Crystal Jade Hong Kong Cafe @ Orchard Central

Crystal Jade has grown much over the years, from a simple Chinese restaurant to a fine dining and even confectionary. Expanding their business, while introducing new dining concepts and food to the masses. With all the ravage of Hong Kong food recently, its not surprising that Crystal Jade also decided to expand their business model into such entities.

Minestrone Soup in Hong Kong Style

Soup is nice is and flavourful. Vegetables are soft and adds natural sweetness of the soup. Though I prefer Kim Gary's version more, this is a bit too robust for me. The toast adds a nice touch, as one can dip and slurp up all those heavy flavours in the bread, rather than just drink the soup by itself.

Chilled Milk Tea

Angled Glass

Presentation wise. This is rather interesting. The milk tea is server in a vase which has a hollowed centre punctured into the glass. This cavity is filled with dried ice which chills the drink. Though well presented it does pose some negative points. Firstly, the serving cups are really small, more like shot glasses instead making it a bit tedious and tiresome to constantly pouring the next glass. Secondly, though the jug seems big. You are getting a lesser than what you expect due to the hollow cavity for placing the dried ice. Thirdly, I can be a pain to pour drink, especially toward the end. As it is impossible to no spill the water (originally hot water)from the dry ice into your drink, while pour the bit of remaining milk tea as the base of the vase. Seems rather wasteful to me.

Despite these, I would still recommend this drink. As taste wise its rather superior compared to other milk teas I've drank thus far. Its aromatic and milky, but yet not overly creamy that one can't enjoy the tea fragrant.

Red Bean Freeze

Think Hong Kong version milkshake and you are pretty close to what Red Bean Freeze represents. This is more like red bean under heaps of vanilla ice cream. It may take a while for the ice cream to melt of a drinks consistency, so mix it well. At least you can ensure that this drink will for sure be cold even till the end of your meal. Can be very sweet, so do take note.

Ocean Basket

The basket includes items like ebi prawns, fish fingers, fried mussels, crabstick, calamari and fries. Rather normal as one would come to expect from a seafood assorted platter.

Sauteed Pasta with Chicken in Spicy Sauce

Sauteed Pasta with Seafood in Spicy Sauce

These two dishes are about the same. Both are pasta with spicy sauce instead of the conventional tomato base that one will come to expect when one comes into mind in Italian cooking. Surprisingly the spicy sauce works wonders with the pasta, it has this sweet and yet tangy taste. The spicy level isn't that hot, thus non-spicy eater can also enjoy this meal. Comparing the chicken or seafood option for the topping. Chicken seems more economical and yet more filling to its seafood counterpart. The fried chicken is also very crisp and well done. Don't really turn soggy even with the sauce poured over it.

Giant Bowl Noodle

Don't let this photo is huge and when I say huge, I meant it with the word "extremely". This monsterous bowl of abomination is gurennteed to fill you till your satisfaction. With items like tempura prawns, fish fillet, tempura chicken chop , pork chop,cuttlefish, crabstick, mussel and a sunny side up to top it off; I doubt anything can trumph this bowl of noodles in terms of ingrediates. One also has the choice of japanese ramen, rice noodles or spicy noodles. Soup base is more of a milky chicken base soup, nothing to shout about.

Assorted Platter with Sides

Another hot favoured is this mixed grill which Crystal Jade offers. This is also fairly lots of items that are placing into the making of this dish. T-bone Lamb Steak, Chicken Chop, Fish Fillet, huge sausage accompanied by sides of sunny side up egg boiled vegetables, mash and corn. If you have a meat craving this is the one to get. All the meat are tender and the sausage oozes cheese when cut into. Satisfying and filling.

Rice Flour Roll with Sesame Sauce

Rice flour roll seems rather odd to appear in the dinner table, but I'm glad that my friend order this. The sesame and sweet dark sauces goes hand in hand and lifts what would be a ordinary rice flour into a little piece of heaven. Recommended.

Crispy Spring Chicken with Lemon Grass

The crispy chicken isn't bad and yet not up to what I had expected. Given that my friend was singing praises on it the whole time before we settled to dine here. The chicken was crisp at the outside, but was a bit dry in the center which I hope to be a bit more moist. Never the less, the taste factor is above average not too shabby.

The service here was pleasant. The waitress was well verse in the menu and had no difficulty recommending dishes that would cater to the taste of my group. Though they fumble at times, the well manner and quick service for the occasion of our requests on the birthday and accommodations were well met.

If one would compare this to Kim Gary, I still favor Kim Gary to this. But Crystal Jade does have some dishes that are unique to itself, why no give it a try and tell me how you guys think about it.

