Crystal Jade Dining IN – Well, Count Me OUT

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The wildly popular Crystal Jade chain added yet another name under its umbrella. This time it is Crystal Jade dining in, with “in” being the operative word for this upmarket restaurant. In Singapore, to be “in” is to be hip and trendy. Just how hip can a traditional Chinese restaurant be?

Well I was eager to find out. And apparently, so were many other people. The restaurant at the spanking new VivoCity was jam-packed even on a weekday evening. We had no choice but to share a long table with five other couples. The lit walkway that leads to the main dining area is a nice touch, and does a good job of concealing the fact that the restaurant is actually rather small.

Diced Fish with Osmanthus Honey Sauce

Diced Fish with Osmanthus Honey Sauce (桂花蜜饯鱼粒)
SGD10+++

The menu gives the first clue as to why this restaurant is “in”. Many of the dishes are made with unconventional ingredients and for a first-time visitor, picking the dishes can prove rather daunting. Luckily waitresses were on hand to offer suggestions. Ours recommended the diced fish with osmanthus honey sauce as an appetiser, which coincidentally was what I had been eyeing. Fish with honey sauce seemed an interesting combination and the result was excellent.

Two pairs of chopsticks for different usage

At this point I noticed that each person’s place setting had two pairs of chopsticks instead of one. I haven’t dined at Chinese restaurants that frequently so I can’t be sure that this is uncommon. The black chopsticks are meant for bringing food from the common dish that everyone shares to your plate, whereas the silver chopsticks are to be used for eating.

Chinese Oolong Tea

Chinese Oolong Tea (铁观音)
SGD2+++

For drinks we had the Chinese tea (铁观音). Bitter and bland isn’t exactly my cup of tea although it is a good palate cleanser. As you can see I’m totally not a Chinese-tea person and know next to nothing about it!

Braised E-Fu Noodles with Scallop & Egg White

Braised E-Fu Noodles with Scallop & Egg White (赛螃蟹带子伊面)
SGD18+++

I made the mistake of ordering too much food! The noodles filled a huge bowl, which was enough to feed four persons comfortably. And there were just two of us! It didn’t even taste good! In fact, with the exception of the fish appetiser, all the dishes were bland and monotonous.

Sauteed Diced Chicken & Assorted Mushroom with Dried Chili

Sauteed Diced Chicken & Assorted Mushroom with Dried Chili (宫保什菌鸡丁)
SGD18+++

Take a common Chinese dish like kung pow chicken. This is a popular dish that is meant to be flavorful. Yet somehow the chef managed to whip up a bland-tasting dish that barely aroused my taste-buds.

Braised Seasonal Vegetable with Crab Roe

Braised Seasonal Vegetable with Crab Roe (蟹黄扒蔬菜)
SGD16+++

The vegetable dish actually fared better. It was an interesting dish consisting of greens covered in a generous amount of crab roe. The roe added much dimension to an otherwise boring dish.

In conclusion the food at the newest Crystal Jade restaurant is nothing to shout about, despite the high prices. I had enjoyed my previous trips to Crystal Jade la mian xiao long bao much, much better. However, the bland dishes may just appeal to the health-conscious or those with mild palates. Prices here aren’t exactly dirt cheap so budget about $40-$50 per person.

Crystal Jade Dining IN (翡翠膳坊)
VivoCity
1 Harbourfront Walk
#01-112 Singapore 098585
(65) 6278 5626
Service:

www.crystaljade.com

About the Author

Veron Ang is the founder and chief editor of Sparklette. She lives in Singapore and has dined and traveled across the world. She also runs Sparklette Studio, a web design and development firm. If you'd like to connect with her, head on over to the contact page or follow her on Twitter: @sparklette.

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11 responses

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laurie
December 8

hi, i think i’ve fallen in love with ur blog~i’m a chinese girl n have visited here for a long time~
i think it’s not common to have 2 chopsticks in chinese restaurant but we do use them in my grandpa’s home. it’s also popular during SARS~
Reply
chillycraps
December 9

haha, I had the chance to eat there within it’s first week of opening, and I must say that the place looks quite majestic. That time I sat at the table near the windows and the harbour view was fantastic. I think CJ’s strength lies in its HK Tim Sum, maybe that would impress you?
The service was quite warm, cos that time we saw a manager from another branch helping out with the new opening, so we kind of talk cock there. =)
Reply
pkchukiss
December 9

Nice pictures – your photos look almost like the ones they use for promotions!
I love yummy food, and that is the reason why I keep exercising – so that I can keep eating ‘em without the guilt!
Reply
coolinsider
December 9

It looks like VivoCity isn’t exactly living up to its hype as a culinary, shopping and cinema paradise all rolled into one. In the few times that I dined there with my family, we had to wait for our food. I had some culinary misadventures there recently too (though the kids enjoyed the visit) as captured in this post:
http://coolinsights.blogspot.com/2006/12/vivocity-adventures.html
Reply
Grace
December 9

ayy. i heard that food outlets in vivo must be special (from the other branches they may have in other malls) maybe the special isn’t NICE at all. :)
Reply
Mikayla
December 11

I love your websight!! It is amasing!!!!!I am going to tell all my friends about it. I have learned so much about it already, and this is my first time!!!
I love your sight!!!!!!!!!!
Reply
Aen
December 12

Nice site and nice food! Great review!
Reply
keropokman
December 13

Hmmm, sis and I have the hobby of going to places to eat. In fact, we brought our P4 cousin there to eat as well, and we love it!
we love the soup there. first time we had apple soup, it was deliciously wonderful. when it’s hot, it taste like ‘lian ou tang’, but when it cools down a bit, the apple taste comes out.
the service is very good too! (with the exception of the lady at the front counter, she does not seem to smile, maybe after a hard day’s work maybe).
did a photo series there for 2nd time there. anyone interested can view them at: http://singapuradailyphoto.blogspot.com/2006_11_01_archive.html
Reply
alwyn
December 15

wow your blog has most certainly become very popular.
as for the 2 dollars, every little bit helps to make a direct difference to the poor.. after all.. less than half the world live on a US dollar a day… so yeah.
how time flies, here’s to an early merry christmas to you. =)
Reply
Chinese tea guy
February 25

Actually the Chinese oolong tea is one of, if not the best health tea out. The big one in America is Wulong tea. I have an aunt who is a complete health freak and swears by this stuff. So if your looking for tea beneficial to health the Oolong and Wulong teas are the best out I think. They state some health tea facts on http://wulongforlife.com
Reply
How to grow mushrooms
January 17

I agree. Oolong tea has many health benefits. It has as many, if not more, health benefits than green tea. A combination of certain mushrooms and a daily cup of tea will keep you healthy for MANY years!
Grow mushrooms
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