a quality dining experience at crystal jade, with a blend of traditional and unique dishes. meats were all well-executed and well-flavoured.

the highlight of the meal was the beef cubes with foie gras sauce & garlic. the beef was really tender, bursting with flavour and fried to perfection. the beef is definitely a really good cut. one of the best beef cubes i’ve ever had 😍

9/10 🌟

the tonkotsu ramen is always a safe option, was a hearty meaty broth with noodles cooked just right. go for the black kuro ramen for more complex flavors and a spicy kick — there is a good amount of heat without being unbearable and is a unique take on the normal ramen, worth a try 😉 the karakamen with sze chuan peppers was reminiscent of chinese la mian, was decent as well.

8/10 ⭐️

duck skin was crispy and delightful. comes with the usual condiments and toppings as well as a few unique ones, such as mango and plum sauce (though i preferred the regular hoisin sauce). wrapper/pancake is steamed and kept warm. pretty satisfactory rendition of this popular dish.

7/10 ✨

the skin was so perfectly crispy while the pork was tender and juicy, with a layer of fat that melts in your mouth. couldn’t have asked for more! their other selection of barbecued meats (honey glazed pork collar, roasted duck) all did not fail to impress as well. jiang nan chun really executes every dish flawlessly; though pricey, the quality is definitely top-notch. an amazing dining experience.

9.5/10 🌟

ordered set B, the spinach soup with minced pork, wolf berry, century and salted egg! a rather mild and clear soup infused with a light spinach flavour. definitely tastes clean and healthy, if not possibly a little bland for some 😂 the salted & century egg did add a tinge of savoury and salty flavour though!

ingredients were fresh and came in generous servings, however the soup alone is unlikely to fill you up. best accompanied by a hearty bowl of rice 😋

6.5/10 🌟

this was a big, hearty pan of stir-fried spicy chicken for two. the chicken was exceptionally tender and flavourful, having been well coated with the sauce. the sauce was not very spicy and personally thought it could have had more of a kick. the chewy rice cakes were a great addition to the dish as well.

added on $5 per pax for fried rice at the end. the fried rice was tasty and fragrant with the strips of nori added. was a great way to end the meal. overall really satisfying, though a tad bit pricey.

$36 + $10 (for two) | 7/10 🌟

bari-uma probably has one of the best—if not the best—char shu in sg. the char shu had notes of sweetness due to the charring and was melt-in-the-mouth soft.

broth and ramen were decent, with the noodles cooked just right, al dente. the broth was thick and rich, making it a hearty meal.

7.5/10 🌟

if i’m not wrong, this was the jumbo rosu katsu! there was a huge portion of tonkatsu, coated in a light crispy batter that was really tasty. pork could have been a little bit more juicy though. shredded cabbage was fresh and a great side to complement the meat. overall, definitely a very satisfying meal.

7.5/10 🌟

this was the regular portion, which was generous enough & affordably priced at $14.80++. probably the best value-for-money unagi around! the unagi was soft, tender & sweet. wish there was a bit more char to the unagi though. there were 3 suggested ways of enjoying the unagi, which was interesting, but to be honest i preferred just eating it straight with rice 😂 worth a visit!

$14.80++ | 8/10 🌟

this was one of my to-go gong cha drinks before gong cha left singapore for a while 🤧 it’s been a while but this drink still tastes about the same to me! the sweet winter melon drink complements the light, salty foam well. some might find the drink too sweet but it gets better when mixed with the salty foam. a good respite from the heat!

7/10 🤩

this place serves up some really amazing dessert at pretty affordable prices! the ice cream/gelato was rich & creamy, plus there were many unique flavours available! favourite has got to be the yuzu — it was light, citrusy & smooth, with a very prominent yuzu flavour. 🍋 brownie waffles were crispy on the outside & soft on the inside, and complemented the ice cream well. a little gripe is that they didn’t quite taste like brownies, but they were good nonetheless. overall a lovely place for dessert and just a stone’s throw away from bugis too!

8/10 🌟

tom yum was flavourful & had a good kick without being overbearingly spicy. ingredients were pretty generous as well. a very satisfying and comforting bowl of soup.

the pineapple fried rice & pad thai were decent; prefer the pad thai out of the two. overall, a good place to get your thai fix.

7/10 🤩