i really thought i was being strategic. "half an hour is plenty," i told myself, confidently paying…read more$2.50 for parking. the plan was simple: go to guest services, check on the expiry of my gift cards, and leave. then i walked by the grand court and ooooh, look at how pretty and massive the lunar new year lantern is. the bold red lantern suspended under the glass ceiling, surrounded by oversized pink blooms, was stunning. they even included interesting facts from the chinatown storytelling centre, which made the display feel thoughtful and educational, not just decorative. it was beautiful and absolutely not something you rush past. i tried to stay focused, but this is metropolis at metrotown. as the largest mall in bc and one of the biggest in canada, it offers pretty much everything under one roof. fashion from zara, aritzia, arcteryx, uniqlo and sephora. staples like the apple store and h&m (with an escalator out of order during my visit). daiso. muji. winners and homesense. walmart, the real canadian superstore, t&t, shopper's drug mart, cineplex, banks, bubble tea shops, foreign exchange counters, restaurants and a food court. gone are anchors like hudson's bay and sears, but the variety today is still impressive. it really is a one stop hub. groceries, errands, shopping, entertainment, all convenient and connected directly to skytrain. but here's the thing: malls should not be charging for parking (unless it's downtown). we used to visit this mall a lot. it was an easy, go to destination. since parking fees were introduced, we honestly don't come nearly as often. when you're already planning to shop and spend money, paying just to park feels unnecessary. it changes the whole experience and makes even a quick visit feel calculated. the mall itself still has a great selection of stores and services. it delivers on convenience and variety. i just wish the parking situation didn't take away from that. next time, i'll likely skip the car and take skytrain instead.

A bit dated shopping mall. I find it slightly awkward to walk around because there are different…read moresets of elevators that lead you to garage parking and not the point of destination where you want to go. Parking garage also dated. There is a Walmart, T&T inside.

Shanghai Dim Sum House is a great little spot tucked away on the third floor of Crystal Mall's food…read morecourt. The food court itself is full of different Asian cuisines, and this stall definitely stands out. They offer a wide variety of Shanghai-style dim sum, including dumplings, wontons, rice cake, several meat noodle soups, and some combo rice dishes. I ordered the Sichuan Style beef noodle soup, and it was surprisingly delicious and spicy -- the broth was flavorful, and the beef was incredibly tender. Even though it's just a small food court stall, the quality of the dishes makes it worth a visit. If you're already exploring Crystal Mall or craving some quick and tasty Shanghai-style snacks, this place is a solid choice.

One of the must visit stalls for me in this food court. Highly recommend…read more I always get the #14 Shanghai Style Deep-Fried Pork Buns (5 pieces). Freshly made on the spot. Big size and very delicious. I'd ask for extra dipping sauce (or the chill oil if you like spicy). These can get messy if you don't be careful. Take a small bite of the skin first and sip the soup inside before diving in. The soup is very hot, so I usually pour it onto a spoon and drink it from there. #13 is translated as "Steamed Mini Pork Buns" in English and Shanghai Xiaolongbao in Chinese on the menu, which is misleading. When I ordered it last time, it turned out to be the same buns as #14, just steamed instead of deep-fried. They're large and not mini at all like traditional XLB. Personally, I didn't enjoy them as much as the fried version and wouldn't order them again. They tend to stick together and aren't very to-go friendly. #14 is the star here, and it's absolutely worth coming back for.

i took the skytrain and made a point to stop in at crystal mall an hour before meeting up for…read moredinner. showed up around 5:30 pm on a monday, and the moment those glass doors slid open, it felt like being transported straight to asia. tucked near metrotown metropolis and station square, this burnaby landmark hums with the kind of energy you don't often find in the suburbs, except maybe richmond, a sensory overload in the best way possible. there's a rhythm to it: the sizzle from food court woks, the chatter in mandarin and cantonese, the sweet scent of freshly baked buns mixing with the sharp aroma of dried shrimp. it's all here, packed under one slightly aging but endearingly chaotic roof, grocery stores, butchers, produce stands, banks, endless bubble tea stalls, and even a few unexpected spots like acupuncture clinics, immigration services, and barbershops offering $15 haircuts. the mix of residential, office and retail gives the place its pulse, people grabbing lunch, families running errands, kids eyeing the cute character shops and toy stalls. it's busy but grounded, the kind of mall that feels woven into daily life. the food court is the heartbeat of the place, always buzzing, stalls lined shoulder to shoulder, serving everything from sizzling noodles to dumplings. some signs are in chinese only, a reminder that you're in an authentic space made by and for the community. yes, parking is tight and insane, and the mall has a number of "for lease" signs scattered about, but step inside, and it's alive with character, flavour, and a welcoming spirit. i stopped by mybox before heading out, honestly, a girl's dream. shelves stacked with cute hello kitty merch, makeup, phone cases, and all sorts of colourful knickknacks that make it impossible to leave empty handed. come hungry, bring cash, and prepare to get lost, it's all part of the charm.

I believe these are the pork mung bean noodles in a clay pot. It's so flavourful and packed and I…read morereally recommend it! The pig intestine from the food stall "hong Kong" I dont recommend because it was $7.5 for those two tiny skewers which was a little sad. Remember to bring cash when dining here because some stalls only accept cash! Ps this stall requires a $5 deposit for the clay pot, so be sure to empty out the soup and return the pot for your $5 back!

A very pleasant surprise in the lively Crystal Mall!…read more Service is quick while food is delicious and affordable. We got the #7 house hot noodles which was a bit spicy, but tasty and filling. Definitely plan to come back to try more menu items! Tables can be a bit hard to find in the food court as it gets quite busy and lively with lots of people. You'll get a buzzer that will ring when your order is ready.

