Sparking off the Christmas Tree of the Day, 2010 edition, is the tree made up of teddy bears from Takashimaya Shopping Centre.

Every Christmas, the mega department store at Ngee Ann City showcases Christmas trees made up of hundreds of cuddly bears in different colours. Check out these Takashimaya teddy bear Christmas trees from 2007, 2008 and 2009.

This time round the store has opted for a bright colour scheme of indigo, orange and white bears, illuminated with a soft white glow from within.

The store front also boasts a couple more beary trees.

In addition, you are welcome into the store with a giant bear-shaped entrance decorated with thousands of lights. Stunning!

Have you seen any gorgeous Christmas trees this festive season? Share with us in the comments!

For more Christmas trees, check out the Sparklette Christmas Tree of the Day series.

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]]> 3 http://sparklette.net/food/bakerzin-meal-box/ http://sparklette.net/food/bakerzin-meal-box/#comments Sat, 27 Nov 2010 03:00:40 +0000 Jasper Aston Lim http://sparklette.net/?p=1028 With nine branches spread across the island, Bakerzin has long been a crowd favourite for its desserts, cakes and artful dishes. Pitted against the surge of café-restaurants marketing the same fancy bites, how will Bakerzin’s newly revamped menu for 2010 fare?

A new addition to the menu is the interesting meal-boxes category. Each meal-box includes a main course or pasta, soup of the day, bread, side salad, slice of cake and a choice of Italian soda or iced tea.

We opt for three of the meal-boxes, namely the carbonara, Japanese chicken curry and Barramundi fish meal-boxes.

Carbonara meal-box
S$18.90++
Rating:

The creamy smell from the carbonara meal-box wafts into our nostrils long before it even arrives at the table. I’ve always been a fan of creamy pasta, so this is a natural choice for me. The presentation is elegant, the white of the plate contrasting well with the yellow in the pasta, speckled with pink and green.

However, the pasta turns out to be a little starchy and dry, as though it has been overcooked. Having had the same dish on a previous visit, this experience left me disappointed.

Japanese chicken curry meal-box
S$21.90++
Rating:

I like the way they make the Japanese chicken curry stand out with a pile of seaweed stacked atop the rice and the asymmetrical curry arrangement. This is the standard sweet and mildly spicy Japanese curry, although its pairing with the clearly western mashed potato seems mismatched.

Barramundi fish meal-box
S$26.90++
Rating:

The Barramundi fish meal-box is the one that captures our attention. The cooking is well executed, the fish perfectly paired with a savoury sauce. The salmon salad on the side is refreshing, while the mashed potato on which the fish sits is far more flavourful than the side dishes in the other two meal-boxes. This is one item that Bakerzin should definitely retain on their next menu update. (Editor: While we’re at it, please bring back the assam (tamarind) prawn linguini and the old seafood pasta, too!)

Soup of the day is the Spicy Bloody Mary soup, which is spicy and tomato-based. One minor gripe we have is that the angular shape of the deep soup bowls makes scooping difficult.

For the cake option, you have a choice between mango and tiramisu. The latter has just the right mix of cream, sponge and cocoa powder, with a soft texture that allows the fork to slide through easily. It suffices to say that the tiramisu does not disappoint.

While we’re on the subject of the new Bakerzin menu, I have always been impressed with the menu design and layout. The previous design had a style like a glossy magazine with oh-so drool-worthy pictures. The new menu sports a simpler old-school feel with the design and paper texture, while retaining the same gorgeous studio-quality images.

Peach Italian soda
Rating:

On the whole, the new meal-box concept serves as a more affordable option for enjoying a multi-course meal. That being said, it has its drawbacks. The small plates set on a tray reminds one of airline food. For that same reason I can’t help but eye my carbonara suspiciously, wondering if it was indeed prepared way beforehand and heated up on order. The next time I visit Bakerzin, I’d stick to the ala carte orders, thank you very much!

What are your thoughts on Bakerzin’s new meal-box concept? Tell us in the comments!

