Crystal Jade Kitchen Singapore: What to Eat at Crystal Jade

It’s one of those days where I get a chance to leave work without spending overtime. It really feels great especially if it’s a Friday don’t you agree? Well, my wife and I decided to meet up and try the mall at Clementi which is on the west side of Singapore. 

As expected, a large crowd was bustling here and there to have fun and meet with friends. My wife was craving Chinese food and we spotted a familiar name at the second level of the mall.

First Impressions

Crystal Jade is a prominent name in serving Chinese cuisine in Singapore and seeing one in a newly established mall means business is doing good and that they are expanding.

The place was quite big and is not the usual lengthwise space that you see in mall-based restaurants. In fact, theirs is on a prime spot embracing the curved corner of the mall overlooking the Clementi MRT station.

The restaurant is mainly themed with the color red which symbolizes good luck for the Chinese. There are communal tables and spots where you can spend a bit of privacy.

The Staff

The staffs were dressed with eloquent uniforms blending with the restaurant’s theme. Most of them were Cantonese-speaking and only a couple were able to converse in English. They are prompt in welcoming and having you escorted to your table. 

The Service

Their service is totally off the charts. With the place being packed, we are the only ones who do not speak Cantonese and the staff recognized that. So whenever we need something, they attend to us and grab their English-speaking staff to help. There were signs that they really make some effort to explain things about the food or what we want. And these were done with warm smiles.

I liked their concept of putting a dedicated payment counter at the frontage so when you are done enjoying your food, you can simply stand up and walk over the counter to pay. This leaves the staff to concentrate on engaging with their dining customer more which is a plus for me.

The Food

Customers are given a complimentary plate of peanuts. It’s a mixture of roasted and wasabi-coated peanuts. Needless to say, munching these made our menu selection a breeze and before we know it, the plate’s empty. 

Roasted and Wasabi-Coated Peanuts

While waiting for our food to come, I can’t help to stare at the chili paste bottle sitting on a condiment plate. I scooped a few teaspoons and boy it’s spicy as hell. 

Cooked Chili Oil

Spice lovers say that soya drinks can cool you down when you are gobbling something spicy. So we got ourselves a couple of glasses just to be prepared in case we end up eating something hot. 

Soya Drink

Our first food on review is a plate of Hong Kong style sautéed prawns covered with fried black beans, crispy rice, and sprinkled with chilli flakes and garlic. The moment it was placed on the table you can already smell the nice smoky aroma. 

The crispiness of the crispy rice is a perfect blend to the flavorful pieces of the big prawns. The prawn meats were not only flavorful but they are soft and tender too. This dish was also hinted with spiciness so prepare to gulp that soya drink every once in a while.

Sautéed Prawn

Now don’t let this nice bowl of ice-tea looking liquid fool you. It duped us thinking it’s something to drink. I got confused as to why they need to place it in a bowl. Then a staff came to us and gestured that it is not for drinking. Then she signals body movements that got us baffled. 

Another staff came and told us in English that the liquid was a hand dip cleaner. After we remove the prawn skins by hand, we can use it to wash our fingers. Luckily, I didn’t taste it first as that will be hilarious and embarrassing.

Hand Dip Cleaner

I’m a mackerel fish lover so the moment my eyeballs fixated on one in the menu I asked for it to be served immediately. The presentation of this dish was kind of interesting. They used a half-sliced tomato as a mini-bowl to contain the special salad dip for the mackerel.

You will not be able to see any trace of oil in its flaky meat although it was pan-fried. The golden sauce that tasted like teriyaki complements the smacking goodness of the mackerel. A bit salty at first but if you try to dunk it in the salad dip the fusion of flavors starts to burst into your taste buds. Highly recommended and truly delectable. 

Pan-Fried Mackerel with Salad Sauce

The Yang Zhou fried rice was served last which puts me off a bit since the foods previously served were no longer warm. Anyway, this fried rice contains a mixture of prawns, fried egg, duck meat, and other veggies. By itself, this can be considered a meal that can satisfy your hungry tummy. Every bite of this succulent dish is bursting with different flavors fusing together. It’s definitely a must-try.

Yang Zhou Fried Rice

We both got ourselves something sweet for dessert. And the one that hits our fancy was their Mango Pudding. It was heavenly sweet hinted with the aroma of fresh mango. It contains mango chunks embedded in the jelly-like pudding. 

Mango Pudding

Our Take

I recommend this place if you wanted to try some Chinese cuisine without feeling aloof to the restaurant environment. The staffs are very friendly and they reach out to your every need. 

Operations

They are open daily from 11:00 AM to 3:30 PM for lunch, and dinner starts from 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM.  Major credit cards, NETS, and cash payments are accepted here.

Speak Your Mind

Have you tried any interesting Chinese restaurant lately? Share it with us in the Comments below.