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Wang's Shanghai Cuisine - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese [Edit]
Crystal Mall4500 Kingsway
Burnaby, BC V5H
Neighbourhood: Metrotown
(604) 909-6688
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Garage
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
28 reviews for Wang's Shanghai Cuisine
Review Highlights
"XLB made fresh to order, and only a short wait."
(in 20 reviews)
"I also tried the pan fried dumplings and they were yummy..."
(in 2 reviews)
"...will also try some of hte noodles / dan dan mien others are..."
(in 3 reviews)
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28 reviews in English
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Review from Melissa B.
12/28/2011
Nooooooooooooooooooooo they closed!? Whyyyyyy does anyone know the details? We stayed in the Hilton above the Crystal Mall and it was a total dream come true for my boyfreind to be located above an Asian food court that had so much good food, especially after his recent trip to Shanghai.
So, where is the best place to get them now, Van Yelpers? And if anyone knows why they closed, or if they had gone down in quality from a year ago, please fill me in. My memory of this place fills my mouth with drool over how good the XLB were. -
Review from Sarah O.
2/2/2011
How do I begin to explain my interesting yet disturbing experience..
XLB...Extra Large ....B? I have never heard of this "XLB" until a few days ago. Seriously, I should know better because I am Asian but I have no clue when it comes to Chinese food. I found myself at Crystal Mall the other day for some odd reason and I had to grab a quick lunch. Coincidentally, I happened to read a Yelp review on Wang's earlier that day and I decided to brave the food court. Usually at Chinese restaurants (in this case, Crystal Mall), I walk around like a lost and confused mouse, glaring at other people's food and think.. oh that looks good.. I wonder what it is / What it's called.
Anyway, I finally found the golden beacon of dumpling-thingy heaven and my little engine heart rejoiced. I didn't remember what the XLB was actually an acronym for, so I just pointed to #1 and nodded. Paid the man $4 and waited quietly at my table, butterflies in my stomach. A few minutes later, a steaming plate of this XLB came out.. Interesting.
I used my chopsticks to pick one up but the skin started ripping. Okay quick, let's put it in this other empty plastic bowl. Dip it in soy sauce. Take a bite. OH NO! Hot juice bursted everywhere and on to my whole table. Okay, put the whole thing in your mouth and get it over with. Ouch that's hot!
Second piece.. bite a small hole and suck all the juices out first, all of a sudden, Ainsley's review pertaining to "Balls" comes to my head. OMG traumatized now. Is anoyone looking at me? My cheeks are growing red. Snap out of it!
Onto the third piece.. it's all getting very scientific now, how am I going to master getting these things in my belly, what is the strategy? Grasshopper needs to learn Sensei wisdom.. So in this fashion I trudged on, increasingly scorching my tongue. In the end, I don't even remember how it tasted.. I am just proud of myself for eating the whole thing!
(Someone please teach me about Chinese food). -
Review from Cyndi H.
Vancouver, BC
12/1/2010
XLB as fast food? Hook that business up. I came here at about 7pm, the cafeteria was mostly dead. Awesome for me! I started my journey off at the infamous Wang's, and boy did Wang not disappoint. Now I'm not saying that the juice was the greatest XLB juice I've ever had, but for the price and the amount of time it took for those bad boys to come out, it was highly pleasing to mine eye (and tastebuds). I also ordered a noodle dish that came smothered in peanut sauce. Now that's what I'm talking about! It was extremely rich (definitely a share item) but tasty in small doses.
I loved sitting in the cafeteria and watching the adorable lil' old lady hand making the XLB pockets. Seeing the care that went into every little fold made the meal taste all that much better. Wang, you've done well. You'll be seeing my face round these parts many more times in the future.
My only complaint: Even though we were eating in, we had SO MUCH plastic waste to dispose of after the meal. We happily returned the steamer basket that the XLB came served in, but the pasta came in disposable plastic bowl and we were given other disposable bowls to eat out of. I'd rather have had loaner bowls, but maybe those'd get stolen by other customers? Who knows.
It's not easy being green... -
Review from Ainsley D.
Vancouver, BC
11/18/2010
Now I've written about another Wang in my previous reviews.
http://www.yelp.ca/biz...
