Jumbo Seafood, famous Singaporean restaurant chain has landed on the banks of the Chao Phraya River at Iconsiam. From its humble beginning with one outlet at Singapore's East Coast Seafood Centre in 1987, Jumbo Seafood has grown to 16 outlets with branches in China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Thailand.
In the Veranda zone on the ground floor of Iconsiam, Jumbo Seafood's first Thai branch occupies a prime spot next to the world's pillar-less "longest pleated glass facade". In layman terms, you can enjoy a beautiful view of the riverfront through floor-to-ceiling glass windows. The very high ceiling adds to spaciousness of the restaurant while its contemporary style, inspired by the sea, is evident in the use of organic shapes. The conversation piece is definitely the 5m tank where live lobsters, crabs and fish are kept fresh. The variety of seating includes the usual dining tables, booths and private rooms but you can also dine outdoors on the patio, which looks like a small island surrounded by a shallow pool, weather permitting.
The Thai branch tries to maintain the quality the brand is famous for, thus, 12 sauces are imported as are live ingredients such as lobsters, crabs and fish.
The Menu
The Thai branch brings all signature dishes from the original menu, including the famous award-winning chilli crab (bold name but rightfully so, more on it later) and has only one item, which is a Thai exclusive namely Cheese-baked mentaiko jumbo river prawn. While "seafood" is in its name, the restaurant also serves meat and poultry.
Let's get to the obvious first -- the crab. There are three types to choose from and six ways to have them cooked -- chilli sauce to Chinese wine with egg whites. There are mud crabs (B200 per 100g for a crab that weighs 700-900g, B220 for heavier), Dungeness crab (B220 per 100g) and Alaskan crab (B440 per 100g).
I opted for the award-winning chilli mud crab, which I was told was 900g in weight (B1,800). Armed with a bib and a crab opener, I dug into this very mouth-watering dish. The red sauce made of 10 spices may look intimidating but it doesn't leave you with burning sensation. It's chilli sauce alright but with a tinge of sweetness that kept me going back for more. The huge mud crab has a slight sweetness and delicateness to its meat that is so worth getting your hands messy for. Oh, don't forget to scoop up all the delicious sauce with mini fried bao aka mantou.
The other crab I cracked (sorry for the forced alliteration) was Pepper and spice salt Dungeness crab weighing about 1kg (B2,200). The stir-fried crab was coated in a thin but flavourful crust and was aromatic due to the Chinese wine and freshly cracked pepper. Yum.
Jumbo's Golden salted egg fish skin (B228) is a sophisticated version of the famous snack that usually comes in resealable bags. I got a bit of the creaminess from the salted egg that thoroughly coated the fish skin. There was no sharp saltiness and the skin audibly crunched in your mouth.
Boston lobster braised with superior broth (B2,880, B280 per 100g) is succulent and aromatic. The broth, which takes six hours to make, contains pork, Yunnan ham and pig skin, giving it richness and sweetness that goes so well with the lobster.
Long-hu Garoupa steamed with soya sauce (B1,680, B168 per 100g) is done right. The fish is properly cooked throughout while its skin is jelly and translucent. The soya sauce had a nice balance of salty and sweet. But, having said that, the dish isn't a standout compared to those served at the other places, especially at this price tag.
The biggest surprise was the Lamb rack grilled with pepper and honey sauce (B776; B338 per piece). You can really sink your teeth into the juicy and flavourful meat and the sauce has this subtle spiciness, thanks to the honey. I barely noticed the lamb's unique scent, too.
Insider's Tip
Jumbo's Thai debut is brought to you by Ded Chinsupakul, managing director of CJ Seafood, who has run notable restaurants in Bangkok for more than a decade. There are three private rooms that you can use provided that you reach minimum spending. The restaurant also has its own bathroom. (A blessing in a mall).
Value & Verdict
Service could have been better at these prices. The staff should be able to anticipate what the customers wants i.e. bringing proper utensils to those who order crab without having us ask for it. Seafood fans who haven't tried the famous chilli crab should give it a go. It's a pure treat that can be shared between two persons (or three if you're petite). Freshness does make a difference but doesn't come cheap. g
Jumbo Seafood Restaurant
Singaporean
Iconsiam, G/F, 299 Charoen Nakhon Soi 5 Daily 11.30am-2.30pm, 5pm-10pm (opens until 11pm on Fri and Sat) 02-118-6290 www.fb.com/jumboseafoodbangkok
