Ju Hao opens at IMM – New Chilli Crab Xiao Long Bao on the menu!

It’s a perilous moment – lifting a soup dumpling as gently as possible, and hoping that it won’t break apart, spilling the precious tasty soup.

The newly opened Ju Hao in IMM has launched a new Steamed Chilli Crab Dumpling ($7.50/5pcs, $10.50/8 pcs). A dollop of shredded chilli crab meat and minced meat are wrapped in a thin dough, which is then steamed. As the steam clears, I could see the bright orange hue peeking out from underneath the skin. This juicy morsel is much tastier than the classic one, and I enjoyed the burst of flavours from the shredded chilli crab.

It takes a lot of “kung fu” to make the perfect dumpling – a skill that can only be achieved through practice. I went into the kitchen and watched how the chef folded the layers. Tedious is quite the understatement. The dough here is not ultra thin, to be honest, but decent enough to hold the minced meat. The Juicy Steamed Pork Dumplings ($6 for 5 pcs, $8 for 8 pcs) are near perfect. The skin is delicate but does not break. I took a small bite, sipped up the broth inside, and placed the entire blob in my mouth. So satisfying!

Ju Hao serves authentic Northern Chinese fare and diners can look forward to la mian, fried rice, soup and a range of appetizers. Most of them are delicious, especially the Pork Belly Roll with Crushed Garlic ($8.80). Thin slices of pork belly are wrapped around refreshing slices of cucumber and drizzled lovingly with chilli oil, sesame seeds and crushed garlic. Surprisingly, it is not fatty at all, and I finished more pieces than I thought I would. There are other appetizers such as Oriental Salad ($4.50), Chilled Bitter Gourd ($4.50) and Drunken Chicken ($8.80).

Who wouldn’t want a pot of comforting and healthy soup on a rainy day? The Steamed Chicken Soup ($10) is a simple broth that lends a rich mouthfeel and depth. We paired it with the Prawn Fried Rice ($11.80) and Stir-Fried Dou Miao with Garlic ($9.80). There are other fried rice options such as Fried Rice with Pork Chop ($12.50), Fried Rice with Braised Sichuan Sliced Beef ($12.10), Fried Rice with Minced Meat ($10.80) etc.

I visited Ju Hao a few times but I wasn’t impressed with their noodle soup. But they have totally redeemed themselves with this Triple Treasure Signature Noodle ($14.30). The special sauce is a garlicky confetti of preserved radish, garlic and vinegar sauce. Smooth and springy noodles are delectably coated with the flavourful spice-rich sauce and topped with beef brisket, sliced beef and shrimp & pork wanton.

Our lunch ended with a plate of piping hot Red Bean Pancake ($8.80), a pan-fried snack with a sweet red bean filling.

Ju Hao has already opened 9 outlets around the island – Square 2, Tiong Bahru Plaza, AMK Hub, Paya Lebar Square, NEX, Bugis Junction, Bukit Panjang Plaza, Northpoint Shopping Centre and IMM. They will be opening 3 more outlets at Waterway Point (April 2017), GSH Plaza (17 April 2017) and United Square (17 May 2017).

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This post was brought to you by Ju Hao.