But Wangs come in all shapes and sizes. Big ones, little ones, hairy ones...
Look if you're not going to be mature enough to read this review then stop now...I will turn this car around and we will head home!
Anyways, about Wang's...
I really only came here for the xiao long bao, but as xiao long bao goes, it's pretty damn good.
They prepare it fresh to order, the buns are served in a steamer basket; hot, fresh and ready...like yo momma! HEYO!
But I digress...
I have to say, the novelty of xiao long bao is kinda waning for me. I know everyone has them with the vinegar (black or red, depending on your taste) with the ginger; but can't we do better? maybe hoisin with sriracha? a little green onion, sesame oil and ginger? white pepper and orange juice reduction with some five spice?
Anyways I'll bring my own sauces from now on.
Eat these little jewels quick though, as the baskets have no liners, so when they cool the dumpling sticks, rips and then all that juicy goodness goes out the bottom; and really, what's the point after that?
Oh yeah and this a pretty cheap place with 5 large (and I mean large) dumplings for $4.
Anyways, that's all folks...
Wang. -
Review from Kevin H.
Vancouver, BC
A bit too much peanut butter in dan dan noodles. If you are a fan of spicy food, then I would not recommend you the dan dan noodles from this place.
Xiaolongbao, or steamed pork buns, are passable. Five for $4. -
Review from Carmina B.
8/18/2011
Finally got to try this spot recommended by Marc D. Since I didn't get my XLB fill this time around in Vancouver, I decided to check out this place from our former conversation on the best places for these soupy dumplings. Glad I did, they were very tasty and priced right! Thank you for the reco!
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Review from Marc D.
Vancouver, BC
11/18/2008
I want to thank Claudia L. for suggesting this spot. I had been to Crystal Mall many times, and with the excellent selection available there just had never gotten to try Wang's. Wang's really does have some of the best xiao long bao (Shanghai soup dumplings) in the Vancouver area. My favourite until trying these was at The Place on Granville (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...), and I still really love those as well.
Wang's takes a slightly different approach by chopping the ginger directly into the pork, instead of serving slices in the vinegar. This is the first time I've had it this way, and it allowed the ginger flavour to enrich the broth inside the dumpling even more (by drawing out the flavour during the steaming process), yielding an extremely flavourful burst as you bite into the delicious skin.
So now I would say The Place and Wang's are tied for tops in my book for XLB.
Also got to try Wang's rice cake with shredded pork soup - which was a very nice rendition as well. At some places the broth on this type of soup is heavily MSGed. I didn't notice it at all here, and instead it was a rich flavourful broth that let the veggies, rice cakes, and pork all shine.
Great tip, Claudia!
Tip: Don't forget there is free parking in the Crystal Mall parkade for your first 2 hours. Just follow the signs to the Hilton Parking and keep going down.Listed in: Vancouver Chinese Food, Vancouver Dumplings, Thanks, Yelp!, Crystal Mall
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Review from samuel a.
Vancouver, BC
3/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
Seriously, I'm Asian, but one with sushi pedigree, so when the term XLB is thrown around I'm like cool, but I have no idea what it is.
So on the fine day I visited, I was STARVING. STARVING. It was 2:30 p.m. and our seminar host had just let us out for lunch. I was so hungry I was hunched over as I walked from the Hilton to the Crystal Mall food court.
Not only was this my virgin visit to Wang's, it was my first visit to Crystal Mall.
I ordered XLB - and dumb me I thought it was soup and noodles, or I kept reading dumplings, so maybe dumplings in soup? We'll it's 5 dumplings with soup inside of them. I looked at it when I got it and thought, sheesh I can eat about 10 of these. 10 orders, not 10 pieces.
So I went to go sit down and they were very delicious. There was this touch of ginger in the meat that was really, really tasty. But I finished it in about ... 2 minutes.
So I went back for the Dan Dan Noodles. Or is it Dan noodles? Whatever, it was solid and spicy. I should've MIXED the noodles and soup cause there is a bunch of peanuty gunk at the bottom of the bowl, but whatever, I was hungry and wasn't thinking straight.
All in all an education and a good visit.
I will RETURN. -
Review from Simon K.
This is one of the main reasons why I repeatedly come out to Crystal Mall. I remember coming back from Shanghai one year, and everything tasted bland, and I needed some good chinese food.
