Dinner at Jumbo (Dempsey Hills) 25 Sep 2008

Dinner at Jumbo (Dempsey Hills)

 

It was my colleagues' farewell dinner. Two of them. No, they are not leaving the company. Just moving to another department. Any cause for celebration, is a good cause. Well, nevertheless, change is always good they say. Or at least, it is the only constant.

As for the food... I went in rather skeptical. You know... this... this... reputable seafood restaurants. The ones that you bring every and any other guest in town to. The food is normally just "ok" and really not anything to shout about.

Since this was a farewell. we ordered a lot. Anyway, my boss is paying. Why not... we ordered the pumpkin conpoy with shrimp soup, grilled lamb with pepper sauce, shitake mushroom with egg beancurd, geoduck clam stir fry a ala kum-heong, chilly and pepper crab.

  

 

Well, let me tell you what I think. The pumpkin conpoy was great. Good start to the meal. It doesn't really taste like pumpkin, perhaps because of the infusion with the seafood flavor. The beancurd with shitake mushroom was "ok". It was interesting that the beancurd was topped with a layer of what I think is seaweed, to give it the green colour on the top. Taste wise - good. I wonder how it would be like, if they go further with the seaweed and perhaps some wasabi as well. Hmmm.... crazy. 

Then came the geoduck. I was never a fan of geoduck. I find it too rubbery most of the time. I was pleasantly surprised with this dish. It was a stir fry with onions, pepper and dried scallop. I think the dried scallop did the trick. It really added some flavor to the geoduck. Without which it is just chewing on rubber, really. The lamb in pepper sauce was a bit disappointing. Actually, I am not sure how you can make it any better. Perhaps be more adventurous with the marinate. Pouring pepper sauce over grilled meat just does not make the cut for me.

Then came the chilly and pepper crab. Alas, I must say these were the two most disappointing dishes. I thought these would be what Jumbo is famous for. I think the crab may be poached first before cooking with the sauce to save cooking time (I am guessing... I may be wrong. Please do not sue me.) because you can see and taste that the crab meat is dry and does not exude the usual flavor. 

Anyway, the service was also hap hazard. This meal didn't really change my impression of the restaurant. I still rate it around the 2 ciilipadi mark. I would go if I have to but with my own money, I know better places for crab for sure.