T
he undisputed choice for commemorating major life events, from baptisms to graduations to weddings, used to be in Chinese restaurants. Growing up, I remember how I would happily allow myself to be led by my mom and dad to large party after large party in Chinatown, in restaurants that served up all my first favorites: sweet and sour pork, peas with shrimps and cashew nuts, corn soup with the white and yellow tendrils of a fresh egg floating, allowed to cook in the steaming hot broth. Pata tim and asado, camaron rebosado, and the rice. Bowl after bowl of Yang Chow fried rice! My culinary preferences became broader as I got older, and as if in direct proportion, the number of restaurants that served many other kinds of specialties got larger and larger. My parents started taking my siblings and me to Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Swiss, and Korean restaurants. I loved them all, but I always retained a soft spot for Chinese — the hubbub of families chatting, the occasional shouts in Cantonese or Hookien from servers to the cooks, the ceaseless clatter of utensils, and most of all, the exotic aromas and glorious flavors of all the bright, colorful food. To this day, Chinese restaurants still are, for me, the happiest places for celebrations. Which is why I looked forward to my first meal in the newest destination for Chinese food in the city, Crystal Jade Dining IN, a fine dining establishment on Bonifacio High Street Central. As emphasized in the restaurant’s name, it’s “IN”, as in contemporary. Crystal Jade offers new takes on Cantonese classics, the dishes most Filipinos grew up with. It’s the first Philippine branch of one of the most awarded restaurants in the region; for five straight years, from 2009 to 2013, it’s been recognized as one of Asia’s 500 Best by no less than the Miele Guide. Although this Crystal Jade iteration is brand new here, the brand itself isn’t unfamiliar to Pinoy foodies. The chain has over a hundred outlets in eighteen Asian cities, including Bangkok, Beijing, Singapore, Seoul, and Tokyo. When Crystal Jade opened its “La Mian Xiao Long Bao” in Greenhills a few years ago, lines stretched around the block for its fabled “soupy siomai”. Dining IN raises the bar for Crystal Jade. It’s definitely more posh than its Xiao Long Bao counterpart. Its plush interiors, limned in gold, are reflective of the kind of luxurious cuisine offered within. From the bamboo baskets filled with the most decadent Dim Sum to the 14 LET’S EAT JUNE 2013
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Crystal Jade offers new takes on Cantonese classics, the dishes most Filipinos grew up with. It’s the first Philippine branch of one of the most awarded restaurants in the region; for five straight years, from 2009 to 2013, it’s been recognized as one of Asia’s 500 Best by no less than the Miele Guide platters rich with the rarest of Bird’s Nest and Shark’s Fin specialties, Dining IN instantly joins the ranks of the best Chinese restaurants in the metropolis, five star dining in a five star setting. The restaurant’s menu is overflowing with dishes with names as lengthy as the Great Wall. The longer the name, the more delicious the item, it seems. For example, “Steamed Cream Custard Bun with Salted Egg Yolk”. It’s a warm orange bun filled with an oozing paste of a yolk, sumptuous and creamy beyond belief. The “Baked Bo Lo Barbecue Pork Bun”, a buttery brioche-like pastry stuffed with a sweet-spicy
pork asado-like mixture. And that’s just the Dim Sum to start off dinner. Or for afternoon tea perhaps. Highly recommended too, for ladies who lunch lightly. The elegance of the Crystal Jade Dining IN menu is raised to even higher levels with the main courses. “Double Boiled Crab Claw Soup with Superior Mushroom in Fresh Coconut”. Try ordering that from your server in one breath! A witty presentation: a coconut filled with a milky, double boiled broth, and each spoonful unearthing a surprise: a succulent crab claw first, a fresh flavorful mushroom next. “Sautéed Scallop and Prawn with Chicken and Assorted Mushrooms Served in Pumpkin” is another verbose