A crystal clear class
Regulars of Crystal Jade Palace will notice welcome changes to
the newly renovated venue in Takashimaya Shopping Centre: a tea
room for sipping a selection of 10 artisanal teas, a customised menu
option, a Yanxi Palace-style courtyard complete with marble arches,
and a jade green and gold colour palette that run across the interior.
Group executive chef Martin Foo creates boundary-pushing
dishes without veering too far out the box of Chinese cuisine. There
are subtle influences from other countries: a piquant Thai-style
garden salad with crabmeat and pomelo sac ($16.80), Japanese sea
urchin swimming in ‘tanfu’ broth (available as part of customised
menu) and ozro pasta, in lieu of jasmine rice, tossed with crispy rice,
prawns and shrimps ($26) for a delicious grain dish. Even classic
ingredients like fish maw, typically used in soups and braises, is stir-
fried with shishito peppers and black beans sauce, yielding a textural
surprise. End with a local dessert: chendol with coconut ice cream
complete with grass jelly cubes and green jelly noodles ($12.80).
#04-19, Takashimaya Shopping Centre, 391 Orchard Road.
Tel: 6735 2388
A newcomer to the Telok Ayer hood
is Chuan Hung, a 40-seater Sichuan
noodle house that serves homemade
Mian Yang rice noodles. Much like
a ramen shop, you can also choose
your soup base, which includes a
spicy red broth, a collagen-rich clear
broth or chicken infused with Sichuan
vine peppers, as well as a variety of
meats. We recommend the Signature
Braised Beef ($13.50) with the spicy red broth; the beef was fork-tender and
flavourful. Other equally delectable options are the Australian Ox Tongue
($14.50), King Prawns ($15.50) and Chicken Innards ($12.50). Chuan Hung
also offers highly-addictive snacks such as the Fried Crispy Pig Intestines
($5.50), where the offal is deep-fried till crisp. #01-01, 51 Telok Ayer Street.
Tel: +65 9755 1058Slurp-worthy