Crystal Jade Prestige: Chinese Fine Dining in the CBD
PUBLISHED May 16th, 2016 01:30 pm | UPDATED June 6th, 2016 05:28 pm
When it comes to picking a venue for business luncheons, Crystal Jade used to be passed on due to its distance from the CBD. However, things are set to change with the opening of its new Crystal Jade Prestige concept at Marina Bay Financial Centre’s Ground Plaza.
Launched back in late January, this new player in the district’s directory of fine dining is perhaps the culmination of Crystal Jade’s expertise in classic Chinese cuisine, albeit with a more inventive touch (fantastic for foodies always on the lookout for something new). Branding-wise, Prestige is positioned as second only to Crystal Jade Golden Palace at Paragon Shopping Center. Premium ingredients usually not seen in Chinese cuisine – such as truffle and foie gras – are used. Contemporary culinary techniques and artful plating also make Prestige more modern than the group’s other brands.
The show-stopper for us was the Roasted Baby Suckling Pig rolled with Black Truffle Pearl Rice ($20++ per pc, $168++ for half, and $328++ for whole), a roulade of crispy pig crackling wrapped around plump grains of short-grained pearl rice infused with aromatic truffle and abalone sauce. Thinking of the marvellous texture of the crackling against soft rice…yum.
Another crowd pleaser was the yin yang combination of Deep-fried Scallop with Salted Egg Yolk ($20++), which brings together a crispy golden chunk of Hokkaido scallop encrusted in salted egg yolk batter contrasted against refreshingly sweet cold tomatoes and avocado cream. Forget ice cream parlours and French bakeries, Chinese restaurants still do salted egg yolk dishes the best.
No proper Chinese meal is complete without soup, and definitely not without the Double-boiled Morel Mushroom & Bamboo Pith Soup ($18++). Clear, tasty, and cooked in a young coconut, there’s nothing quite as belly-warming as this.
If you’re a noodle (or seafood) fan, we recommend you check out the Pan-fried Minced Fish Noodle with Scallop ($12++) – we were pleasantly surprised with the springiness of the fish paste noodles and the impressive umami flavour achieved by tossing with prawn stock reduction. That and the Pan-fried Beancurd with Black Truffle Sauce ($8.80++) a slab of homemade squid ink tofu coated in breadcrumbs and drizzled with a heady truffle-accented mushroom sauce.
Don’t leave without getting the Tea Smoked Roasted Duck ($78 for whole, calling in advance is advised), imbued with 30 hours of meticulous preparation, and a tantalising smoky Pu-er tea flavour, from skin to bone. Carved right next to your table, the tasty fowl was served in three parts: crispy skin, ate with sugar; moist thigh meat; and tender breast meat best eaten wrapped in a soft crepe.
Polishing off the meal was a well-varied selection of desserts, which ranged from the fascinating Trio on Ice ($14.50++ – tasting portions of Aloe Vera with Lemongrass Jelly, Mango Puree with Pomelo & Sago, and Black Sesame with Coconut Milk), and the sinful and oh-so-worth-it Deep-fried Durian Ice Cream with Mango Puree ($8.50++).
If you’re a frequent patron of the Crystal Jade Group, you’ll find the Prestige to be quite a breath of fresh air. The lengthy space looks unlike a traditional Chinese restaurant; they’ve managed to juxtapose oriental and western design elements in its decor, with Chinese lattice work on the ceiling, swishes of gold, and abstract art pieces on the walls.
With 140 seats and four private dining rooms, Prestige is ideal for hosting business meetings or intimate gatherings with friends and family. We’re planning to head back some time soon to try out their promising lunch-time dim sum menu.
Crystal Jade Prestige is located at 8A Marina Boulevard, Marina Bay Financial Centre (Ground Plaza), #02-01, Singapore 018984, p. 6509 9493. Open Mon-Fri 11.30am – 3pm, Sat-Sun & PH 11.30am to 3.30pm, Daily 6pm to 10.30pm.
