I decided I should try to review some Crystal Mall eateries, I love coming here but never thought…read moreabout sharing my thoughts for my fellow yelpers! So you come to Crystal Mall, and you got to check out Crystal Cafe which is very centrally located near top of the escalators. It is a HK Cafe. They have a HUGE menu everything from HK style breakfast with instant noodles and egg, egg toast, etc to standard HK Cafe Chinese dishes. Today I came and saw a special menu and at the top of it an oil chicken special. For $16 you get full meal, soup plus drink (I got HK milk tea - 奶茶) which is a terrific deal. It comes with two marinated eggs - delish - and the chicken and rice both have great flavour. I also love the soup which is simple Cantonese style with a spare rib bone in it. Would definitely come here again. Next time I'm having the HK breakfast which I miss!

Had a really enjoyable lunch here…read more Got the stir fried beef rice noodle and an iced milk tea. It was perfection (amid being a tad too greasy). It was well portioned for the price ($17) and had that 'wok hay' that's missing in so many Cantonese restaurants. My milk tea was good but it's nowhere near as strong as Lido's milk tea flavour. My takeout was approximately 4 portions of noodles (for 1 person). I took this to go and ate it at home and it was still really good. Noodles were cooked to perfection as they weren't soggy for the following meals I had. Beware they only take cash or debit card (if over $15).

My parents booked this restaurant for a large family dinner on short notice. Upon arrival to this…read morerestaurant, there was a steady flow of customers. I also noticed the sticky floor as we walked to our table. The restaurant was busy and understaffed. My parents placed their order and food arrived fairly quickly until they forgot an item and we had to ask for it. We wanted to cancel the missing item, but our server insisted it was being prepared so cancelling was not even an option. The food tasted alright. Portion size was pretty good. Those are only two positive points during this meal. The worse part was the billing. There was confusion when my parents were trying to pay and they knew the price was incorrect. We reviewed with the server with an itemized list. It turned out they charged my parents for an item that was supposed to be free because of some promotion. Please double check your bill when you pay. Then it took a long time for the staff to fix the bill. Overall, I think it is best to go to this restaurant when it is not busy. This restaurant is large and can accommodate walk in customers seating wise. It is not my first choice in Burnaby if I were in the area during a weekend. I think a lot of the issues that arose was due to understaffing.

This is a restaurant with two different dining concepts in one place!!?…read more When you walk in, they ask if you want the Hong Kong-style cafe section or the Dim Sum section. We waited about 10 minutes to be seated. Since it was already 1:30 PM on a Sunday, many tables had already finished and left, yet the dim sum area was still packed and buzzing. We quickly ordered six dimsum dishes and started with some Tieguanyin tea. Unfortunately, the tea was quite bland and full of tea fragments, not a great first impression! XD The scorecard 1.Steamed prawns dumplings 4/5 2.Steamed cuttlefish on a bed of konjac noodles in curry sauce 3/5 3. Deep fried eggplant with fish paste 4/5 4. Bean curd roll with mushrooms 1/5 5. Steamed scallops rice rolls 2/5 6. Deep fried taro buns 4/5 Overall, the dim sum was mostly average. The bean curd rolls were way too salty, which explains the low score. The scallop rice rolls were over-steamed and mushy, making them impossible to pick up with chopsticks, they just fell apart instantly. Plus, for some reason, the green onions were way too pungent, which totally overpowered and ruined the flavor of the scallops rice rolls. That being said, the prices here are pretty reasonable, so I guess that's the trade-off. Is it worth a recommendation? Jury's still out. I'll give it another shot and try the HK cafe side before offering my final opinion!

The One is a unique spot that has a special place in my heart. It's perfect for a family-style…read moregathering for a large group, with a solid menu that has all the Taiwanese classics that we know and love. One criticism overall is the saltiness of pretty much all the food and the sweetness of pretty much all the drinks (even at quarter sweetness it can be sickening), but it is filling and homey at a decent price. Favorites: Taiwanese popcorn chicken, chili oil wontons, fried rice, stir fried noodles, any slush (you can't miss it, they're huge!)

