After seeing an Instagram reel about this unique dim sum omakase concept at Peony Jade Chinese Restaurant, I was incredibly keen to check it out for myself! “Omakase” is typically associated more with Japanese cuisine so I was curious to find out what this Chinese version was about. At a very decent price of $68++ per pax, it included a buffet supplement too, offering more bang for your buck.
As it turned out, many others shared the same sentiment as well because securing a reservation seemed close to impossible! They only opened a few dates that month and by the time my friends and I agreed on a date, it was fully booked. Hope resurfaced when they announced that due to popular demand, they were opening more slots for the next month. Once again, by the time I found out about the slots release, there were none available already. Very fortunately, they decided to extend this for the following month and since I resorted to stalking them on Instagram, I received the notification almost instantly and snagged us a 6-pax reservation! There was no further extension after that so we were extremely thankful to have reserved our spot.
- Our order:
- The Weekend Omakase Handcrafted Dim Sum Escapade for 6
- Tea for 6
- Sprite for 1
- Spent: SGD$519.16
Located on level 2 of Amara Hotel, this Michelin-graded restaurant’s interior generally felt quite dark and old-fashioned, something we didn’t quite vibe with. The wait staff were largely task-oriented and focused on getting the omakase items on our plates as quickly as possible (they did forget to serve some of our buffet orders though). Only Chef Ben Yapp, who went around to every table to explain each course, was more jovial and approachable when engaging with us.
Basically, this experience entailed two premium starters, four seasons themed dim sum (each season comprised 3 specially handcrafted items) and an all-you-can-eat a la carte buffet.
For premium starters, each guest had a double-boiled mini buddha jumps over the wall soup, as well as a baked half lobster with cheese and yuzu foam. No seconds as this was limited to one serving per person. I preferred the delicious soup to the lobster.
Spring dim sum:
– Litchi dumpling with prawn mousse: According to Chef Ben, we were supposed to burst the small litchi pearl placed atop the dumpling to allow the juice to flow onto it. However, I found it rather difficult to burst so I just put everything in my mouth. The prawns were juicy and nicely combined with the crunch from the red outer layer. My favourite of the three!
– Okinawan brown sugar kurobuta pork bun: The brown sugar made it sweeter than usual, which I didn’t quite fancy.
– Crab meat crystal dumpling: My friends and I unanimously agreed that the dumpling skin was way too thick for it to be enjoyable.
Summer dim sum:
– Siew mai with molten mentaiko sauce: I liked this one the most in this season! The assistant chef came round to blowtorch the mentaiko sauce for a slight charred flavour, complementing the tender meat wrapped inside.
– Mala dumpling: My least favourite of the lot as I don’t like the numb feeling from mala dishes in general, but the spice level was bearable.
– Prawn dumpling with truffle oil sprayed tableside: This tasted pretty good, plus the dumpling skin was thin.
Autumn dim sum:
– Grilled unagi and avocado on a crispy rice cracker: This was the only cold item on the platter and was to be eaten last in preparation for the Winter season coming next. It had a refreshing taste, with the mildly salted rice cracker cutting through the richness and oiliness of the other two ingredients.
– Escargot: It was great that I couldn’t taste the escargot as I wasn’t looking forward to this item the most, but it could’ve done with less batter.
– Chrysanthemum blossom: The coriander flavour was a little too strong.
Winter dim sum (I completely forgot to take a photo so please admire it in the background of this mango pomelo sago dessert):
– Cheese tart: A creamy filling inside a crisp, buttery tart, yummy.
– Molten yam bun: The yam wasn’t as “molten” as I expected but I liked that it wasn’t too sweet.
– Durian roll: I didn’t try this at all but the consensus across the table was that the skin around it was way too thick.
In between the servings of the seasonal dim sum, we helped ourselves to a couple of buffet dishes. In general, the soups were the most delectable as they were hearty and comforting. The rest of the dishes were average, except the flavourful sweet and sour pork.
My overall rating of the experience: 4 out of 5 stars. At this price point, I thought the quality and variety of offerings as a whole was extremely decent and value for money (: Think half a lobster and a mini buddha jumps over the wall soup, 12 specially handcrafted four seasons themed dim sum, and a free-flow buffet of their signature dishes! I was rather intrigued by the novelty of an omakase-style dim sum service (: Although not every item was equally stellar, the overall standards made for a satisfying meal. Chef Ben personally coming to our table to explain each seasonal theme was a nice touch as well. As for the interior and ambience, I didn’t really vibe with this shade combination of black walls and red lanterns. The wait staff could also afford to be more conscientious in keeping track of what we ordered, but other than these aspects, we did enjoy our time here!
If this post helped you in some way and you’d like to buy me a coffee, I’d be incredibly grateful (:
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