The Crystal Jade brand is renowned being one of the leading Singapore-based restaurant groups to preserve the rich traditions of Chinese cuisine.

As far as comfort food is concerned, one of our all-time favourite places to dine at is Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao. We grew up enjoying their classic and contemporary interpretations of the much-loved xiao long bao and la mian which finds its roots from the Jiangnan region in China!

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao has officially opened its latest outlet at Basement 2 of Ngee Ann City which was previously occupied by Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken and BBQ. Paying homage to its opening on 01 Dec 2017, the restaurant will be bringing back their limited-edition local-inspired Hainanese Chicken Rice Xiao Long Bao.

From now until 31 Jan 2018, spend a minimum of S$45 on a la carte food items to enjoy a basket of 4 pcs Hainanese Chicken Rice Xiao Long Bao for just S$1. This promotion is limited to 1 redemption per table per bill.

The popular casual all-day dining restaurant specialises in Northern Chinese specialties such as a wide array of delectable la mian and xiao long bao options, as well as traditional meat and seafood specialities from around the Jiangnan region.

The restaurant exudes a charming, rustic ambience with a distinctly bold and modern twist, unlike your typical Chinese restaurant.

CRYSTAL JADE LA MIAN XIAO LONG BAO’S SIGNATURE APPETISERS

We started with the Deep-fried White Bait In Wuxi Style (S$8.30) and Chilled Poached Chicken In Szechuan Style (S$10.30).

Crispy, sticky and dangerously appetising, the deep-fried whitebait is definitely something we could order several times in one sitting. Its tangy-sweet vinegary glaze coupled with a delightful crunch makes it so much harder to resist.

If you prefer something with bold flavours, the Chilled Poached Chicken In Szechuan Style—a classic dish in Southwestern China—is what you must order. The tender chicken is drenched with Szechuan Style ‘mala’ flavour with a hint of vinegar; spicy to say the least.

STEAMED ASSORTED XIAO LONG BAO WITH LOCAL TWISTS

These days, it is hardly surprising to see Chinese restaurants offering xiao long bao in assorted colours and flavours and Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao is no exception to the trend.

The Steamed Assorted Flavours Xiao Long Bao (S$9.30) promises a variety of savoury local flavours: salted egg yolk, chilli crab, mushroom and original.

Needless to say, the savoury Chilli Crab and Salted Egg Yolk Xiao Long Bao are the crowd favourites. On the other hand, the Mushroom Xiao Long Bao is unjustifiably underrated. Do not be deceived by its dull colour for this dumpling is packed with an aromatic earthy broth filled with mushroom bits and juicy meat.

HAINANESE CHICKEN XIAO LONG BAO

Presenting a unique xiao long bao inspired by one of Singapore’s most well-loved hawker dishes, Crystal Jade’s Hainanese Chicken Rice Xiao Long Bao (S$6.80 for 4 pieces) is a tantalising nugget of Moorish delight. Paired with fragrant ginger paste, this inventive rendition is a comforting parcel that unveils tender minced chicken thigh in a flavourful yet delicate stock.

SAVOURY LA MIAN OPTIONS

Nobody leaves Crystal Jade without a bowl of la mian and we highly recommend the La Mian With Scallion Oil (S$8.30). The key ingredients for this dish are as straightforward as its name; handmade noodles and scallion oil.

Tender, hand-pulled noodles are generously coated with a fragrant scallion oil that adds a certain savoury element to the dish. It is topped with strips of fried scallions for some extra umami and texture.

For something a little more hearty and substantial, consider the Szechuan Dan Dan La Mian (S$10.80)—essentially Peanut Sauce with Chilli Oil—which consists of the same tender noodles but in a viscous peanut sauce. Contrary to its bright red hue, it really wasn’t as fiery as we thought.

STELLAR SIDE DISHES

One of the best side dishes to get is the Sautéed Egg White with Conpoy & Fish Meat (S$15.80). Egg whites are beautifully cooked with a mixture of conpoy and fish which resulted in a fragrant mix of flavour and textural bliss.

The egg white cuts through the sharp flavours of everything else and the dash of vinegar makes it even more appetizing. As simple as it may look, this was another unforgettable item from the menu.

One of the more underrated items that deserve a mention is the Poached Sliced Fish in Szechuan Spicy Soup (S$22.80). As daunting as this massive cauldron of robust red, seemingly fiery soup may be, it was actually pretty mild.

Expect chunks of tender poached sliced fish, crunchy xiao bai cai and thick glass noodles in a fiery, tongue-tingling mala broth.

If you would much rather opt for a milder, less heavily flavoured side dish, the Sautéed Rice Flour Cake in Shanghai Style (S$14.80) is a great choice. The chewy rice flour cake was an interesting change of pace compared to the other softer and saucier dishes and we were mighty impressed by how much ‘wok hei’ this simple dish had.

Having eaten a whole range of savoury and spicy dishes, it is probably a good idea to balance it out with something sweet. The Coconut Cake (S$5.30) is a rather new item on the menu and this dessert is a pudding-kueh hybrid. It was dense like a pudding yet moist like a kueh; and all in all, it was brimming with intense coconut fragrance and flavour.

With such an elaborate line-up of dishes to look forward to at the spanking new Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao at Ngee Ann City, you must be aching to pay a visit. Be sure to not miss out on their S$1 Hainanese Chicken Rice Xiao Long Bao promotion that you can enjoy as long as you fulfill a minimum spend of S$45 on à la carte food items (terms and conditions apply). This promotion is valid from now until 31 Jan 2018.