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I discovered the Beard Papa’s chocolate fondant some years back, marking my foray into the delicious world of chocolate lava cakes. Yes, it has a molten chocolate centre. Don’t you just love the sensation of warm chocolate filling your mouth? Ever since that first taste years ago, the lava cake has remained my most favourite dessert in the world. I’m not even sure why Beard Papa’s fondant has never been featured here before; somehow this fell through the cracks.

Fondant au Chocolat
S$2.80 for 1, S$5.20 for 2
Rating:

On the outside the fondant is moist and soft, dusted with sugar. The centre oozes out that luxurious gooey chocolate. Rather than being overtly sweet, this is pure intense, dark chocolaty goodness all around. Read about how Beard Papa’s make their Fondant au Chocolat. It is truly a labour of love!

You get it at a real bargain, too. Last I checked they were selling it at S$2.80 for one and S$5.20 for two.

Here’s a tip: Buy this home and pop it in the microwave briefly before serving. Have it a la mode with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a glass of raspberry wine. You’re welcome.

What pastries do you normally buy at Beard Papa’s? Are there other places where we can enjoy chocolate lava cakes at a bargain price? The comments form is below. You know what to do!

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Shoppers can look forward to admiring these lovable teddy bear trees at Takashimaya every Christmas. One year they had black and sparkly bears. The following they had the bears in green, white and pink. This time round they included brown bears, the most authentic colour for teddy bears, in my opinion.

Guess how many bears there are on this tree? Oh wait, Conrad Hotel already did that. But here’s a closer look at the cute bears anyway. You can never get enough!

Don’t the bears look snuggly and warm tucked together?

Look! There isn’t just one, not just two, but three beary trees altogether! Have an extra beary Christmas!

For more Christmas trees, check out the Sparklette Christmas Tree of the Day series.

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(Just between you and me though, Royce’ is my preferred choice when it comes to chocolate. The calories are totally worth it!)

Now, here’s something that is quite different. Have you ever seen a Christmas tree made out of Ferrero Rochers?

This golden chocolate tree can be admired (but not eaten) just outside Ngee Ann City. It’s certainly a show-stopper!

Amongst the golden balls are small disco balls, arranged in the shape of snowflakes.

Source

What a great product placement! It comes at just the right time of the year, too! German brand Braun Büffel did it one Christmas. So did Mercedes-Benz the year before that.

Update: The Ferrero Rocher chocolate tree is back in Christmas 2010. You can find it at The Heeren.

For more Christmas trees, check out the Sparklette Christmas Tree of the Day series.

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Shiny pink and gold baubles adorn the tree on all sides. Yet, it is the giant pink bow wrapped ’round the tree that makes it pop.

Here’s a snapshot of the setting up in progress.

Photo by Keropok Man

From far, the tree looks like a present!

And that is the first tree of the series of 12 Christmas trees. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog and celebrate with a tree each day all the way to Christmas!

For more Christmas trees, check out the Sparklette Christmas Tree of the Day series.

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My first experience with Royce’ was in ’06, when a friend specially couriered a small unassuming “care package” to me. It unraveled to reveal a slim box of Nama chocolates!

I was hooked from the very first bite, and went on to label them as little pieces of heaven. They truly are! Although some people prefer calling them the Rolls-Royce of chocolate.

Royce’ hails from Hokkaido. As a testimony to the Japanese people’s emphasis on excellence, the packaging of Royce’ products is impressive.

When you purchase the candy from their stores, it is accompanied by a cooling dry ice pack and sealed in thick silver packaging. This way, shoppers can continue their spree for hours without worrying about the chocolate melting into a gooey mess!

Each box contains twenty pieces of chocolate blocks covered in fine powdery cacao. It comes with a small plastic spoon.

The 5 main flavours of Nama chocolate are (from left):

• Au Lait
• White
• Champagne
• Mild Cacao
• Bitter

Sometimes, the company also releases seasonal flavours like banana or strawberry.

Royce’ Nama chocolate (Champagne)
S$15
Rating:

Having sampled all 5 flavours at the store (yeah, they let you do that), my personal favourite is the scrumptious champagne. Bitter trails by a close second, and would be favoured by chocolate fanatics that crave the really strong and mildly bitter flavour.

