Address: Centrepoint, 176 Orchard Road, #04-13/14/15, Singapore 238843
Tel: +65 6737 3282

Just a day earlier, on Monday, I was oblivious to the turmoil that was ongoing in the financial world. Sub-prime woes, interest rate cuts, bank declaring billion dollar losses, talks of a recession at the world’s doorsteps - these terms did not really mean anything to me…

Well…that scenario ended today. I had to pick the worst possible time to enter the market. It was a case of possibly pure stupidity and most probably greed. A very potent combination. Amidst talks of a complete GLOBAL market meltdown, I was happily keying in my order for one of the supposedly blue chip stocks in the Singapore Exchange. The next thing I knew, the order was fulfilled and I found myself with an instant loss of S$200 which was increasing by the second as that little red digit on the screen kept getting larger.

Now, I am anxiously pouring through all the U.S financial reports and news (where previously I would not give a rat’s ass about the situation over there), looking for a ray of hope and praying for a market rebound tomorrow so that I would be able to dump my stocks. Arrghhh….

Anyway, a place where lots of things get burnt (like how I got burnt…heh heh…I must admit this was a rather cunning way to connect finance and food…heh) would be Crystal Jade Ginseng Chicken & BBQ. Their signboard, to say the least, accurately describes what their specialties are. There is no mistaking it. It is as direct as it comes. To the point. Yes.

Each table had a grill plate for the BBQ, obviously.

Credit to the massive vents for keeping the ventilation in the eatery acceptable.

My partner and me went for the most value for money set meal there. I present the Set Menu A for 2 persons (S$49). It consists of the Pan Chan (various Korean side dishes) and 2 marinated plates of raw meat - one beef and the other chicken.

You can’t really go wrong with meat cooked and charred to a crispy brown substance. Others might warn against the carcinogenic properties of soot and charred flesh, but heh…life’s short and will most probably be hard. Why don’t we make it shorter and save on some hardship. Pardon my morbid thinking currently. It is due obviously to the bloody financial quagmire I have inflicted upon myself…stupid..stupid..stupid.

well…the set also came with a Seafood Tofu Dish. It was quite disagreeable to me. There was a strong fishy smell with the soup. I would recommend people who are adverse to strong smells to pass on this.

In line with the theme of austerity , I present to you our dessert. Two half-assed pieces of watermelon, one pipsqueak of a melon or something…and a sliver of another melon or something.

Well…if anyone hears an anguished howl from the eastern part of Singapore tomorrow…that would be me.