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Most would agree that Crystal Jade is a household name and one of the top few names when it comes to selecting a good casual dining Chinese restaurant. Serving consistently good dim sum and Cantonese dishes, it is one of our family's favourite go-to places.

To celebrate the nation's 50th birthday, Crystal Jade has launched a range of limited edition dim sum and xiaolongbao creations exclusively for the period 1 Jul to 30 Sep 2015! While most are familiar with Crystal Jade Kitchen that has a more casual dining ambience, they also specialise in fine-dining cuisine such as the Crystal Jade Palace, Crystal Jade Golden Palace and Crystal Jade Dining IN.

The best part of this SG50 promotion is that customers receive one complimentary new dim sum item with every order of two new dim sum dishes! Let us cut to the chase and reveal the new dim sum delights!

Chirpy Chick Pastry | S$5.50++/3pcs

Goldfish Crystal Dumpling | S$5.50++/3pcs

If those chicks were not enough to impress, these delicately crafted goldfish certainly will. With a rich salted egg yolk custard carefully tucked in the shape of a goldfish, it was absolutely precision and what we enjoyed was that the richness of the custard was just nice. Have a sip of the Chinese tea and it would cut through and cleanse your palate just right.

Fried Chilli Crab Meat Bun | S$5.50++/3pcs

Most of us would be more accustomed to dipping deep fried mantous into a viscous chilli crab gravy but this was quite something. It was almost reverse engineering and making it relevant by having the gravy and chilli crab as filling for the deep-fried mantou!

Full Bloom Lotus Paste & Yam Pastry | S$5.50++/3pcs

Doubled-boiled Whole Yellow Melon Soup with Assorted Seafood | S$18/++

Cantonese cuisine is never complete without a good old bowl of soup and our experience at Crystal Jade was no exception! While we were more used to a large bowl of yellow melon soup, these individual pots are definitely worth a shot as each saw an awful lot of time simmering! It was filled with ingredients such as dried scallops, mushrooms and other assorted seafood!

Poached Spinach | S$20/++ (Regular portion for up to 4 pax)

With no lack of restaurants and cafes popping up at newly opened Capitol Piazza, Palette Restaurant & Bar is definitely an exciting addition. A hybrid almost, it is the latest dining concept by BreadTalk Group in integrating a food atrium, restaurant and bar under one roof. With a specially curated list of ten speciality food brands around Asia, guests can look forward to a selection of more than 400 gourmet delicacies and street food items!

While the restaurant looks like an upscale food atrium from the outset, expect to be greeted upon stepping through the entrance just as you would in any restaurant. You will then be usher to a table before being given an iPad to order your dishes! Yes, after a day of shopping, all you have to do is to put your fingers to work by browsing through the selection of dishes on the iPad and order it through at simple clicks. Your orders will be processed and the dishes sent right to your table! Of course, if you enjoy the experience of a food atrium, feel free to walk around and check out what each of the ten sub-restaurants within Palette has to offer and you could order it directly through them as well.

 IndoChili

Sate Ayam Madura | S$8.50++/5pcs

IndoChili brings traditional recipes from Padang, Bali and Java, offering a variety of Indo-Peranakan dishes on the menu. One of the signatures includes this dish, more commonly known as chicken satay for most Singaporeans. The addition of fried shallots together with the kecap manis (Indonesian sweet sauce) and peanut jam and crushed peanuts was a lethal combination that certainly made our calories count! The robust flavours and the variation in textures were delightful, not to mention the juicy and tender grilled chicken chunks.

Tahu Telor | S$9.80/++

This was one of the more memorable dishes for us as the blocks of deep-fried tofu were coated with crispy fried egg and some crispy prawn crackers to complement. The crushed peanut sauce that drenched the dish carried a mild sweetness from the kecap manis which brought a balance to the otherwise savoury dish.

Huat Huat BBQ Chicken Wings | S$12++/6 pcs; S$21++/12 pcs

With a heritage that dates back to 1950 in Yuen Long, Hong Kong, Hok Kee is now a familiar household name there and this outlet in Singapore marks their first foray overseas. With constant experimentation and improvement over the six decades, this dish now comprises a gravy that is brewed from a complex mixture of 10 spices that includes cinnamon, cloves, pepper and star anise. The tender beef brisket has been braised for 2.5 hours in the blend of 10 spices before being served with homemade dried chilli oil. There is also the soup version though the dry version is a definite must-try in my opinion! 

Wonton noodles | S$8/++

These large handmade pork and shrimp wontons with Chinese ham are served in a clear prawn and pork broth that was light and fragrant. We liked that the wonton skin was not overly starchy and that the ingredients tasted fresh.

