HO Kin Fung, Proprietor of Jade Palace Restaurant in Singapore, has wine lover customers from all over the world. They are attracted by the great food, excellent service and terrific wine list at "ridiculous" prices. On top of that, Jade Palace even allows BYO at no corkage charge.
Story By Ch'ng Poh Tiong
Photo By Yew Xin Y
"We price our wines reasonably because we ourselves enjoy wine and see it as a service to the customers. We want the customers to have a great meal when they come to Jade Palace."
Its location in the basement of a shopping centre away from the main Orchard Road thoroughfare has not prevented Jade Palace from being consistently one of the best Cantonese restaurants in Singapore.
Many years ago, Tack Hsin, another restaurant but specializing in steamboat, occupied the same address. When the owners of that establishment, who included importers of delicacies such as shark's fin and bird's nest, decided to call it quits, they approached HO Kin Fung to offer him the lease on the place. So was born Jade Palace in 1998.
Ho first arrived in Singapore in 1982 to work in the now defunct Happy Valley restaurant. When the owners decided to open another outlet in Kuala Lumpur, he went north.
Four years after that, he returned to Hong Kong and joined the Tai Woo Group of Cantonese Seafood Restaurants. In 1995, Ho and his chef-brother HO Kin Yan returned to Singapore to work for the Crystal Jade Restaurant. Today, the brothers (and a few other investors) are partners at Jade Palace. While Ho Kin Fung addresses the needs of his customers in the dining floor, the younger Kin Yan "woks" things up in the kitchen.
Jade Palace has a very good wine list. Bordeaux Classified Growths form the backbone. Most are imported from London and some from Bordeaux. Their prices are exceptionally affordable. Many are even lower than at retail outlets. The wine service is also impeccable. The staff is courteous and never over pours.
Jade Palace Seafood Restaurant
583 Orchard Road, B1-13, Forum the Shopping Mall, Singapore 238884
Tel: (65) 67 32 66 28
Website:
www.jadepalace.com.sg
"We price our wines reasonably because we ourselves enjoy wine and see it as a service to the customers. We want the customers to have a great meal when they come to Jade Palace," Ho Kin Fung informed.
On top of the wine prices being so very reasonable, Jade Palace also has no qualms about guests bringing their own wine. With no corkage charge. Then again, with their "ridiculous prices", who needs to anyway?
A Selection From Jade Palace Wine List
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Batailley
Beychevelle
Cos de stournel
Du tertre
Grand mayne
Haut_brion_red
La_grave_pomerol
Margaux
Salon
Suduiraut
