Crystal Jade: A new gem in town

Talk about really pushing in the knife. It’s as if the universe truly conspired against my attempt at healthy living. As if my food tripping in Bacolod wasn’t enough already to kill my diet and supposedly planned detox, I was invited to partake in a massive, 18-course lunch at none other than Crystal Jade Xiao Long Bao and La Mian. No, I wasn’t in Hong Kong. I was in Greenhills.

Yes, people, the time has come for my beloved soupy pearls of soft pork and gelatinous goodness to be near me. My favorite small steaming baskets of Shanghainese delight, lovingly handmade with imperfect curves that give way to a burst of warm flavor in the mouth. When once I had to hop on a plane and wait perhaps an hour or so in line to have my xiao long bao from the famous classic Chinese food chain Crystal Jade

Freshly pulled noodles must be done in only six pulls!

is located at V-Mall Greenhills. Oh, and get this, they accept reservations!

 We started with their specialty, xiao long bao. The wrapper was paper-thin and delicate, cooked to just the right temperature so as not to let the scalding broth burn your tongue as you gingerly puncture the dumpling and slurp out the rich flavor. Matched with gingered Chinese black vinegar, the roundness in the mouth is so fulfilling.

The advantage of these tastings is that one is always surprised to find new, amazing dishes. I am so often disappointed by meals in this country that I tend to be less adventurous. Mealtime for me is so precious that a lousy dish can make or break my day. Sure value and satisfaction means, unfortunately ordering more or less the same favorites all the time. The highlights of my meal were the deep-fried radish puff, crispy Wuxi eel, spicy-and-sour soup, and the Dan Dan Mien noodles. Apart from the soup, these were all new things for me. This experience

at Crystal Jade helped me discover new favorites and long for the day they open in the Makati area. Lucky Northerners…

Radish. Who orders radish on a menu? Especially when you can have crispy chicken or braised pork. Certainly not me, but from now on I sure will. The pastry shell was über-flaky and crisp, little golden pieces falling on my plate. It gave way to something surprisingly flavorful and juicy, tart with a bit of a bite. It was a conundrum of filling and light all at the same time. Definitely something I would love to order and keep as a merienda item in my kitchen.

The Wuxi crispy eel, little pieces of freshwater eel, was amazing. According to Mr. Ip Yiu Tung, CEO of Crystal Jade Restaurant Con-cepts, they are usually found swimming in rice paddies, sliced into strips, deep-fried to perfection and lacquered in a sweet soy glaze.

Perfect for rainy days and sniffles: Dan Dan Mien

Slivers of ginger garnished the eel and gave a certain kind of complexity to it all. It was neither sweet nor savory, the freshness of ginger punctuating  the dish, cutting through any kind of oiliness there might be.

Hot-and-sour soup is a staple in Chinese restos. Staples can be comforting but ironically can also be disastrous and disappointing. Crystal Jade’s spicy-and-sour soup was divine. It was thick and rich. Tasted fresh and not frozen, nor boiling in the same vat for days. It didn’t taste artificial nor did it reek of dried veggies and MSG. According to Tung, they use fresh, real broth. He also assured me that the chefs would be staying here “forever” to ensure quality and consistency. The amazing live noodle pulling had started; I had to leave my soup to go watch in detail. Although the snakelike muscular arms of the master noodle puller (who apparently has been doing this since he was nine years old!) was interesting, my spicy-and-sour soup was sadly being ignored and I rushed back to give it all the cariño and attention it deserved. Each mushroom, bit of tofu and thick soup was cherished and nestled gently in my belly.

I love noodles. Who doesn’t? I remember being in Hong Kong, though, and wondering what on earth la mian is. I learned that la mian is fresh pulled egg noodles. Here at Crystal Jade they pull it per order and drop it into your soup right before they bring it out to you. So even if you’re a group of 20 ordering all the same soup, they will pull each and every portion for each one of you. The noodles are meant to stay firm. Mushy noodles are apparently a sign of poor quality. We were served Dan Dan Mien. A very rich broth, opaque and red with

Time for fish: Sauteed egg white with fish meat and conpoy is a delicately flavoured dish that’s both light and fluffy.

hot peppers. It tasted surprisingly of peanuts and reminded me of Indonesian satay and Singaporean laksa. As I write this now, with my nose all a-sniffle with sinusitis, there is nothing I crave more than a bowl of this Dan Dan Mien. Ooh! Perhaps one day we’ll have Crystal Jade delivery. Mmm…

* * *

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao is located at Unit 117-121 (near Haagen Dazs and Goodwill Bookstore) V-Mall, Greenhills Shopping Center, Greenhills, San Juan City, Metro Manila. For more information, call 570-6910, 570-6912 or log on to www.CrystalJade.com

Crystal Jade is open from 11 a.m. to 9.30 p.m. Reservations are accepted for a group of eight or more only.

* * *

You can reach me at stephanie_zubiri@yahoo.fr.