Ah Koong Restaurant Fishball noodle (dry) | S$7.90/++; Fried fish cake | S$4.90/++

Another household name, this time from JB, every simple bowl of noodles comes complete with the signature fishballs, sliced fishcake, minced pork, fried shallots and noodles slicked with the gorgeous umami black sauce.

Fried Hokkien Big Prawn Mee by Yong Xin | S$8.80/++

One of the most distracting sights on the dish was the gorgeous plump prawns that were really fresh with a firm texture. If you like your noodles to be slightly firm or al dente, this would be it but for those with a preference for a more limp texture, this might not work. The additional sambal chilli on the side was also a must-try for an extra punch of bold flavours!

Noodles with abalone by Ah Yat Seafood | S$18/++

Ah Yat Seafood is no stranger to most Singaporeans with their prized abalone as a signature dish and having it with your noodles is surely a luxurious treat with a light yet savoury abalone sauce, and some perfectly cooked sea whelk to go along together with some Chinese mushrooms and greens.

Pork ribs soup (premium) by Balestier Bak Kut Teh | S$9.50/++

This is the classic Singapore-style bak kut teh, i.e. one that has a white pepper flavour and we enjoyed the meaty loin rib bones. Unfortunately, given our demanding palette for bak kut teh (one of my favourite local dishes), I felt that it was a little too salty for my liking and lacked boldness in the white pepper heat. Nonetheless the freshness of the meat loins used stood out fondly.

Hainanese chicken rice set by Little Nanyang | S$10.90/++

Another one of my favourite local delights - it was a good rendition though not the best in my opinion. The chicken breast meat was a little stiff for my liking but we enjoyed the fragrance from the chicken rice and liked the fact that it was not overly greasy.

Delhi 6

Multani Barrah Kebab | S$20/++

Expect chunks of boneless chicken that are ensconced in garlic and cashew nut cream sauce. Flavours are on the rich side and lovely when enjoyed with some of the dips on the side.

90 Gastro Bar

Golden Chilled Mango Soup with Sago & Citrus Fruits | S$8/++

It is a shame that fine dining is never quite associated with wallet-friendly or affordable but surprisingly Violet Herbs nailed it. Having opened its doors in January this year, the restaurant is quite a gem located on Tras Street, amidst the busy CBD area. While modern European cuisine is sometimes an overused term, Violet Herbs offers more than the usual with a twist of Asian flavours to the dishes.

Executive Chef and owner Edward Hoe has almost 20 years of culinary experience and picked up his skills from Sebastian from renowned Restaurant Ember then Keystone Restaurant, American Club and more recently Eleven Concepts. With an objective of delivering fine food at affordable prices, he hopes that his guests will return regularly for more of his offerings. Being quite a critique when it comes to fine dining, I was somewhat sceptical that it would be on par with some of the top restaurants out there until the first course.

Amuse bouche

While I was equally impressed with the amuse bouche, this was not the first course that blew me away, well I will leave that for later. 

Chef Edward painstakingly ensured that all fresh saffron with parmasan rolls were served warm and accompanied by butter that was infused with basil and mint. Expect a lovely saffron aroma from the roll when you gingerly tear it apart to spread that smooth butter. For something as simple as a roll and butter, herbs play a prominent role and this can only be said for the dishes to follow. Living up to its name of Violet Herbs indeed!

For the amuse bouche which changes daily, we had the minced chicken infused with honey mustard which was a refreshing burst of flavours to whet our appetite!

The homemade rolls and amuse bouche will be served to all guests even if you are not taking the set menu as Chef Edward believes in giving all diners the fine-dine experience.

Pistachio and herb crusted scallops | S$18/+

The plump Hokkaido scallop is the star of this appetiser as it was cooked perfectly with a pan-seared surface that was coated with pistachio and herb crumbs to add another dimension in texture. The combination of flavours and variation in texture was spot-on and did more than necessary to impress our palate. The rich and savoury butternut squash puree coupled with the beautifully executed lobster bisque gel delivered a strong punch of flavours. While the chocolate soil seemed to be out of place, little did we realise that the mild bitterness and its coarseness completed the dish. 

What impressed us was this delicately crafted potato chips. Two fine slices of potato chips were carefully pieced together with clarified butter and some herbs sandwiched in between the translucent slices. It was almost an art piece on its own and paying details to such intricate workmanship on the plate speaks volume about the Chef's culinary skills.

Lobster cappuccino and brandy | S$14/+

For six tedious hours, mixed vegetables comprising carrots, celery, etc were boiled with lobster shells for that bold crustacean flavour so desired by seafood lovers. The broth was then reduced with the addition of cream and red wine to intensify the flavours before being topped with Juniper foam and a dash of brandy, which was a subtle reminder that you are in for a modern cuisine.