Terms and Conditions:

• Valid with min. spend of S$45 on a la carte food items.
• Valid until 31 Jan 2018, Monday to Fridays, excluding eve and day of public holiday.
• Limited to 1 redemption per table per bill, no splitting of bills allowed.
• Valid for dine-in and whilst stocks last.
• Not valid with other promotion, discount, voucher or loyalty programmes unless otherwise stated.

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Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao Ngee Ann City
391 Orchard Road, #B2-36A,
Takashimaya Shopping Centre
Singapore 238873
Tel: +65 6733 3229
Daily: 11am – 10pm
Nearest Station: Orchard

This post was brought to you by Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao.

I was impressed during a recent visit to Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Takashimaya. They have pretty good Korean food at affordable prices and it currently ranks highly on my list of Korean Restaurants in Singapore.

I have to admit that I wasn’t a fan of Crystal Jade restaurants initially as I didn’t like restaurant chains. But after several visits to the different Crystal Jade restaurants, it’s not too difficult to understand why they are popular.

First, the prices at most of the Crystal Jade Restaurants are affordable. Second, the food is consistent, it’s quite unlikely that you will have a bad meal at any of the Crystal Jade restaurants. Most people are not very adventurous when it comes to food (I used to be like that too before starting my food blog), so I can understand the appeal of reliable restaurants like Crystal Jade.

Third, most of the Crystal Jade Restaurants are conveniently located in town, it’s quite difficult to find good yet affordable food in Orchard, plus they have different restaurants catering for everyone.

My friends were craving for Korean BBQ, and we decided to try Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant since we were meeting in town. Now you know why Crystal Jade is so popular!

Crystal Jade Korean BBQ is much more affordable than I thought. The five of us ordered two servings of pork and chicken ($18 each), Grilled Fish ($22), Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup ($25), Kim Chi Pancakes ($14), and we paid about $23 per person. Obviously, it helps to have a group of friends so that we can order more food to share.

It was so much fun to BBQ the meat on the sizzling grill, and even better to put the slightly charred meat into my mouth. Thankfully, the air ventilation of the restaurant was good, and we didn’t leave the place smelling like barbecue.

The Korean Ginseng Chicken Soup was fantastic, the chicken was delicious and the stock was rich and flavourful. My companions agreed with me that Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant’s rendition was much better than the one that we had at Togi Korean Restaurant.

Along with the six complimentary side dishes, we also ordered the Kimchi Pancakes as appetisers. It was not too bad, but personally I would prefer Seafood pancakes over that.

Here’s a quick guide for those of you who have no idea which restaurants to go for Korean food in Singapore: I will go to Kko Kko Nara Korean Restaurant at Tras Street for the excellent Korean Fried Chicken, and if location is not an issue, Kim’s Family Restaurant is definitely my favourite Korean Restaurant in Singapore.

Most of us usually meet our friends in Orchard since it is convenient for everyone, if that’s the case, Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant at Ngee Ann City is definitely the place to satisfy your craving for Korean BBQ and Ginseng Chicken.

Singapore Food Restaurants Review
Crystal Jade Korean Restaurant
391 Orchard Road #04-20
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6733 3229

176 Orchard Road #04-13
Centrepoint Singapore
Tel: +65 6737 3282

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This is my first visit to Crystal Jade.

Okay please stop staring at me as though I’m a weirdo. When I mentioned on twitter that I have not been to Crystal Jade before, everyone gave me the ‘what-is-wrong-with-you’ reply.

I can understand the reactions, since there are so many different Crystal Jade restaurants in Singapore. From the fine dining Crystal Jade Palace restaurant, to the family-oriented Crystal Jade restaurant, Crystal Jade Korean Ginseng Chicken & BBQ or the causal dining options like Crystal Jade Kitchen and Crystal Jade La Mien Xiao Long Bao – there are options for everyone.

So when I finally stepped into Crystal Jade La Mien Xiao Long Bao at Ngee Ann City, there was a slight tingling sensation in my stomach. ‘Hello Crystal Jade, I’m finally here!’

There were so many items to choose from the Crystal Jade’s menu, and it took us a while before we decided on the Xiaolongbao, Zha Jiang Mian, and the famous Fried rice.

I have heard a lot about Crystal Jade’s Steamed Soupy Pork Dumpling ($5 for a basket of five). Apparently you can have unlimited servings of xiaolongbao if you go for the Crystal Jade Steamboat Buffet at Holland Village. But no thank you, I really don’t fancy having twenty baskets of xiaolongbao at one go.

We shared the five dumplings between the two of us, and they were gone in an instant. I was greedy and impatient, so I dipped it with the light soy sauce and ginger and placed the whole dumpling into my mouth — that was a huge mistake. The stock gushed through and burnt my tongue when I took a bite, but it felt so good.

We were stunned by the portion of the Noodle with Minced Meat & Mushroom in spicy sauce ($7.50) when it arrived on the table. I liked how the spicy-sweet sauce entangled itself with the la mien.

I’m not sure if my memory is playing a trick on me, but I actually prefer Din Tai Fung’s fried rice. While the portion of Crystal Jade’s Fried rice with prawn, chicken & ham in Shanghai style ($10.80) was impressive, it lacked a certain wok-hei flavor. In short, not the best fried rice that I had before.

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It’s actually not difficult to understand why Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao is doing well. The food is decent, and they are reasonably priced. It is probably around $10-ish per head to have a proper dinner here. You know what? I’m going to try out the Crystal Jade Palace restaurant for dim sum next.

Which Crystal Jade restaurants have you been to, and between Imperial Treasure or Crystal Jade, which one do you prefer?

Restaurant Review
Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao
391 Orchard Road #04-27
Ngee Ann City Singapore
Tel: +65 6238 1661

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