Great portion size. I got the egg and shrimp fried rice and it was very tasty. My friends got the…read moresatay beef fried noodles, the chicken cutlet set meal and beef noodles and all the food were pretty solid. Service is almost nonexistent. You might have to ask several people multiple times to order, get refills and get the bill. Recommend you going up to the register to pay.

Food hits the spot and service is pretty good…read more Got the Mac and ham with toast and egg. Delicious!

Scramble eggs - Very silly and smooth…read more Chicken steak - nice and crispy. Although it can need more marinate like garlic powder or salt. The sandwich/bread was very soft. Wonder where they got it. Milk tea - legit. But a bit small in size for the breakfast set. Long wait. 30 minutes wait. I was there 30 minutes after it opened and not a lot of people but took a while.

Cha Don is a Hong Kong-style café concept that nails the casual cha chaan teng experience with…read morelegit flavour and sharp value, especially for a food court operation. Long lines at both the Yaohan and Henderson Mall locations speak to how popular it is, and the pricing sits in the affordable range for generous, full-meal plates rather than snack-sized portions. The overall value proposition is strong: you get real-deal HK café flavours without feeling like corners were cut. Dishes come out fast and hot, and the kitchen does not skimp on proteins--whether it's pork chops, chicken, or beef, plates feel properly loaded rather than padded with carbs. Despite the crowds, service is efficient and geared toward turnover, which suits the food court setting and keeps waits manageable once you've actually ordered. It's the kind of place where you grab your tray, sit, and eat rather than linger, but it delivers exactly what you come for. Given the combination of flavour, portion size, and price, Cha Don is an easy recommend for Hong Kong café fans looking for a quick, satisfying meal. The only real downside is the lineup; at peak times the queue can be enough to make you think twice. Still, if the line isn't too long, it's absolutely worth returning for another round.

Hong Kong style cafe inside a food court with a lot of tables but very limited availability as it…read moreis busy almost all hours of the day. We went around 1pm and surprisingly they ran out of a lot of options including the baked pork chop rice that I really wanted to try. Despite that, we still gave this place a try since there is barely a line, very unusual for this place. We ended up with the scallion chicken noodle (breakfast item), satay beef vermicelli (breakfast item), and black pepper baked filet over rice. These are stuff out of what I usually get, but I still enjoyed them. The scallion chicken dish was $15 which is a bit steep especially given the chicken is tiny but comes with hot drink. The chicken is a grilled chicken with skin which is flavorful, though the noodles were a bit underseasoned so it is ideal to add the sauce from the chicken into the noodles. The satay beef vermicelli is amazing. The beef is so tender and flavorful, and enhances the flavor of the vermicelli. The eggs and toast were delicious too - eggs were scrambled over easy, and the toast is very crunchy. Black pepper baked filet over rice was pretty hearty. I love the fragrance of the rice and the filet is very tender. The black pepper sauce does clash and dominate some of the flavors but it is still nonetheless well executed. For the drinks that come with the meals, we got milk tea and milk tea + coffee (yin yang) - these drink are high in caffeine even with the small size! Will update to 5 stars when I try the full suite of items they are known for, since the dishes we got were good but stuff that I could've gotten elsewhere.

One year young, this restaurant has potential. Located on Main Street, Chinatown, amidst…read moreVancouver's undesirable area is this Hong Kong Cafe. The inside is so beautiful, brightly lit with charming interiors. Concept is very simple - line up to order, pay and seat yourself. Menu has only a few items. Food is good. Second floor of building is a residence, formerly "Grandma's house".

