Restaurant Meals

Finally decided to try something else other than their lobster risotto, pomelo and prawn salad and Indonesian fried rice (which are all really good) 😂

The lobster submarine roll is definitely one item that should be eaten at the restaurant itself rather than delivered or taken away. The brioche roll is lightly toasted and warm to the touch, with enough firmness to hold the generous chunks of lobster meat.

Perhaps a new item on the menu based on my friend’s experiences here. The Hainanese curry rice comes with crispy pork cutlet slathered in curry, and an equally sinful braised pork belly served with a side of chap chye.

Overall, a very aesthetic plate of curry rice. Not as ugly delicious as hawker stalls selling scissor cut curry rice, and maybe doesn’t quite hit the spot in the same way. I don’t mean this isn’t a good plate of Hainanese curry rice, it’s just different. The curry here isn’t as starchy, but it is more aromatic though not super spicy. The pork belly was super tender and really melts in your mouth. My favourite was the chap chye, which was well braised - and I’d probably order that as a side on its own to go with the oxtail stew on my next visit!

Tried British Hainan with friends who live around the area. They recommended the place for its oxtail stew, ambience and friendly owners and I’m really glad we went! Interestingly enough, this corner unit with its bright signboard caught my eye as I was on the way to their place so it was really coincidental when they suggested having dinner here!!

We ordered the fried tofu (crisp enough, wasn’t too greasy, and went great with the spicy chilli), and 3 mains to share - oxtail stew, hainanese pork chop and Hainanese curry rice.

The oxtail stew was truly the star of the show. The broth was rich and savoury-sweet. The baguette slices were lightly toasted and made a great vehicle for mopping up as much of the stew as possible. The oxtail meat was really tender and fall off the bone, while the vegetables (celery, carrots, potatoes) were fork tender, infused with the beef aroma, and overall just delicious.

Must order if you visit British Hainan! With a bottle of beer or the Hainan Cooler to chase it all down.

One of my favourite dishes to order whenever I chance upon it in a chinese restaurant. I realised different eateries cook their egg whites to different stages of firmness. The one at Crystal Jade is pretty firm but that’s not a bad thing. Definitely try to eat this warm. So when it’s served, pour in the vinegar and white pepper and mix it up with the egg yolk!

It’s got the right mix of saltiness and sourness from the vinegar, plus the egg whites are so smooth and yummy. I think this would be a great choice for someone looking for a healthier dish, with high protein content.

This dish is listed as one of the best sellers in Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao’s menu and I can see why. First time ordering this but we enjoyed it so much! It’s like a Chinese version of roti prata, but crisper and fluffier, with more distinct flaky layers in between. Love that it wasn’t too oily, although you could see some oil seeped into the paper dolly on the plate. Best eaten when served but it also tasted great close to the end of our meal. I totally recommend this, and also recommend ordering a dish with sauce that you can use this to mop up. My vote goes to the eggplant with special sauce - the sauce pairs perfectly with this.

I guess if you miss Liang’s Sandwich at Bugis Junction, you can just come here instead.

Ordered eggplant because I wanted another veg dish but in a smaller portion and this was under the appetisers menu. Didn’t expect that this would be so good!

The eggplant retains its shape well, still pretty firm and isn’t too mushy. Crystal Jade’s special sauce is a mix of savoury, sour, and slightly spicy. It’s kinda salty if you eat it on its own, but here’s where I highly recommend ordering the scallion pancake and using that to mop up the sauce! So so good!

So the staff didn’t tell us this when she seated us, and we were so surprised when we checked our bill and this steamer rack came shortly after. Not that I’m complaining, but plan ahead with this promo and what you order.

Taste-wise, I feel that most of the local xlb chains have lost their edge. The skins aren’t as thin as I remembered, meaning they’re easier to pick up without bursting, but don’t give the same satisfying pop in your mouth feeling as before. This is especially true for the top of the dumplings, where you can really judge how thick the skin is. The meat and soup fillings are still delicious though. Wouldn’t order it ala carte, but I’ll take it for sure since it’s free!

Third visit here in about a month and I keep ordering the same dish plus appetiser (century egg tofu).

I did find the standards quite variable with each visit. On my second one, the century egg tofu was very dry with not much oyster sauce. In addition, the poached lettuce on that visit was bitter. Today, my century egg tofu was okay, but the ramen was more on the undercooked side. I suppose it would’ve been good for someone who likes their noodles al dente, but I lean more towards the softer spectrum with ramen noodles. Apart from that, the broth is consistently good with each visit and I really enjoy it thick and rich prawn broth. It’s perfect for a rainy day. If you can’t make up your mind, go for the signature trio where you get two prawns, three pieces of ebikko prawn paste and two prawn dumplings.

Sides are literally the same as whatever is offered at Le Nu (another Paradise Group Restaurant). If you enjoy them, it’s worth adding on with a drink for a full meal with set price.

