Anyone who has held a copy of the Makan Sutra in their hands knows that if Singaporeans like it, it must be good. With this in mind, we were curious to see if Crystal Jade, a chain restaurant with outlets scattered throughout Asia, could bring its health conscious modern cuisine into Beijing untainted.

The quality of the décor was a good omen. The tall windows wrapping around most of the restaurant, red and caramel accents on black slate and a waterfall trickling behind the bar create elegantly modern surroundings.

Though the tongue accustomed to the badger of MSG might find these dishes a little bland, Chef Chen carefully blends flavors to create unique and pleasant sensations. The cold Chinese herbal yam with preserved plum (¥22) was a pleasant surprise: crisp, sweet and tart. Other dishes were not so obvious, like the sautéed scallop with mango and fresh milk (¥108) whose snowy color and soft texture coquettishly hid the hints of seafood. The double-boiled crab claw with superior mushroom in fresh coconut (¥58) was not only delectable, but there was not one drop of oil to be found. It was either cooked to perfection or the flesh of the coconut it came in wanted more, because it peeled right off the shell. The sautéed scallop and chicken with assorted mushrooms (¥98) served in pumpkin was a familiar taste, although much less oily. There is also a selection of fresh fruit juices, such as apple blended with mint and lime, and orange mango which go great before or after a meal.

After being so good we couldn’t help but be a little bad, but even that’s hard here. The white mochi, laden with a tart cream filling, may not be the healthiest, but with something that looks like a little cloud, we couldn’t help feeling angelic.

Though not obvious from the outside, this place is also a welcome relief for vegetarians who enjoy fine dining. They serve up a good selection of inventive non-meat dishes. The only people you should not bring to this restaurant are the quiet ones, as they’ll be no use for talking over the mind-numbing elevator music playing in the background.

The Details

Perfect for:

classy and healthy Chinese fare

Add:

Rm. 404, Block A, The Place, 9 Guanghua Lu 光华路9号世贸天阶A座404

Tel:

6587-1228

The Verdict: 4/5