Coming back from Shanghai, I had some of the best tasting xiaolongbao (XLB for short, as that seems to be the term used here) that my taste buds ever had. So it came to be a pleasent surprise that this little place had some great XLB.
This stall is at the end of the food court, with one guy taking the order, and two older chinese women making the dumpling's fresh from a huge batch of pork, and wrapping them up and putting 5 in a steamer.
You get 5 XLB's for $3.75, and surprsingly enough, usually one will fill me up just right. Each XLB is big, and filled with soup, so be warned, eat this correctly or you will burn your mouth, or spray the fluids into an unknown direction probably hitting someone!
The best XLB's in town, and it's not even a restaurant setting! -
Review from Elsa C.
Burnaby, BC
5/27/2011
I got the Xiao Long Bao and the Green Onion pancake and they were great! Not bad for a food court joint.
If you are looking for a quick bite to eat, I would recommend this place. Remember, it's tucked at the very back of the food court -
Review from Jonas T.
4/24/2009 5 photos
Their XLB is so cheap and really good. Each dumpling has a ton of soup so be careful - it might spill. The skin is just a little thick on top, but that's all. Soup is flavorful. Ghetto "diningware". $3.75 for 5 pieces.
JONASAPPROVED! -
Review from Claudia L.
Burnaby, BC
Updated - 1/28/2009
Try their Dam Dam Meen, it's aboslutely drool-worthy! Good XLB and Dam Dam Mean...man...
*Gets on one knee* Wang, will you marry me?Listed in: A Banana's Guide, Get Your Slurp On
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/14/2008 First to Review
The best Xiao Long Bow (aka juicy buns) ever!
Juiciest juicy buns: If you're looking for the best… Read more »
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Review from Silvia C.
Vancouver, BC
Updated - 8/28/2011
to my absolute dismay, Wang's has been closed for months and replaced by new managment
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/19/2010
This is the same scenario each and every time we come here for XLB.
Our order is up and our number is… Read more »
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Review from caroline s.
Burnaby, BC
Updated - 8/2/2010 3 photos
I went again (I have become a bit of a regular) and tried their mini-shanghai wonton, and didn't realise i was getting a soup. the wonton's came straight out of the freezer - to my dismay!
go for the Wonton Soup, not the shanghai wonton. and dangnation, they run out of the fresh pan-fried dumplings at around 7pm... dang it.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/25/2010
Screw it! I'm going to give 5 Stars. Why? To wake up the next morning after having the best Wonton… Read more »
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Review from Steph L.
7/12/2010 1 photo
Only $3.75 for 5 XIAO LONG BAO (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...) - what a steal!!
I love these little soup-filled pillows of heaven! The skin has just the right texture and thickness and the meat is flavourful and not too fatty. The best part is all the soup inside each of these delectable dumplings, though this can make for a clumsy dining experience. Make sure you make use of the plastic bowl they give you to catch any leakage and wear dark clothes to camouflage the soup that inevitably squirts everywhere! -
Review from Reena M.
11/9/2010 4 Check-ins Here
This was my first attempt at having XLB and I got to learn how they're made. I thought they were pretty tasty. Though my friend informed me that they weren't supposed to be as thick on the top. I was particularly impressed that the mother and the grandmother were making the dumplings when we ordered.
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Review from Rob C.
12/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
I can't believe the Crystal Mall and its extensive food stalls. Nothing like this in Cali. XLB made fresh to order, and only a short wait. it's a challenge to find good ones in the Bay Area. the wrapper was expert, and the flavor was good but not quite as nice as Shanghai River in my opinion. Maybe it's different with various batches of meat. in any case, the battle for good XLB is so much better in Vancouver.
Listed in: Past few years of many great…
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Review from Michael C.
Vancouver, BC
1/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
The last time I was here the XLB was sold out so this time I got them and yes I have to agree that they are the best XLB in the city. The firmness of the meat was perfect not mushy but soft. You could pick them up with a chopstick by the skin on their tops and no breakage or leakage of their soup yet the skin was tender. Watch out as the soup is steaming hot, you may want to burst it in a provided bowl if you like. The only thing I wish that they gave red vinegar with ginger slices instead of black.