Ways to save:

Le Shrimp Ramen is currently offering 30% off bills for Citibank, Maybank Card Holders or Paradise Group Members until end of March 2020. This applies to all Paradise Group restaurants too so it’s a really good deal!

Paradise group restaurants (Le Shrimp included) are on ShopBack GO so make sure you link your Citibank card if you want cashback on top of the 30% off!

Third visit here in about a month and I keep ordering the same dish plus appetiser (century egg tofu).

I did find the standards quite variable with each visit. On my second one, the century egg tofu was very dry with not much oyster sauce. In addition, the poached lettuce on that visit was bitter. Today, my century egg tofu was okay, but the ramen was more on the undercooked side. I suppose it would’ve been good for someone who likes their noodles al dente, but I lean more towards the softer spectrum with ramen noodles. Apart from that, the broth is consistently good with each visit and I really enjoy it thick and rich prawn broth. It’s perfect for a rainy day. If you can’t make up your mind, go for the signature trio where you get two prawns, three pieces of ebikko prawn paste and two prawn dumplings.

Sides are literally the same as whatever is offered at Le Nu (another Paradise Group Restaurant). If you enjoy them, it’s worth adding on with a drink for a full meal with set price.

Ways to save:

Le Shrimp Ramen is currently offering 30% off bills for Citibank, Maybank Card Holders or Paradise Group Members until end of March 2020. This applies to all Paradise Group restaurants too so it’s a really good deal!

Paradise group restaurants (Le Shrimp included) are on ShopBack GO so make sure you link your Citibank card if you want cashback on top of the 30% off!

The Nasi Lemak dishes at Colonial Club come with not only sambal, but a small saucer of curry. If you like thick, moderately spiced curries, this one’s a good one. We enjoyed almost all aspects of this Nasi Lemak - from the fragrant, coconut rice, to the sweet spicy Sambal, thick curry and sweet sour achar. But the dory fish was a major let down. The batter was crispy when it first arrived and crunched very enticingly as I cut into it. However, it didn’t have the light crispness I was anticipating when I bit into it. Within minutes, the batter had turned soft and wasn’t crispy at all. The dory flesh itself was okay, but perhaps grilling it would be a good alternative to their deep fried-centric sides available unless they change the batter for this. Thankfully, the deep fried squid fared a lot better. The squid remained crispy throughout, and the tentacles part was the best to chew on. Maybe go for the curry chicken nasi lemak, or their signature nasi lemak tower instead of the fried dory.

*Note: Colonial Club is on ShopBack Go!

The Nasi Lemak dishes at Colonial Club come with not only sambal, but a small saucer of curry. If you like thick, moderately spiced curries, this one’s a good one. We enjoyed almost all aspects of this Nasi Lemak - from the fragrant, coconut rice, to the sweet spicy Sambal, thick curry and sweet sour achar. But the dory fish was a major let down. The batter was crispy when it first arrived and crunched very enticingly as I cut into it. However, it didn’t have the light crispness I was anticipating when I bit into it. Within minutes, the batter had turned soft and wasn’t crispy at all. The dory flesh itself was okay, but perhaps grilling it would be a good alternative to their deep fried-centric sides available unless they change the batter for this. Thankfully, the deep fried squid fared a lot better. The squid remained crispy throughout, and the tentacles part was the best to chew on. Maybe go for the curry chicken nasi lemak, or their signature nasi lemak tower instead of the fried dory.

*Note: Colonial Club is on ShopBack Go!

Se7enth is on Burpple Beyond and Entertainer, but beware that there are differences in the items that you can redeem with these programs. On Burpple Beyond, you can choose from the Mains, Pastas or two of the Chef’s Signatures while the latter is not included in Entertainer.

Thankfully, the signature beef burger is included in both of these and I would definitely recommend ordering this if you actually visit Se7enth. Make sure you add on the complimentary fried egg and bacon to make the most of your money’s worth. At $30, I think the food is very pricey for the portion despite the side salad and fries, especially without a 1-for-1 offer. It’s quite a good deal with Beyond or Entertainer though. The beef patty comes well done by default, and they don’t ask what doneness you want, but it’s well executed, juicy and definitely not too tough. Goes really well with the fried egg and bacon too. Salad veggies are fresh and come with a dash of sesame dressing. Fries are fried to a golden brown and were very enjoyable!

I personally didn’t think our experience was fantastic. Service was a little amateurish. One of the waitstaff spilled a dish at a different table. Also, though we ordered a hor fun dish, the staff didn’t ask who was having the dish before changing the utensils at our table. That said, they are very attentive in refilling water. In my opinion, Se7enth wouldn’t garner a second visit, but if you’re looking for a place for a very quiet dinner on a weekend night, this is it (there were only 3 other occupied tables throughout the duration we were there!).