The feel of the chocolate on the tongue is creamy and velvety smooth. First you taste the slight bitterness of the cacao powder, then the sweet and rich chocolaty flavour as it quickly melts in the mouth.

There is the tinge of Champagne Pierre Mignon, although it isn’t like those liquor filled chocolate where you get a burst of liquor flavour. That works for me, because I prefer the liquor to not overpower the chocolate flavour.

Credit

Apart from the Nama chocolates, I heard that the potato chip chocolate is one fast seller too. Yes, that’s right. Chocolate-coated potato chips — two sins in one! As far as snacks go, this may well be the most sinful one! I hesitate to try it as it seems pretty lethal on the throat.

Credit

To get a taste of Royce’ magnificent candy, pop by one of their concept stores, where Japanese sales attendants would be more than happy to let you sample all five flavours. This store at Ion Orchard boasts a clean, white, almost clinical look, with refrigerators built into the wall.

Credit

May I also add that Royce’ chocolates is one of the best gifts from the “simple and affordable” category you can get for a friend (without appearing cheap), be it at Christmas, someone’s birthday or just to show that you care.

Enjoy!

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throughout the month of July, they are selling their macarons at just $0.90 each! If you’ve yet to try out this cute French pastry, this is the perfect opportunity! With over a dozen flavours, there’s something for everybody.

Wait, that’s not all. They have also slashed the prices for some of their cakes by more than half!

1. Chocolate Amer (flourless chocolate sponge layered with bitter chocolate mousse, serves 6-10)
2. Cookies & cream cheesecake (studded with cookie crumble and sprinkled with crushed cookie bits, serves 8-10)
3. New York cheesecake (cream cheese coated with a tangy strawberry glaze, serves 8-10)

Imagine getting a whole cookies and cream cheesecake for less than $20! That’s a massive discount!

If you’re celebrating a loved one’s birthday this month, why not get him or her an affordable Bakerzin cake?

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If macaron is the first thing that pops in your mind, my, you must have a sweet tooth!

When I first laid my eyes on the macarons at Bakerzin, I fell in love with these sweet pastries. Just toss in a cup of joe and you’re all set for a delightful teatime snack!

Macarons (not to be confused with macaroon or macaroni) are made with egg white, almond powder and icing sugar, with creamy butter cream and ganache.

Macarons (assorted flavours)
$1.60 $1 each for February ’09
Rating:

On first impression, I would have thought that the green one is matcha (green tea), but it’s actually pistachio with white chocolate! The pretty one with speckles of pink is “scarlet”, a mixture of vanilla and strawberry. It’s heavenly! But my favourites are, hands down, the chocolate ones.

The bakers here really know their chocolate. You get your chocolate macarons with a touch of lemon, brandied cherry, whiskey, coffee butter cream and even banana! The chocolate ones are really the best of the lot.

After whetting your appetite, I feel it’s only right to share with you this: Bakerzin has slashed the price of these babies from $1.60 to a dollar each. The promotion is valid only in the month of February. So hurry!

(last month, they slashed the price of their phenomenal warm chocolate cake to $4.80. I’m looking forward to another great promotion next month!)

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With neat alternating layers of bears in green, pink and white, it’s almost like a delicious layered cake! I spotted this within the Takashimaya department store. They did something similar last year with black and red teddy bears, but I think this year’s is so much better!

Beary Christmas trees are a hit with the crowd, and they have been done over and over and over again. But obviously, no one’s complaining!

“ehn! Ehn! Get these lights off me! No I don’t care how Christmasy they look!”

My favourite beary tree is the one at conrad hotel. I have already featured it in last year’s series, but I dropped by the other day and realised that the hotel has reused the tree this year! So if you missed it last Christmas, be sure to check it out this time round! It’s one of my most favourite Christmas trees ever.

For more Christmas trees, check out the Sparklette Christmas Tree of the Day series.

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This one is for the ladies :)

Cylindrical gift boxes (in purple!) have been stacked up in a conical shape to resemble a Christmas tree, with teddy bears sitting among them. These cute little guys come in Christmas red, midnight black and shimmery silver.

