The name Crystal Jade never fails to reel in the crowds. But we thought we’d check out this outlet (which serves contemporary Cantonese chow) in these challenging times.
When we dropped by on a weekend for dinner, the restaurant was already packed; with servers flitting madly everywhere. Decor‑wise, the restaurant looked impressive with its grand red hallway, stunning sea view, huge windows and scarlet interior. But the seats were backache‑inducing and made in such a way that caused one’s butt to slide down the seat uncomfortably.
We had some difficulty deciding what we wanted from the large menu, and so asked for assistance. But the captain gave vague, unhelpful and hurried recommendations; after which we decided to make up our own minds. While the wait was considerable, the dishes arrived in quick succession later: The sautéed grouper fillet with crab meat and crab roe; crispy duck with yam paste and nut; stir‑fried crab meat with egg white; and the sautéed ostrich fillet with cuttlefish and black bean sauce. To our relief, all of them were pretty delectable.
We especially loved the stir‑fried crab meat and crab roe—which was simple and delightful. Recommended by a helpful, wonderfully chirpy server, this dish had firm chunks of egg white, and pieces of very sweet crab meat. Accented by an egg yolk and vinegar (which the same fantastic server helped us mix in), the dish prevented the meal from being too dry and was outstandingly delicious.
Throughout the meal, this same server gave us smiley, sincere service; while the frowning captain was surly and curt. The grouper, drenched in a sweet sauce, was very fresh; however, we couldn’t really taste the crab meat. The duck too was tasty—the pieces had a crispy exterior which contrasted well with the fragrance and softness of the yam. The ostrich meat was suitably succulent too, although the other dishes (which came in reasonable portions and were not pitiably undersized) were more memorable.
For desserts, we had ice‑cream with sago and pomelo, and grass jelly with sago, pomelo and mango cream—both competently executed.
Overall, Crystal Jade can be counted on to deliver a good, reasonably priced meal with (mostly) great service.
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