“Off the road, value dim sum buffet”
A Sze-chuan and Cantonese cuisine restaurant, Peony Jade features high ceilings, quaint red lanterns and a pretty good value dim sum buffet. Although it’s located deep in Keppel Club, which is a good 10-15 minute walk from Telok Blangah MRT.
Walk up an appetite before stuffing yourself with dim sum, because there’s loads of goodies coming up.
The main dim sum chef is stationed at Peony Jade Keppel, which is why only this outlet provides a larger selection of dim sum, as well as the weekday dim sum buffet priced at $39.90++ (with minimum 4 pax to dine). Dim sum is freshly made here everyday, and transporting to the Clark Quay branch compromises quality.
All the following items are dishes tried at the Peony Jade dim sum buffet tasting.
Salmon Sashimi. A started dish that is different from your usual typical Chinese cold dish of Jellyfish and baby octopus.
Shark’s Fin Soup. Limited to one order per person for the buffet. A tad watery and could have used a bit more corn starch or similar thickening agent.
Deep-fried prawn in creamy yolk. Another limited item dish, these prawns were wok-fried in creamy egg yolk and had very soft shells, allowing you to eat it whole with the shell. Usually I’d peel it because the shell always turns out too tough, which also minimizes the savory gravy. In this instance, you get the full flavors of creamy egg yolk with a hint of chili when you eat the prawn whole.
Har gao (prawn dumpling). Pretty ordinary prawn dumplings with chewy skin and ample prawn stuffing.
Pandan Liu Sha Bao. Peony Jade does their liu sha bao a little differently, using panda infused in the skin which adds that bit of extra fragrance. The pandan was quite subtle here, but I found the custard a bit too flowy and not having enough structure. The filling taste and size of the bun was just right though.
Roasted duck. Also part of the dim sum buffet is roasted duck! This is why I think it’s a totally value-for-money dim sum buffet you shouldn’t miss.
XO Chili carrot cake. Pretty good carrot cake with good covering of XO chili and firm cake chunks. Would have liked a slightly crispier top texture for perfection though.
Vermicelli roll with Char siew. I found the skin too brittle, which kept breaking when attempting to get into my mouth. There was a very distinct parsley taste within the char siew filling as well, which boils down the personal preference.
Siew Mai. Meaty siew mais with tobiko roe for a more variant texture sensation.
Char Siew Bao. I love these old school hand-made fluffy Hong Kong style char siew baos, compared to the smooth skin factory made ones. Skin texture wise is so much better.
Fried Banana Fritters. Excellent crispy exterior that isn’t too oil. The banana was really ripe and sweet and somehow melded really well with the skin and sesame seed. The mayonnaise finish also serves to cut through the jelat-ness.
Yang Zhi Gan Lu. Interestingly comes with peach ice cream, which is a different combination not unexpected to pair, but not seen before. The creamy ice cream melts and creates new flavors with the mango cream the more you eat, ensuring constant enjoyment.
Mao Shan Wang Durian Mochi ($12 for 3). Wow. This last one really blew my mind. Although not part of the buffet menu, you have got to try this. The handmade mochi skin literally just melts into the fragrant Mao Shan Wang durian pulp, probably the top-rated durian breed in the market now.
There is no distinct seperation of mochi skin and pulp, and it all gradients together so lightly. If you love durian, this is a must try.
Other than dim sum, the head chef periodically comes up with random specials of the day as well, so you won’t get bored dining here. Frequented mostly by Keppel Club members, this is a hidden gem to explore if you have a car to drive in. Or incredibly fit to walk.
Related Guide: Best Dim Sums in Singapore History: The ultimate guide
Buffet Price: $39.90++/pax (min. 4 to dine)
Peony Jade Restaurant: 10 Bukit Chermin Road, Keppel Club, Singapore 109918 | Website
Buffet hours: Weekdays: 11.00 – 14:30 (weekend lunch serves a la carte dim sum)