To make this arrangement look even more like a Christmas tree, the boxes even have lights emitting from them, mimicking the effect of fairy lights draped around Christmas trees! Let’s not forget those shiny gold stars too.

View this tree up close at Takashimaya department store. It may be easily overlooked with the mall’s flagship gigantic tree just steps away, but this cute tree should definitely not be missed.

Looks like this isn’t the only teddy bear Christmas tree. They have one at the Takashimaya department store in Shinjuku, Tokyo too, made up *completely* of these bears!

Photo by SkylineGTR

For a different teddy bear tree, check out the one at Harbourfront Centre last year. Let me know which one you prefer!

For more Christmas trees, check out the Sparklette Christmas Tree of the Day series.

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It was outside Ngee Ann City where I stumbled upon this golden Christmas tree. The few times that I happened to walk past it, I didn’t notice anyone stopping to take pictures. Perhaps people aren’t too impressed with it, having seen the gigantic tree just a short distance away.

Nonetheless, I feel this tree deserves a spot in the “Christmas Tree of the Day” series anyhow.

What I love most is the fact that the distinctive bull logo of Braun Büffel has been used as the primary ornaments of this tree. Not only has it taken the place of a star at the top of the tree, it has also been used liberally as strings of silver motifs that drizzle down the tree on all sides.

I always find such creative use of the company logo very clever. Another Christmas tree that comes to mind is the one by Mercedes-Benz last year.

If it wasn’t for the shiny gold plaque displaying proudly on the tree, I wouldn’t have realised that Braun Büffel has been around for 120 years! It’s pretty impressive, if you ask me, to be able to create a brand that would outlive even yourself.

For more Christmas trees, check out the Sparklette Christmas Tree of the Day series.

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Spanning a height of a whopping 4 storeys, the Takashimaya Christmas tree is almost always the tallest in Singapore. And no doubt, the most photographed one!

But this year, its title as Singapore’s tallest Christmas tree may just be toppled by the 101 feet tall flagship tree at VivoCity! Can anyone tell which is taller?

Putting up a tree of this stature is not just a simple matter of getting it from the storeroom and climbing a few ladders. Here’s a photo of the work in progress.

Photo by Keropok Man

God, look at all that scaffolding. It’s a whole construction site on its own! All this just for one single tree!

For such a majestic tree, its ornaments and decor are kept reasonably simple each year. This time round, they have opted for big brown ribbons and baubles in red, pink and gold. A rather conservative but classy arrangement.

Live, Laugh, Love. That’s the mall’s tagline every Christmas. Come to think of it, shouldn’t it be our personal mantra too?

For more Christmas trees, check out the Sparklette Christmas Tree of the Day series.

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The reason that keeps me going there is that the team of chefs serve up a mean seafood pasta. And let’s not forget the oh-so-sinful-and-yummilicious chocolate lava cake too.

But with this new 2008 menu, I’ve found a third good reason.

Assam Prawns with Linguini
S$14.80++
Rating:

The assam prawn dishes are newcomers to the menu, falling under the brand new category “just like home”, which is dedicated to local flavours. Bakerzin owner and chef Daniel Tay was taught by his Dad on how to prepare the delicious assam prawns.

For those with a weakness for spicy food, you would totally love this. I tell ya, these juicy prawns go so well with the thick and sweet spicy gravy, they’re practically exploding with flavour. It’s mouthwatering and lip-smackingly good!

Just when I thought they can’t possibly do any better than their 5-star seafood pasta, they whip up this new pasta that totally surpasses my expectations! Like the seafood pasta, a generous serving of prawns is tossed in too.

Besides the east-meets-west fusion of assam prawns with linguini, you can also choose to have it with Japanese rice. I might ask for spaghetti next time though; I feel spaghetti might just go better than linguini.

Update: I tried this with spaghetti a few days later and guess what? I did like it better than the linguini!

Oh, for the seafood pasta die-hard fans, this old favourite is still on the new menu. They wouldn’t dare take it away would they? Personally I’m just thrilled to have another excellent option for my next visit!

