C-Jade HK Cafe IN @ Bugis+, 10 Amazing Food to Try

Cha Chan Tengs began in Hong Kong, where, thanks to busy work schedules, office workers gravitated to eateries with a large variety of dishes at prices that were easy on the pocket. This concept were brought to Singapore as we see more and more cha chan tengs opening up in Singapore. And C-Jade HK Cafe IN is the latest addition.

 

Located at the fourth floor of the youth-oriented Bugis+ mall, Crystal Jade’s latest dining venue focuses on youth and young adults, combining new dishes like D.I.Y. Braised Rice with the more familiar Hong Kong Cha Chan Teng favourites such as “Cart Noodles”, and Crispy Macau Pork Chop Bun. 

 

 

Biscuit with Malt sugar is one of the local snack commonly found in Hong Kong. But you don’t have to travel to Hong Kong to eat it! Because C-Jade HK Cafe serves Old Time HK Biscuit (那些年小食 － 香港苏打饼，$2/3 pcs).

 

 

With British colonial influence, western ingredients found their way into traditional Chinese fare. A good example is the HK Minestrone Soup (罗宋汤, $ 3.90) where Chinese meets Italian in this Hong Kong style Borscht soup with a savoury soup base simmered with chunky pieces of vegetable.

 

 

 

And there is also japanese influence! Kushiyaki Sandwich (串烧三文治, $4.80) literally translated,  like Yakitori, means “stuff on stick.” At C-Jade HK Café IN, these are sandwiches on a stick with bite-sized pieces of bread, grilled chicken, green and red peppers.

 

   

 

Youngsters will love this lip-smacking plate of deep fried Crispy Snack Basket (香脆小食蓝, $6.80). It is a great starter of Spring Roll, Crispy Chicken Mid Wing, Bean curd with Pepper and Salt, French Fries, and Crispy Calamari Rings.

 

 

Crispy Macau Pork Chop Bun (澳门奇脆猪扒包, $ 4.80) is a popular snack in Macau. This dish pairs a thin, tender, juicy piece of freshly deep fried pork chop with sliced cucumber, tomato, lettuce and crispy bean curd skin and envelopes it between a delicious bun that’s soft on the inside and crispy and firm on the outside.

 

I really like the bun because it was well toasted with a butter flavour. But the pork chop bun I had in Macau was grilled and more flavourful than this.

 

 

 

If there is one dish you must try here, it is the D.I.Y Braised Rice (自己煮饭仔, $ 9.50 – $ 9.80). The ingredients, along with seasoning and condiments, are brought to the table still uncooked.

 

 

What you have to do:

 

1. Put the washed rice into the claypot, add in appropriate amount of water, cover the claypot with lid and turn to high heat for 6 minutes. Set timer (which will be provided).

 

2. After 6 minutes, add in all ingredients, cover the claypot with lid and simmer the rice for 12 minutes at high heat.

 

3. After 12 minutes, turn off the stove and add in the egg. Cover the claypot with lid and simmer for 2 minutes. If you want to egg to be more runny, set it to 1 minutes.

 

4. Remove lid and drizzle the pre mixed sauce over the ingredients and it is ready!

 

 

See, you can be your own chef and cook your own claypot rice! Most importantly, the cook doesn’t have to do the dishes after.

 

Crystal Jade’s DIY Braised Rice comes in three flavours:

 

 

 

Hong Kong Cart Noodle (香港传奇车仔面, $4) is a perennial favourite among the people in Hong Kong. These noodles come with basic ingredients of fried beancurd, vegetables and egg.

 

You can add toppings like pig’s skin, sausage, spicy diced pork, fish balls, pork chop, chicken chop and prawns. A highly customisable dish, diners also get to select their choice of noodles: yellow, instant or vermicelli.

 

 

 

Dessert is Grass Jelly with Beancurd (豆腐凉粉, $3.30 – $4). Much effort was put into this as the chef creates its own grass jelly and beancurd. Yes, the white long pieces in the bowl is smooth, silky beancurd. 

 

This dessert comes with a wide selection of toppings such as sweet potato ball, yam ball, black pearl, red bean, sago, vanilla ice cream, nata de coco, green tea konjac, diced mango, diced strawberry and banana.

 

 

 

 

And you definitely cannot miss the café’s Chilled HK Milk Tea (香港奶茶, $4.50) which makes a dramatic entrance in a swirl of dry ice. It is then served in shot glasses. The sweetness is just nice for me. 

 

 

Here’s a shot of aunty and me at the Crystal Jade event. 

 

C-Jade HK Cafe IN is the most casual dining restaurant under the Crystal Jade group where you can cook, socialise and dine here. Dishes range from $2.80 to $16.80 each.