Crystal Jade Xiao Long Bao

**Monseratto** · October 6th, 2010 10:40 AM

Those who frequently visit Hong Kong will be familiar with this restaurant name. Mahaba yung pila sa Harbour City TST at IFC Mall. They opened recently at VMall in G'hills. Mahaba din ang pila kahit weekdays. Wonder how good is the food to warrant the wait.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=81

Crystal Jade: A new gem in town
FEAST WITH ME By Stephanie Zubiri (The Philippine Star) Updated September 23, 2010 12:00 AM

Must have: The superb Xiao Long Bao, a steamed soupy pork dumpling dish made only with freshest meat and delicious broth is one of the Crystal Jade’s most famous and not-to-be-missed specialties

Perfect for rainy days and sniffles: Dan Dan Mien

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

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 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…

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…

**denki3269** · October 6th, 2010 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by Monseratto

Those who frequently visit Hong Kong will be familiar with this restaurant name. Mahaba yung pila sa Harbour City TST at IFC Mall. They opened recently at VMall in G'hills. Mahaba din ang pila kahit weekdays. Wonder how good is the food to warrant the wait.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=81

already tried there.. I would still recommend gloria mari's... mas masarap padin sa gloria mari's..

**ghosthunter** · October 6th, 2010 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by Monseratto

Those who frequently visit Hong Kong will be familiar with this restaurant name. Mahaba yung pila sa Harbour City TST at IFC Mall. They opened recently at VMall in G'hills. Mahaba din ang pila kahit weekdays. Wonder how good is the food to warrant the wait.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx...bCategoryId=81

The xiao long pao is actually one of the better I have tried. The skin is not too thick and the "soup" inside very good. You can taste that the "dumpling" was made fresh and not frozen.

We also tried a few other items on their menu and they were also pretty good but serving size was somewhat small. Enough for sharing between 3 or 4 people but you'll need have have some fried rice to make anyone feel full.

As for being worth the wait (long lines), er... honestly no, since there are other options nearby that offer good chinese food without the long wait. Examples are: Gloria Marin and Harbour City.

My suggestion if you want to try this restaurant, go there earlier like 11:00am to 11:15am for lunch to get a table right away before the waiting starts.