Aglio Olio Spaghetti
S$8.80++
Rating:

Another old favourite that remains is the traditionalist pasta dish, aglio olio spaghetti, sautéed with olive oil, garlic, chilli padi and parsley. While it was tasty, we did find it too dry for our liking. I sure hope it isn’t always dry like that, especially since this place doesn’t serve water. That’s my only pet peeve with Bakerzin. (a rather major one though.)

But who needs aglio olio when you already have two awesome tried-and-tasted pasta dishes right? Wow, my entire mouth just filled up with saliva. Can’t wait for my next visit!

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I like to call this the Japanese pasta place because the menu consists of several Japanese-inspired dishes. Dining here is pretty much fuss-free. You queue up to make your order while the waitstaff find you a table. There is no service charge.

Clam chowder
S$3+
Rating:

The clam chowder is pretty bland although the taste of the clams do come through.

Seafood Paella
S$10.80+
Rating:

The baked seafood risotto fares slightly better. They call it the seafood paella because it is served in a paella (large, shallow frying pan), although it should not be confused with the Spanish rice dish that goes by the same name. This arrives with juicy prawns, mussels and squid.

Slipper lobster spaghetti in Arrabiata sauce
S$13.80+
Rating:

Being a big fan of crayfish pasta, I find the slipper lobster spaghetti in Arrabiata sauce! It is perfect, and comes with a generous amount of crayfish! Look!

I don’t think I have ever had that much crayfish in a single dish before! For almost the same price, I certainly get much less for the crayfish pasta at the Pastamania restaurants! To top it all, the shellfish flesh is extremely tender.

I slurped down every last bit of the delicious arrabiata (spicy tomato sauce) sauce almost without looking up once. Hahaha I had no complaints!

Swedish meat ball linguini in Marinara
S$6.80+
Rating:

The Swedish meat ball linguini in Marinara (tomato sauce) reminds me of the popular meat ball dish from IKEA, as well as the spaghetti ice cream from Icekimo.

The Marinara sauce tastes almost exactly like the arrabiata sauce, just without the spice.

Ahhh… Can’t wait to have more of that crayfish goodness! There are many more dishes that seem interesting too, such as the cod fish in Rustico sauce, wild salmon fillet in Thai basil sauce, and queen scallop in wasabi mayonnaise. Whoa, yumminess overload!

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I have been encouraged to go for the desserts too, more specifically their best-selling warm chocolate cake. Mind you, this ain’t just any regular ol’ chocolate cake. This is the kind that takes the chef some time to serve because it has to be prepared and warmed up just precisely, with molten chocolate lava oozing out of its warm gooey nucleus.

Warm Chocolate Cake
S$9.80++
Rating:

I absolutely love what Bakerzin has done with it! In fact, I’ve had many different renditions of this decadent dessert at various places in recent months.

There’s White Dog Café’s chocolate lava cake:

tcc’s dark devotion:

All were pretty good, but Bakerzin’s warm chocolate cake takes the top spot!

It is served at just the right temperature (warm chocolate lava complements the cold vanilla ice cream), the perfect quantity (too much chocolate can get too rich, too little too unsatisfying), and with strawberries and syrup (so that the chocolate doesn’t get too cloying after a while).

I think Bakerzin has made the perfect warm chocolate cake. Does anyone have any other recommendation for this sinful dessert? I’m game to try it!

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Good lord! This chocolate is the best thing I have tasted since that shot of Tequila Rose on Christmas eve. There’s liquor in this chocolate too! Yummy yum yum. I love it! My gray day suddenly turns colourful.

Thanks mate, for cheering me up. Life is good again. You are my hero!

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In a bid to increase returning customers, the restaurant introduces new dishes to their menu from time to time. They now have a pan fried version of their popular Shanghai pork dumpling. It even comes on a hot plate.

