The sixth outlet in Singapore, JUMBO Seafood at Ion Orchard introduces its award-winning chili crab in bite-size dim sum along with other new outlet-exclusive dishes served with a panoramic view of Orchard Road. Chinese restaurants usually serve food in large portions (S/M/L), requiring a huge group of attendance, but here, JUMBO has XS options, great for couples who can enjoy a wide spread without the worry of over-ordering.

Three crab dim sum items: The new Chili Crab Meat Sauce with Sliced Fried Mantou ($16.80, pictured above) is made for crab lovers who hate the trouble of de-shelling. It is robust, addictive, hassle-free and comes with chunks of crab meats. My personal favourite among the three dim sum, Pan fried JUMBO chili crab buns ($8.80, 3 pieces), is JUMBO’s version of 生煎包. Packed with a medley of flavours and textures in a thin-skin bun, it is a delight with every bite. Baked JUMBO chili crab puffs ($8.80, 3 pieces), a char siew su but with chilli crab filling, is buttery and fluffy. The dim sum items are competently done and ideal for high tea.

The Geoduck Clam Served with Superior Stock ($16.80 / 100g) is a great way to warm the stomach before the mains. It can be eaten in two ways. Firstly, served on ice, the thinly sliced geoduck, which can be eaten raw with soy sauce or wasabi, is translucent and fresh. It is sweet and chewy. Alternatively, you may place it in the bowl and steep it with the steaming superior stock. We prefer the latter as the superior stock is rich, cooking the geoduck slightly, and rendering a better, softer bite.

The Crispy Fried Cod Fish with Nyonya Sauce ($24) sparks joy and stands out in our meal. It is beautifully fried to a delicate layer of crispiness while retaining the moistness and tenderness of the fish. Coupled with the tangy and appetising nyonya gravy, this dish is moreish.

The Cheese Baked Mentaiko King Prawn ($16) is another dish that you can happily enjoy without fretting about getting your hands dirty. Although the king prawn is a little too salty, it is fresh and succulent with a depth of flavours. Is there an aromatic Chinese wine we tasted in the mix of cheese and mentaiko?

While otah is normally made from mackerel, JUMBO ups the ante by using cod to prepare their outlet-exclusive Cod Fish ‘Otah’ in Coconut ($16.80). It is rich, mildly spicy with generous chunks of cod fish which provide layered textures to the dish.

For a little respite from the seafood overdose (honestly, there is no such thing for me!), try the Home-made Spinach Skin Beancurd Braised with Fresh Mushroom (from $14). The fluffy beancurd soaks up the sweetened gravy.

For the grand finale, the King Prawn and Fragrant Rice in Rich Seafood Broth ($38) is commonly found in the Jiangnan 江南 region (especially Shanghai). Pao Fan is usually done by putting cooked rice into a hot broth or boiling cooked rice in a broth. In JUMBO, the jasmine rice is steeped in an umami-rich prawn broth rendered by simmering the prawn shells for several hours. Coupled with the crispy rice added later to provide a layer of textures, it is truly outstanding.

However, the desserts are a let-down. The shaved ice for the Chilled Mango Sago Pomelo 杨枝甘露 ($5) and Chendol is rather rough.

As a well-established local seafood restaurant which has garnered multiple accolades, JUMBO serves quality seafood dishes. The price may not be the most pocket-friendly but the restaurant is definitely a great place to savour a taste of Singapore seafood.

JUMBO Seafood
ION Orchard #04-09/10, 2 Orchard Turn, Singapore 238801
Tel: +65 6737 3435
Weekday Lunch & Dim Sum: 11.30am – 3pm
Weekday Dinner: 5.30pm – 10.30pm
Weekend: 11am -10.30pm
High Tea & Dim Sum (Sat, Sun & PH only): 2.30pm to 5.30pm
facebook

Food: 7/10
Decor/ambience: 7/10
Price/value: 5.5/10

You may be interested in…
–Uncle Leong Seafood, Punggol: Unexpected Great Service and Extremely Fresh Crabs
–Taste Paradise, Ion Orchard: Popular Restaurant but Not As Good As Eight Years Ago
–Circa 1912 岭南, Shaw Lido: Recipes from Early 20th-century Lingnan Cuisine
–Blossom 喜悦, Marina Bay Sands: Scrumptious Chinese Food with a Contemporary Twist

Written by William Leong. He was raised with the notion that food wastage is abominable. Please don’t be alarmed if you see him gorging until plates are sparkling clean; it is just his reflex action.