Ebi pasta (angel hair) | S$32/+

When you spot ingredients such as bird's eye chii, sakura ebi and rayu oil on angel hair pasta, you know that is a beautiful Asian twist to an Italian classic. We loved that the angel hair pasta was cooked al dente and the sakura ebi (similar to your dried shrimps) gave a nice crispy touch. Tossed in rayu oil (more commonly known as chilli oil for the Chinese) and bird's eye chilli, the heat was surprisingly manageable even for the light weights!

Passionfruit sorbet | complimentary

As part of a proper fine dining experience, a homemade sorbet is usually served to clean the diners' palate before the more savoury mains and Chef Edward nailed it once again. With a refreshing passionfruit sorbet, everyone at the table was impressed.

Roasted lamb rump | S$32/+

Lamb rump is one of culinary legend, Marco Pierre White's favourite proteins and has increasingly been used as an alternative to traditional beef steaks in upmarket steakhouses. Located on the rear of the lamb, the cut is from the leg to the loin and is one of the leaner cuts. As most of the gamey flavours come from the fat, the lean cut tasted clean.

The lamb is first sous vide for about 30 minutes with olive oil, butter and rosemary which tenderises the meat and infuses it with the fragrance of the herbs. Once that is done, it is pan-seared lightly with a nice hue of pink in the middle and served on a bed of creamy sweet corn. A gorgeous lamb jus is made by reducing the sous vide juices with Madeira and port in the same pan before being filled in a test tube to be poured by the customer on their protein.

Marinated red miso cod | S$33/+

Marinated for over 24 hours in a black miso and beetroot puree in order to impart rich flavours to the delicate cod, the fish is then roasted till partially cooked and put under the salamander to caramelise. This results in a tantalising white protein that we could not wait to try. Complemented with a nice dash of roasted pumpkin puree, fried purple aubergine and mixed crumbs comprising fine almond and herbs for added texture, it was definitely one of my top picks for my mains!

Sous vide 48 hours wagyu beef cheek | S$32/+

It is almost a no-brainer that when you read 48 hours sous vide and beef cheek on the menu, you are in for a treat. With a generous serving portion of 150 grams, the prized wagyu beef cheek is cooked sous vide style with rosemary, parsnips and fennel for 48 hours before being glazed in a red wine and port reduction and served with fregola sarda (which has a texture like barley). What made me bite was the raspberry vinaigrette that introduced an element of acidity to the rather sweet meat due to the caramelisation.

Frozen nougat | S$14/+

People tend to forget the appetisers but nobody ever neglects the dessert as it is almost a mantra to end a meal on a high note with a perfect dessert. Chef Edward did himself proud with his stellar homemade frozen nougat with mixed fruit and the refreshing lychee sorbet and raspberry sauce. My only complaint was that it melted way too quickly but the combination of textures and flavours were absolutely spot-on with a right balance of sweetness and acidity.

Cocktail - Violet Breeze | S$14/+

With three signature cocktails namely the Violet Desire, Violet Sensation and Violet Breeze, we went for the last one as it was supposedly the most lightweight in terms of alcohol content and spots a fruity zest. Nonetheless, the cocktails are known to be of American concoction so the bartender tends to be generous with his alcohol and that can only be a good thing!

Americano | S$5/+

While there is usually nothing too exciting about a cup of Americano, the brew uses the famous Illy coffee beans and that spells aroma and robustness in flavours. Every cup of coffee comes complete with a slice of homemade cookie that was crisp and carried a lovely buttery fragrance! Make this a must-try to go with your desserts although the ladies at the table were mostly contented with their teas.

The refurbished shophouse restaurant has two storeys to the building and the upper level even has a private dining room that can host a table of 14 guests or two separate rooms of eight each. There is however a minimum spending of S$1,000 for the entire room which would not be an issue if you have some of the wines on the fine list which includes Chateau Beychevelle 2005 or the Les Ormes De Rez 2005.

With a cosy ambience and hospitable service, we were thankful that it was not a pretentious affair as we had the opportunity to strike up a casual conversation with Chef Edward and some of the serving staffs on the floor. At such prices, Violet Herbs makes an extra mile to celebrate SG50 with a 50% discount on Fridays on the bill, otherwise known as the iconic Violet Fridays. The only catch for the gents or ladies for the matter is that you have to be dressed in violet, or at least some shades of it. This promotion runs from now till 28 August 2015 but do call in advance to book your table! With six-course degustation that starts from S$98+ to eight-courses for S$128+, it is definitely value for money to enjoy a proper fine dining experience at a fraction of what it would cost at most upscale restaurants. 

We are already planning our next visit to make our calories count.

Overall verdict: 8.5/10

Violet Herbs

81 Tras Street,

Singapore 079020

Tel: (65) 6221 3988

Website: www.violetherbs.com.sg

P.S: Special thanks to Veronica for the invite and Violet Herbs for hosting us!