 3.8/5

The revamped menu sees more vegetarian options too. One of which is Grilled Summer Vegetables with Hummus ($14), that drawn me in with its bright and zesty flavours. The grilled vegetables provide great textures to the smooth and creamy hummus. In fact, I find this a sumptuous brunch item to be served with a couple of sourdough toasts.

Chicken and Egg 3.5/5

Chicken and Egg ($14) is an adorable appetiser that plays on the chicken or egg notion. What comes in sight first is the ajitsuke tamago, brightly tainted with Beetroot juice which sits on a nest of crunchy vegetables such as white and purple cabbage, white onions, edamame and corn. The chicken which is nowhere in sight, is embedded beneath as grilled soy-marinated chicken thigh. Again, similar to the above, this dish is packed with bright notes and textural contrasting elements that will set your jaw exercising.

Spicy Salmon Tartare 4.5/5

Chef Alex first plates the dishes in his mind in a 3-D manner which is the most evident in this Spicy Salmon Tartare ($16), featuring a mixture of diced salmon and crystal pear marinated in sugar cane vinegar. Chef Alex's previous tuna tartare didn't quite impress but this piquant and spicy dish is crave-worthy. The dollops of sriracha mayonnaise mellowed its acidity, and the sprinkles of white sesame snow imparted savoury notes, giving it a more rounded flavour. But this dish wouldn't be completed without the crispy crackers of deep-fried rice paper sandwiched with nori, which left a lingering aroma in my mouth at each bite.

Confit Lamb Pastilla 4/5

If you already have a tipple in your hand, Confit Lamb Pastilla ($14) would be perfect to start your meal with. Wrapped in Feuilles de Brick, the morsels of Australian lamb shank was rich in its own flavours and spices but not too gamey. A small but laborious dish - the Australian lamb shank is marinated in salt and pepper then sous vide for 12 hours before being deboned and shredded, then marinated in porcini powder, onions, garlic, and cumin. As the meat's natural gelatin cools down in the fridge, it solidifies and binds the meat together before it is wrapped in the pastry. A rather long process but the result is all worth it.

Duck Ragout 3/5

I notice that Chef Alex tends to sous vide his items, while some work, like the Confit Lam Pastilla but some don't, such as the new version of Duck Ragout ($24). The original version had the Pappardelle served in minced duck meat but the flavours of the duck didn't quite stand out. Hence we have this shredded duck meat version, served with parmesan sauce and herbs. Before being shredded, the duck leg is first brined with salt, sugar and spices then sous vide for 12 hours with olive oil. While half expecting a sauce rich with duck fats and flavours, the pieces of shredded meat were rather dry and bland. The tomato based sauce was enjoyable though.

Roast Chicken Leg 4/5

Roast Chicken Leg ($24) with red wine sauce is a French confit inspired dish, cooked using similar method that involves sous vide cooked in olive oil for 12 hours, then shallow-fried to attain a crisp exterior akin to a duck confit. Thankfully, the sous vide method works, resulting in a succulent and juicy chicken leg with a decadent crisp skin. Yes, the best part is that remaining fats underneath the golden brown skin! I love the Lyonnaise potatoes that were soft and fluffy with a crisp exterior too.

Pork Belly 2.5/5

The 12 hours Sous vide cook method didn't manage to break down the stubborn fats of the Pork Belly ($26), which would otherwise be a crowd pleasing dish. But even so, personally I feel a pork belly should be presented in some other ways other than just the entire slab right in my face. The sweet-savoury mash of potato with grilled pineapple purée was superb but was letdown by its main counterpart.

Barramundi 3/5

Finally, a dish not sous vide is Barramundi ($24), oven-grilled then seared for crispy skin, served with ratatouille with charred mussels. For its tender meat and the crisp skin, I could forgive the amount of salt that landed on the fish skin, perhaps accidentally. My favourite part was actually the ratatouille, which was spicy and piquant. The charred mussels didn't quite come into play in this dish.

Breakfast Burg 3/5

Porta's Brunch menu is certainly much more exciting this time round. Breakfast Burg ($18) is a vegetarian burger with roasted whole Portobello mushroom layered with sautéed baby spinach leaves, a thick slice of tomato, and a sunny-side up egg. The star could well be the sunny-side up, which had a tasty charred bottom and a runny yolk, and so yummy with the fluffy brioche buns that were as good on its own after being butter-toasted so thoroughly. The mushroom was a tad too tiny though.

French Toast 3.5/5

What makes the thick brioche French Toast ($16) less ordinary is the layer of caster sugar on top that has been blow-torched to caramelise and cool, and there you have a surface akin to creme brûlée. Topped with tart summer berries and vanilla ice cream, it is a great leap from what I had previously but a bigger scoop of ice cream and a cream tower will make it even more picture and taste perfect.

Spiced Apple Tarte Tatin 4/5

Not all desserts are meant to be shared! Such as this Spiced Apple Tarte Tatin ($14), garnished with buttery salted crumble with bacon bits. The stewed slices of Granny Smith apples were sweet and tart, and the Rum and Raisin ice cream bind the elements together in harmony.

Key Lime Meringue 2.5

Black Forest 3/5

The Key Lime Meringue ($14) was a good effort but I couldn't quite appreciate its taste. Whereas the more familiar Black Forest ($14) was more pleasing with its rich and dark chocolate lava. A simple vanilla ice cream, however, would have been more complimentary than whipped coconut cream where are meant to make the dessert less heavy. Well, I guess some classic pairings still work the best.

Words and photos 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.


Porta Fine Food & Import Company
Park Hotel Clarke Quay
1 Unity Street
Singapore 237983
Tel: +65 65938888
Facebook
Website
Nearest MRT: Clarke Quay (NE Line), Fort Canning (DT Line)

Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am - 1030pm

Direction:
1) Alight At Fort Canning MRT station. Take Exit A. Turn left and walk to junction of River Valley Road and Clemenceau Ave. Cross the road and turn left onto Clemenceau Ave. Walk down Clemenceau Ave. Turn right onto Unity Street. Walk to destination. Journey time about 5 minutes. [Map]

2) Alight at Clarke Quay MRT station. Take Exit E. Walk to bus stop at Clark Quay Station (Stop ID 04222). Take bus number 54. Alight 3 stops later. Walk to the end UE Square Shopping Mall. Journey time about 8 minutes. [Map]