I remember seeing some Instagram posts on Saan Saan Cafe a while back. I was at a nearby bakery…read morewhen I remembered Saan Saan was around the corner, so decided to stop there for lunch with my family. First off, it's not a great part of town. But once you enter, you are instantly think you're in a different place. The place is quite cute and gave me small hints of nostalgia, as there was some artwork that reminds me of my grandparents generation. They had a small display area selling various local HK-culture related books, jewelry and stationary. As my kids took a table, my wife and I approached the counter, and were welcomed with a big smile. His first question? "Do you prefer I speak in English or Cantonese?" In all my life, I've never been asked that question when visiting a cafe or restaurant. It's a testament to their dedication to customer service and making visitors feel right at home. In addition to what found on their menu, he added they just introduce rice bowls for lunch. So we decided to try the following: - Ginger Scallion Fried Chicken Wings: Very good. Chicken with ginger scallion, is pretty common. But fried chicken wings with freshly prepared ginger scallion is next level. I really enjoyed this. - Mochi Brownie: Good. Tasted like "Lao Mai Chi" (糯米滋) - with chocolate. - Maple HK Milk Tea Latte: Good. A successful take on milk tea in a latte form. - Rice Bowls: Very good. They had two bowls - chicken and vegetarian - both equally good. Carefully prepared. The use of crispy scallions makes it so much better. Service was incredible. From taking our order, carefully bringing out eating utensils and folding them into napkins, delivering our food, and checking up on us - this is full restaurant level service in a cafe setting. I really enjoyed our visit. I would rate this place a 4.5 if I could give half stars. The space is nice, the food is very good, but the its service and family atmosphere that really sets this place apart. I hope to visit again soon.

I've been to this place many times out of pure convenience. If it were located elsewhere, I…read morewouldn't make a trip to go. The dishes are poorly executed and expensive. Their first page showcases their specials and for $19.45 you would think it's a good deal compared to the same product on a different page. However, it is the mini version so it turns out to be extremely expensive. For eg. Their baked pork chop on rice only comes with 1 chop. The sauce is quite good but the pork chop was dry. The rice was not fully cooked. There is no cheese on top. Every other place in the lower mainland will do it better. Their breakfast is also priced on the higher side. The noodle soup comes with lots of soup and little noodle. Toast is always partislly toasted. Sunny side eggs can come broken. Small pieces of bacon. The almond milk drink is mostly milk and can barely taste the almond powder. They have an easy system to line up. You go to the computer and put in the number of people you have and it prints a ticket for you. You watch the screen for your number to be called.

This spot is always busy on the weekends since there aren't many restaurants in Metrotown! I always…read morelove returning here because I love Hong Kong style cafes and they are nostalgic and comforting. It is a no frills spot but I find the staff are friendly and very efficient. We ordered the Baked Seafood rice and it came BOILING hot. I loved how it was still bubbling (as you can see in the video). It had a lovely sauce to rice ratio, and it was delicious. We also got the French Toast and it is always a fan favourite. Perfectly golden and deep fried perfection pieces of bread with sweet jam sandwiched between. Yum.

Finally got a chance to try this place after a few decades. Still remember when it was Dragon Inn…read more The place was packed late at night, which is always a good sign. Parking is available but limited in the lot in front. Better to look along Kingsway, or in the side streets behind the restaurant. I found it hilarious that the lot specifically prohibits parking for Tina Cake next door. Guess that must've been a problem over the years. The inside is plain and quite dated (old school). Looks like something out of the 1980s. Awesome. Staff are friendly and helpful. No complaints. Everything hit the spot in terms of authentic Cantonese. I had the stir fried beef with black pepper sauce, Hainan style chicken, and sweet and sour pork. Everything tasted great. Portion sizes are decent, and prices are quite reasonable. As the dishes are shared, it is best to come in groups (at least 3-4) so more dishes can be ordered. Looks like I've found my go-to for late night Cantonese food. Recommended.

Cuisine: 6 Service: 7…read moreDecor: 6 Value: 7 Overall: 6 Cantonese food is generally good in Vancouver. This place has been decent in the past and consistently put out large portions of food at reasonable prices. I don't believe anything is outstanding, but always an overall enjoyable meal. Service is relatively friendly too. On a recent night, the most memorable dish had to be the Bean Sprouts w/ Salted Fish, which was full of umami and went well with a bowl of white rice. The Steamed Oysters w/ Garlic Sauce, Beef Chow Fun, and Seafood Chow Mein were all solid. However, the Dry Scallop Fish Maw Soup was bland, and the Goose Casserole w/ Taro was a major disappointment. Reminder to self, I originally wanted to order Tofu Skin in Dry Scallop Sauce, but was convinced otherwise. The recommended dish had snow pea leaves that were a bit tough, though the supreme broth and tofu skin that came with it were yummy. Next time, I want to try my initial selection. Also, don't forget that cheap late night eats is something I should come back for.