Pure Gem 璞珍
A recent gathering brought us to Pure Gem 璞珍 at Robinson Road, a relatively new Chinese restaurant serving mainly Cantonese and Teochew dishes in a polished, comfortable setting.
First impression? It certainly looks the part for finer Chinese dining in the CBD, and service throughout dinner was attentive. Prices are on the higher side, especially once you wander into the seasonal seafood priced by weight, but choose carefully from the regular menu and I actually found the overall pricing quite reasonable, especially considering the portions.
We started light with the Chilled Cherry Tomatoes with Sour Plum, juicy, tangy and refreshing, followed by the bouncy Teochew Handmade Prawn Balls. The Crispy Chicken Cartilage was another easy sharing dish, crunchy and addictive enough to disappear rather quickly around our table.
The Roasted Peking Duck came with glossy, crisp skin and was served tableside, with the staff wrapping each portion neatly with pancake and condiments for us. A nice touch, especially for a gathering, and it made the whole dish feel a little more special without becoming overly ceremonial.
One thing Pure Gem does not seem shy about is portion size. The Double Boiled Pig’s Stomach Soup with Kampung Chicken and Conpoy arrived in a huge pot, comforting, rich yet not overly heavy. Likewise, the Stewed Kampung Chicken in Claypot with Abalone and Japanese Mushrooms was generously loaded with ingredients. This is definitely a place where you should bring enough friends before getting too enthusiastic with the ordering.
We also had the Pure Gem Crispy Fried Prawn tossed with Cobb Salad Dressing, Stir Fried Scallop with Lily Bulbs and Asparagus in XO Sauce, and finished with their Wok Fried Hor Fun with Prawns and 15 Year Vintage Turnip. The latter had plenty of wok fried character and made a satisfying end to the savoury part of dinner.
Overall, the food was enjoyable, portions were generous and service was attentive. Pure Gem may not be an everyday Chinese meal, but for a family gathering, business dinner or simply when you want something a little more refined downtown, I think it is a pretty good option. As always, this is based on what we ordered and my own taste that evening.
