Fancy a delicious mouth-watering meal without the guilt? Wish to indulge in savoury Cantonese fare with a healthy contemporary edge?
With Crystal Jade Pristine, you can now enjoy premium Chinese cuisine – without the customary bloated tummy.
Launched recently by the Crystal Jade Group in Singapore, this new concept in fine dining at Scotts Square marries authentic Cantonese cuisine with a creative contemporary twist. To cater to the health concerns of business diners, dishes are mostly steamed, simmered or sauteed with a light touch.
Following the trend in contemporary Chinese gastronomy, Crystal Jade Pristine provides single-serve portions, business set lunches, and organic sets targeted at the discerning palates of fastidious foodies. While healthy modern dishes are a key focus here, the restaurant hasn’t forgotten its Chinese culinary roots.
To tantalise the tastebuds, fresh premium ingredients like sea whelk, cordyceps, wagyu beef and kurobuta pork are used together with traditional favourites like Chinese black mushrooms, organic vegetables and eggs. In the fine tradition of healthy Cantonese cooking, nourishing double-boiled soups are also served.
Thanks to an invitation from Geri Kan and Crystal Jade, I had the chance to sample the wholesome yet flavourful delights from Crystal Jade Pristine.
Time to feast your eyes!
I started my lunch with this herbal Prunella tea. Its juice is reputed to have self healing properties. I like its tangy mild taste enhanced with a slight sweetness.
This combination of cold and hot appetisers provided interesting textures and tastes. The Cordyceps Flowers & Shredded Cucumber with Black Garlic on the left was crunchy, juicy and tangy, while the Pan-fried Scallop & Vegetable Paste Coated with Almond Flakes on the right was scrumptious and savoury.
Believe it or not, the Chawan Mushi like soup above is actually minced chicken breast. With low-fat Malaysian Kampong chicken, American ginseng, and Zheqiang Longquan cordyceps mushrooms, the Steamed Chicken Beancurd with Ginseng & Cordyceps Mushroom was a healthy and nourishing brew. The silky paste of lean chicken infused with the aromas of ginseng filled one with the sensation of wellness.
Although I don’t usually dig red meats, I caved in to this Braised Beef with Chinese Yam & Red Dates. The meat melted in my mouth and bursts with the sweet and savoury flavours of red dates and Chinese herbs. I also liked the Wai San (Chinese Yam) which is purportedly good for building a person’s “qi”.
This next dish of Braised Minced Pork with Hong Kong Kai Lan & Preserved Olive Leaf in Casserole reminded me of my old home. We used to grow Kai Lan back in my old home (for a short period of time), and tasting this somehow reminded me of my old place.
Our next dish was a rich tasting Poached Prawn & Baby Chinese Spinach in Superior Broth. The prawns were fresh and succulent while the herbal soup was nourishing and tasty.
As we’re waiting for our dessert, we couldn’t help noticing this grand brass tea pot used to serve us herbal tea. It kind of reminded me of Aladdin. Can you guess who my other dining guest was?
Bringing the lunch to a pleasant finish was the Boiled Fresh Lily Bulb & Organic Pumpkin with Osmanthus Honey. While this was a tad sweet for my liking, I enjoyed the uniquely nutty taste of the lily bulb and the texture of the pumpkin balls. The floating osmanthus flower petals added a nice poetic touch to the dessert.
As you can see, we weren’t the only diners at Crystal Jade Pristine! The restaurant was buzzing with a crowd of businessmen, working ladies, expats (yes it was rare to see them) and families.
Don’t just take my word for it. Go check out the restaurant today!