Pan Fried Shanghai Pork Dumpling in Hot Plate (铁板小笼包)
S$4.80++
Rating:

At $4.80 for four dumplings, it’s also a fraction more expensive than the original Shanghai pork dumpling that costs $3.60 for four. Taste-wise I couldn’t really pinpoint any difference between the two; they were both equally bland. It’s just the usual xiao long bao sans the soup. Other than the fact that it came with egg on a hot plate, there wasn’t any sign of this being a pan fried dish.

Beijing Pork Dumpling (北京水饺)
S$4.50++
Rating:

Obviously I’m not a huge fan of their Shanghai pork dumpling. As with previously, I very much prefer the Beijing pork dumpling. It had so much more flavour to its pork filling. It begs me to wonder whether the Crystal Jade chefs use any secret ingredient for their marinade. Oh those juicy dumplings. I love the way the yummy soup fills my mouth when I bite into one.

La Mian in Spicy & Sour Soup (酸辣汤拉面)
S$7.50++
Rating:

Ah… The best dish of the night had to be the la mian (hand-pulled noodles) — and I don’t even like noodles! The noodles were nice and chewy but it was the spicy and sour sauce that made the dish. It was spicy with a touch of tang, yet not too hot at the same time. So people who don’t take much chilli can eat this comfortably as well. The ample portion served ensured that we were kept full and satisfied.

Steamed Chicken in Sichuan Style (四川口水鸡)
S$7++
Rating:

The Sichuan steamed chicken was served… Cold. I didn’t notice this oddity until now. Did they steam it before cooling it? Or did they simply serve us the wrong dish? Come to think of it, the dish looked quite different from what was pictured on the menu. Nonetheless, I liked the tasty black sauce. It was very spicy and rich in flavour. But overall, this dish was hardly worth the seven bucks as the chicken portion was so small, with most of it being bone!

Longan Drink with White Fungi (龙眼雪耳糖水)
S$3++
Rating:

For drinks I highly recommend their home-made longan drink which is supremely refreshing and healthful. It also makes a good palate cleanser.

This marks yet another pleasant trip to Crystal Jade. One reason why I’ll keep returning is that the food is consistently good (this does not include C-Jade Express, which sucks). The service is excellent. What I hate most about any dining establishment is having to wait a long time to be served. When I step into a Crystal Jade restaurant I am assured of a pleasant experience with ever willing waitstaff. And good food of course.

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For drinks, we ordered their home-made longan drink, which came along with white fungi. It was a refreshing change from the usual lemon tea, and a very healthful drink at the same time.

Longan Drink with White Fungi (龙眼雪耳糖水)
S$3++
Rating:

There were so many food items on the menu that we had a really hard time deciding what we wanted; each one looked as yummy as the next! After much deliberation, we went with the following items.

Spicy & Sour Soup in Sichuan Style (四川酸辣汤)
S$6++
Rating:

When the Sichuan soup came, I was alarmed to find such a small portion for $6; barely enough for one! But it certainly didn’t disappoint. There was just the right amount of spiciness and the right amount of tang, a good complement to the milder xiao long bao (steamed pork dumpling) that we ordered. I guess anything that is cooked sichuan style can’t go wrong!

Shanghai Steamed Pork Dumpling (上海小笼包)
S$3.60++
Rating:

Despite it being the house specialty, I didn’t really like the Shanghai steamed pork dumpling that much. It was just okay for me. I did wonder how it was wrapped though, since it was extremely soupy on the inside.

Beijing Pork Dumpling (北京水饺)
S$4.50++
Rating:

The Beijing pork dumpling fared better. Less soupy than its Shanghainese counterpart, but more savoury overall. Oh yeah it’s a fraction cheaper too!

Sauteed Chicken in Spicy Sauce (宫保鸡丁)
S$10++
Rating:

The spicy chicken dish is a very popular dish at Chinese restaurants and hawker stalls. I have eaten the same dish at various places before, but this was the first time the chicken came along with cashew nuts! It was simply delightful!

The best part about the meal (besides the yumminess) was that we didn’t have to wait much. Even though Crystal Jade is quite notorious for always having long queues, we were there past 4pm and were ushered to a good window seat pretty quickly. Once placing our orders, the food came fast with minimal waiting time. This definitely won’t be the last time I visit Crystal Jade.

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