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Review from J K.
2/8/2009
I come here for the XLB. It takes around 10 minutes for them to make, which is enough time for me to run over to one of the HK places for an cold lemon tea. Yes, I do my own fusion.
The XLB are really quite fantastic. They are so juicy they even give you a plastic bowl to catch any soup that overflows from your spoon.
On crowded afternoon, I had shared a table with an elderly Taiwanese man, who was watching me eat my XLB. Well, he kind of made me nervous, so my XLB ripped just as I was picking it up -- wasted soup everywhere. Damn. He chuckled, and said something to me in Mandarin, to which I replied I don't understand Chinese. He gave me a thumbs up and said "Oishii desu ka?" Funny stuff. "Oishii desu!!!"
My only criticisms of the XLB are that (1) the skin is a bit too thick and chewy on the top (where it's sealed), and (2) there are no ginger slices in the vinegar (I actually like to eat it). But these are very minor criticisms, especially considering that Wang's only charges $3.75 for an order of XLB (that's like $3 USD!!!). -
Review from Adam K.
Vancouver, BC
8/20/2009
Came here based on yelp recommendations.
They have a chinese grandma working at the front of a see-through counter who hand rolls the skins and fills all the dumplings herself. However, given by the amount they sell, I'm sure they've got more ppl at the back making them or some stored away in the fridge, but its a nice marketing touch!
XLB: they definitely were good. They broth was nice and hot, the meat really flavorful and price-wise a total bargain. Sometimes, I've heard people debate the merits of a thin vs thick skin, and although I don't have a strong opinion on this, the skin was fairly thick so as to hold in all the juices without loosing any of the goodness to premature breaks/leakages/etc.
We also tried a wonton dumpling-type dish, I forgot exactly what it was called, and although it was good, the broth felt a little salty/msg-ish but I could be wrong and the dumplings in the soup were not as memorable as the XLB.
I will come here again very soon for the xlb and will also try some of hte noodles / dan dan mien others are recommending. -
Review from Andrew C.
Vancouver, BC
5/1/2011
Finally, a great place for sheng jian bao! (This review is only for the SJBs; I didn't get a chance to eat the other stuff, was just stopping by for a snack.)
I've only very recently been introduced to sheng jian bao (SJB) about less than a year ago, from the terrific Yang's Fried Dumpling chain in Shanghai. Since that time I've been looking for 'em in Vancouver, and this is the first place I've found here that make them like Yang's (but smaller): basically a XLB but with a thicker wrapping that can stand up to being pan-fried. Many other SJBs in Vancouver come in a much breadier bun and consequently it seems like the dough soaks up the soup. Not so with Wang's Shanghai.
The dumpling is very tasty. The only quibble I'd have is that the plentiful enclosed soup tastes a little more like canned chicken broth than pork stock. Still in context, it's got a nicely browned crust on the bottom, a lot of soup, and a tasty meat filling. I would definitely recommend this. -
Review from Rob W.
Toronto, ON
6/8/2009
I stopped by here on the strength of the other Yelp reviews. Wang's is easy to miss, a tiny stall at the end of 20 others with food-court seating. Order at the till wait 10 minutes, and try to find somewhere to sit.
I had the XLB, which are indeed $3.75 for 5. That sounds good in theory, but I didn't think it was a particularly amazing deal after I ate them. Mostly because they're not very big - each one is a clementine-sized dumpling with a thin skin, mostly filled with broth, with a little (maybe grape-sized?) ball of pork inside. It would take at least 2 orders to make a good dinner. To Wang's credit, they were well-made and very hot, the broth was "bursty" like everyone wants it to be. That said, XLB are a very simple food. You really have to like the taste of steamed pork and steamed pork broth to derive satisfaction from what you get here. If you're dying for them, I suppose this is a good place to go. In the context of food in general, I don't think the reputation as a one-in-a-million cheap-food orgasm is deserved at all.
PS: When people say the soup is hot, they aren't joking. Careful how fast you dig in - the first one blew up on me and I got a nasty burn on my lip that is still here 2 days later. Of course, that's my fault, not Wang's. Just a heads up! -
Review from Chris C.