Crystal Jade Hong Kong Cafe (Orchard Central)
181 Orchard Road
#07-15 Orchard Central
Singapore 238896
Tel: 6509 3118

Hong Kong Kim Gary Restaurant @ Tampines 1

I've originally was planning for a Hong Kong trip, but it was cancel in the end due to some complication. Fortunately, Kim Gary opens a new branch in the east, easing some of the disappointment. Now I don't need to travel all the way south just to get my favorite Hong Kong fix.

Kim Gary who is that? I hardly watch any Hong Kong drama.
Doesn't really matter as long he bring the good food, my wallet is always open.

The place is rather spacious, but be prepared to wait quite a while. This place is packed to the brim. Not that I blame them. Who can find fault with someone if their food is so good.

Ying Yong Tea (Mixture of tea and coffee).

The Ying Yong here is the best I've tried by far. Most Hong Kong cafes suffer a downfall on their Ying Yong. They're either too bland or too milky. Kim Gary does it just with the correct proportion and mix. The concoction is thick and heavy, without either coffee or tea overwhelming each other.

Borsch Soup

Another hot favorite is Kim Gary's Borsch Soup. Compared to the "western" version, which can be quite heavy and sour. The one being sold here is more light and clear, which is a good thing as I often find the one outside a bit too sour to my liking. The vegetable are nice and soft, simply mashes away in your mouth. There is also a Sweet Corn Cream Soup, which I would advice you to give a miss for the Borsch.

Garlic Bread (comes in the Steak Sets).

Baked Potatoes Skin topped with Bacon & Cheese.

There are some appetizer for those who isn't really hungry. One of such is the Baked Potatoes Skin topped with Bacon & Cheese. Looks really mouth watering. However, turns out to be a disappointment. I was dry and lacks enough cheese and bacon. The garlic bread that comes in the Steak set instead is rather crowd pleaser. I could smell its aroma across the table. The toast is browned nicely, giving it extra crunch when bit into.

Cheese Baked Rice with Pork Chop

Cheese Baked Rice with Chicken Drumlets

One of the more popular dishes in Hong Kong cruise is the Cheese Baked Rice. Kim Gary offered a variety of cheese baked rice with different kinds of meats that go with it. Customers have a choice of Pork or Chicken Chop, Beef, Fish or drumlets. As if that is not enough for customization there is even two different sauces of your choice, for the baked rice to soak in. There is a white creamy sauce with cream, milk and corn. The red in the other hand, is tomato sauce and beef stock. I'd prefer the white cream sauce as its more tasty and is in perfect harmony with the thick layer of melted cheese on top of it. If you are still indecisive and want the joy of two worlds, there is also a twin sauce version. Though its will cost you slightly more.

Cheese Baked Rice with Fish (looking at the tons of cheese)

Kim Gary's Cheese Baked Rice is the power house. The cheese blankets the whole bamboo steamer and the sauce is sufficient to coat each grain evenly. Rice isn't dry and hard after the baking process. Thanks to the ample amount of sauce and thick layer of cheese, resulting in a nature steaming effect within. Caution though. It can be quite hot within. Pork and Chicken Chop are really tender and the fish is also soft and melts in your mouth. After your first bit, you would be scrapping for every scrap, licking the foil for every drip of sauce and wanting a second helping more.

Supreme Chicken Chop Curry Baked with Swiss Cheese

Supreme Pork Chop Curry Baked with Swiss Cheese

The curry baked is also another hot item on the menu. In fact, it has some similarities of the cheese baked rice. The curry baked is like the evil sister of the previous subtle cheese version. Both are baked and have melted cheese coating the top surface. Those who love spicy food should try the curry baked. Its really spicy and you would be soon gulping down glasses of water. Yet though hot, this heat will growth on you and leave you really satisfied by the end of the meal. It cost slight more then the baked rice and has the option of either rice or spaghetti.

Black Pepper Sauce Sizzling Steak on Hotplate

This hot plate is huge. All of us were starving in amazement on the huge portion serving for the Steak on Hotplate. However, it turn out to be quite disappointing. The sauce was bland and starchy from the exhaustive amount of corn starch. Making it more of a soup than sauce. The steak is tender rather chewy, showing that its quite a cheap grade. Interesting thing is that they serve fries on a hot plate. This makes my wonder if the fries remains crisp or soggy from the bubbling hot sauce.

The new outlet is a lot more difference compare to its Vivocity branch, with a more dark and class feel to it. Everything is glossy, thus making the interior very brightly lit. Service Staff are polite and patient. They would even accommodate to your special requests.

Overall, Kim Gary is definite place for Singaporean to have a quick bit of Hong Kong food without actually leaving the island. Of course you can't compare this with those in Hong Kong, but its a good attempt to re-create the standards there.

Hong Kong Kim Gary Restaurant (Tampines 1)
10 Tampines Central 1
#B1-07 Tampines 1
Tel: 6786 1418
Website: http://www.kimgary.com.my/


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