Crystal Jade comes to Manila

I had the privilege of being invited to the Media Lunch held last Friday at the Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao in honor of their opening their first branch in Manila. My friends Ana, Dewi and Mich went with me.

From Crystal Jade:

Crystal Jade Culinary Concepts Holding is one of Asia's most celebrated and multi-awarded food & beverage companies. It has been satisfying the cravings of authentic Chinese cuisine afficionados in more than 80 outlets with 19 culinary concepts in Singapore and other major cities in the Asia-Pacific region. A name respected for the success it has been relishing over the years, it hails itself as a reliable provider of consistent quality food and service.

I love authentic Chinese food so you can already tell that I loved everything that the fast and efficient waiters served us while one of the organizers gave a brief description of the dishes being served. I honestly didn't know how to use chopsticks, but thanks to this experience I now know how to use them! Next up are the photos of the food served to us. Make sure you've already eaten, there'll be lots of photos ;)

"Xiao Long Bao" or Steamed Soupy Pork Dumplings
This is the first time I ate something like it. You have to puncture the dumpling wrapper to let out the steam, and then slurp the soup slowly before shoveling the Xiao Long Bao down. Very unique and interesting!

Pork Dumpling with hot chili sauce

Steamed Vegetable Bun and Radish Pastry

Cold Cucumber with Minced Garlic in Sesame Oil
Only one of two dishes I was not able to sample because I don't eat cucumbers.

Cold Sliced Pork Roll with Cucumber and Garlic
Looks delicious, shame about my not eating cucumbers.

Crispy Eel Wuxi Style
Very crunchy, I loved its sweet sauce.

Spicy and Sour Soup in Sichuan Style
Smooth thick soup with the perfect mix of sour, spicy and savory flavors.

Sautéed Chicken with Cashew Nuts in Spicy Sauce
I loved this, definitely one of my favorites! :) 

Sautéed String Beans and Minced Pork with Olive
The chunks of minced pork and olive lend an interesting twist to the crispness of the fresh string beans.

Noodle with Dried Shrimp and Peanut in Spicy Sauce
My favorite dish, so delicious!

Fried Rice with Diced Chinese Sausage, Shrimp and Egg in Yang Zhou Style
This is one of my three favorites. I need to ask my Mom to recreate this for me :D

Deep-fried Souffle Ball with Red Bean Paste
Fluffy cloud with a surprise inside :)

Mango Pudding
Unlike heavier puddings thickened with cornstarch or flour, Crystal Jade's Mango Pudding's delicate texture comes from gelatin. A very satisfying finale, indeed.

Everything was washed down with a cup of hot tea and bottomless lemonade tinged with honey :)

Some more pics from the event:

Mr. Ip Yiu Tung, chairman and CEO of Culinary Concepts Holding, welcoming guests to the event.

One of the seven master chefs from Hong Kong demonstrating how to make noodles from dough.

From dough, the chef was able to make this batch of noodles in just less than five minutes! Amazing handiwork and strong shoulders!

Meet my friend and classmate from college, my sunshine and serenade-in-a-box Ed, he invited me to this event :)

Ladies in the city :)
From left to right: Mich, Ana, me, Dewi

Here is what I wore :)
Gray halter dress - Lhasa
Bangle - YRYS
Aqua heels - YRYS
(not in photo: baby pink jacket from Next Jeans)

Crystal Jade has been enjoying immense popularity and has received various culinary awards across other Asian countries. They will hold the grand opening in the Philippines tomorrow, 13 September 2010, so please do visit if you have the time! Prices are affordable, considering you are paying for excellent quality food and impeccable service.

A lovely afternoon with lovely friends enjoying lovely food. Thank you Crystal Jade!

PS: I also got to meet Ms. Jessica Zafra! But that is another story for another time. :)

Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao's flagship outlet is located at the first level of Virra Mall, Greenhills Shopping Center in San Juan City. Opening hours are from Mondays to Sundays from 11am to 10pm. They offer wide selection of Shanghai specialties, Dim Sum and Lanzhou handmade noodles at its finest, plus Vegetarian Menu for vegetarians. For more information, visit their website here or call Red Dragon Culinary Concepts Inc. at (+632)5706912.