6/20/2009
Pros: Price; taste
Cons: none
I went here after reading the great reviews on Yelp. It was almost easy to miss, since it's at the end of the food court near the windows. I had the XLB like everyone else, and after a few minutes of waiting (which I didn't mind) they arrived in a steam basket.
They were tasty, and the broth inside was a pleasure to have as long as you don't try to eat it too quickly.
It' s a solid choice for the price, if you happen to be by the Crystal Mall. I don't think I'll make a special trip for them, though. Compared to dim sum places that serve the same thing, I don't see how it's such a great deal as other make it out to be. It's nice, but not super. -
Review from Barry M.
8/11/2009
I had the XLB and a beef wrap. Maybe this wasn't my thing or I ordered the wrong stuff, but I'd really rather have a wonton soup any day than the dumplings with soup in them.
I had a feeling after eating them that I just filled my stomach with something that didn't taste great and isn't going to be digested well and provided near-zero nutritional value.
"Meh. I've experienced better." -
Review from Johnson C.
Vancouver, BC
11/18/2009
After disappointing meal at Pittsburg Cafe - went with D. to Wang's for 'dessert' xiao long bao - since I was in the mall already and based on the positive Yelp recommendations.
After the anticipating wait, the piping hot XLB was good and tasty and probably one of the better places in GVR. Delicious broth and a nice size for the pork stuffing.
While surrounded by other tasty-looking specialty stands in the Crystal Mall food court - this is probably not a place I will be frequenting. While the food is solid and the prices are great - it is centred in the middle of Crystal Mall - with it's absolute nightmarish parking and mall layout. -
Review from Katrina R.
Burnaby, BC
12/20/2009
I have never had this style of dumplings before, but I decided to try it after seeing the reviews. I took my boyfriend (who has had this type before, and says these are very good) and we shared an order of steamed/boiled (not sure) dumplings. They were very tasty, but somewhat messy because they had liquid inside that would spill out after you took a bite. Maybe I just don't know how to eat them properly. I am open to trying them again, but it will be a while because there are so many places to try here.
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Review from Rowena D.
9/12/2010 2 photos
When my husband's friend visited last winter from NY he insisted my husband take him to this particular restaurant for Xiao Long Bao dumplings. So, I had to know what the deal was with this place. I finally got a chance to give this place a try when I came up to Vancouver this last weekend. It may be in the Crystal mall food court but this place does not disappoint. The soup dumplings were delicious! I also tried the pan fried dumplings and they were yummy too. I love how you can watch the workers make the dumplings right in front of you. When you order your dumplings they tell you it will be ready in 12 minutes. So, this is a dish that is hand prepared and made to order. When I ate my dumplings, I literally saw small slivers of ginger in these dumplings. Another indication that these dumplings are hand made. Total cost for this goodness is about $8 canadian dollars. What a steal for some great food! All I know is that I'm making a stop here the next time I come up to Canada. So, if you love soup dumplings and are in the area, you should definitely check this place out. Plus, Crystal Mall is a very interesting place to visit. There's lots of Chinese restaurants and markets all housed under one roof.
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Review from Pork Fried Rice C.
4/26/2009
This was the first stop on my Yelp food adventure day.
I was skeptical at first but with all the amazing reviews, I had to try. I'd like to think that I know what a great XKB tastes like and so I go to Crystal Mall to see what all the hype is about.
First off I'd like to say that I hate Crystal Mall. It's just kinda gross. I would never really ever come here otherwise, but for these dumplings I think I would move in next door !!!
These are the best !!! So good, right after I write this I'm going to go have another 6 baskets. They are so soup filled it's amazing. The skin is a bit thick but I think if it was any thinner, the little dumplings would break and lose all it's goodness, so for that I think they are perfect.
I also ordered the tan-tan noodle and drunken chicken. The chicken was delicious. Super flavorful and meaty, one of the best in Vancouver as well, maybe only second to my mom's. I made a small mistake with the tan-tan noodles. Make sure if you order this dish that you mix it up thoroughly from the bottom. There is lots of sauce at the bottom that needs to be mixed into the noodles. The only complaint was that the noodles were overcooked and kinda mushy. Other than that I could eat here everyday. Ok, I'm out to eat round two of XLB's....maybe I'll see how many we can eat.... Challenge anyone ??