My favorite stall at Crystal Mall with the tastiest spicy wontons! I always only get this one item…read moreand get "mild" with the spice on the side. The spicy peanuts (which are part of the "spicy numbing sauce" work really well with the wontons and they put a good amount of filling in each one. Highly recommend giving this specific item a try!

Today we did a comparison of xiao long bao (XLBs) from this place and those from Shanghai Dim Sum…read moreCuisine (a few stalls away). Overall these are "classic"-style XLBs--flavor of these are nice, the dough was quite thin and the size makes them easy to eat. We favored these ones over the other ones based mostly on flavor. Service was nice and ordering was easy.

I ordered the beef roll and the pan fried soup buns for home. They were made to order and they…read moretell you that it takes 10-15min. The beef roll was good. Ambiance is typical Crystal Mall. Busy and hard to find a seat during lunch hour.

Want something simple, tasty and quick? This place is a hidden gem outside Crystal Mall. Not a big…read moreplace and just a few tables but the service and turnaround was quick! The food was such a pleasant surprise! Great Taiwanese food! The beef bulgogi was a favorite but I forgot to take a photo.

This is one of my favorite restaurant to get a comforting meal. The vegetables are lightly seasoned…read moreand it's a balanced meal set. You've got the veggies, protein, more protein and carbs. The price is great for the portion. It's about $18 and you can get 10% off on their daily specials. I love the crispy chicken because it has taiwanese chicken seasoning. It's a bit salty and flavorful. It's a bit oily though. I like the tofu sauce as well because it's spicy. The rice also have some meat on top which is a nice addition to the warm bowl of rice. You also get iced tea or miso soup with the set. If the chicken is too oily for you, the miso soup is perfect to water it down. Otherwise the iced tea is a good option as well since it's black tea with a bit of sweetness. Please note that they will charge 50 cents if you use credit, but they accept debit cards.

Food is alright. I don't know why this place looks busy, but can find a better place elsewhere…read more Mixed Shawarma plate was $18.45 it came with chicken, beef, rice and salad. I noticed people ahead of us had more food in takeout container. The food didn't include Taboule salad (parsley salad). Also the owner wouldn't give pita bread unless it's asked. Food was good, but it was too expensive for what I had. Nothing too memorable. Portion is on the smaller side. I'd rather go to another Donair place or go to Chipotle instead.!

This location has been a little inconsistent over the years. Sometimes the food is under cooked or…read moreover cooked. It was reasonable today with a decent amount of garlic.

catching up with a friend over lunch at brentwood mall's food court at 1:00 pm on a monday, the…read morekind of unhurried afternoon that feels intentionally left open. no agenda, no rush, just time to wander, talk, and slowly narrow down what sounded good. we made a few laps around the food court, carefully deliberating, circling back to places we had already dismissed, only to reconsider them again. eventually, we stopped in front of o' kitchen's menu, which immediately pulled us in. the photos were bright and inviting, but the real hook was the sign announcing 20% off on mondays. it felt like a small but meaningful nudge, the kind that turns indecision into action. it was a hong kong style shop offering comforting staples like pasta, soups, signature buns, sandwiches, and a wide variety of bubble tea drinks. after much careful consideration, i decided on the mango, pomelo, and sago drink. with the monday discount in place, it felt like an easy choice. i paid at the cashier, was handed a pager, and we settled back into our conversation, letting time pass naturally. about 7 minutes later, the pager beeped, a small interruption that briefly put our conversation on pause. the drink itself was refreshing, though lighter than expected. slightly watered down, with chunks of grapefruit, bits of mango, and soft sago throughout, it leaned subtle rather than rich and creamy. in the end, it was exactly what a monday lunch should be: a casual, calm setting to catch up with a friend, an easy decision guided by a discount, and a pause in the day that felt both unhurried and therapeutic.

This stall seemed popular in the food court. The wait can be long when it's busy. The menu is quite…read morebig and is similar to a typical Hong Kong "cha chan teng" dishes. A mix of Chinese and western food. Baked rice and pasta. Sandwiches. Bubble tea. Smoothies. There are promotions with daily special. You can order with the cashier or the self service checkout. I think it's faster to order with the cashier. You will get a beeper if you do. I ordered via self checkout as I didn't notice there's a cashier. It took me at least 5 mins as a first time customer to use the self check out kiosk due to the huge menu to scroll etc. I didn't have a beeper. Then I noticed people ordering from the cashier. They got their food faster than me. I asked about my order. Turned out it was sitting there at the back counter for a while. I had the chicken steak in black pepper sauce. It came with a huge portion of rice, fried egg and steam veggies. I added a HK milk tea which was nice. The food is enough for 2 small meals. It is pretty tasty. I like how it comes served with a lid so it is easier to take out or keep for leftovers. I think they need better or clearer instruction on the ordering process.

I can only comment on their Huaxi beef rice noodle soup, since that's the only item I tried. It's…read moretheir signature dish and what the shop is named after, but after this experience, I wouldn't come back to try the rest of the menu anytime soon. I grew up eating Huaxi noodles, so I had high expectations especially since many other stalls in this food court do a pretty good job recreating authentic Chinese flavors. Unfortunately, this one fell far short. The dish wasn't cheap but the presentation was very plain. The broth didn't taste right at all and was nowhere close to the real thing. Far too light and bland. I was already disappointed after the very first sip. The noodles themselves were also tasteless. Overall, I'd give it a 2/10. I ended up throwing it away after finishing the meat and pickled vegetables.

Got my food here back in later October. I got Beef Bone Soup noodle for $16.75 with less spiciness…read more My food had lots of tofu noodle, vermicelli, little pieces of toppings with bland soup. It tasted similar to some instant noodle kit I can find at T&T. This place has gone downhill. It's better to buy food elsewhere.