Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao

Best quality I’ve ever had, without premium price.
Kung Pao Chicken, Fried Rice with Prawns, Sweet and Sour Fish, Dan Dan Mian, all world class.
You could just about pick anything off the menu and it will be amazing.

Located on the basement of the Times Square building, the restaurant was bustling with life — smartly dressed professionals in their business attire probably catching a quick luncheon or a working lunch. There were a smattering of the non-​professionals — shoppers and tourists — but we were outnumbered during this hour. There was a small line outside but I was lucky since I was coming in as a solitary diner: I had zero wait as I took the offer to be seated at a bar-​stool high-​seating section (more like sitting at a bar; except, this was not a bar).
I started out with the Pork and Chives dumplings. It took a while to arrive but when they did, there were juicy, piping-​hot, and delicious. I presume they came straight out of the steamer. Nothing like piping hot food on a cool chilly winter’s day. Although delicious on it’s own, don’t miss out on adding the slivers of ginger and soy-​sauce with every bite of this lip-​smacking dish.
For the main meal, I decided on the mixed seafood la-​mein noodles. The noodles were of the thickness and consistency I love in chow-​mein. It was covered in a layer of sauce, sprouts, and mushroom — probably Enoki and Shiitake mushrooms. The seafood in it – shrimp, baby scallops, and salmon (if I remember correctly) — was very fresh and ‘popped’. The noodles were a little on the greasy side which made me wonder if it was made to cater to tourists; after hearing on numerous occasion how authentic Chinese cuisine (which province? no idea) is low on oil and grease. Nonetheless it was delicious!
The service was a little lacking as I had to try and wave down a server to get their attention, and succeeded only on my third or fourth try. But it wasn’t too bad as they were really busy, and the food more than made up for it.
I was surprised to find that it is a sister concern to the Crystal Jade Jiang Nan at the Embarcadero in San Francisco; I should try this one for comparison’s sake, but it seems to be priced higher than it’s Hong Kong cousin.

This was my favorite meal during my recent Hong Kong trip. I had lunch here with a friend after he shot down my suggestion to go to Din Tai Fung telling me that this place was better and he was indeed correct. The soup dumpling with hairy crab was SO GOOD. We also got the hairy crab noodles and that was delicious as well. I would love to eat here again on my next visit.

I come here whenever I go to Causeway Bay and I love all their dishes!
Very similar to Ding Tai Fung!
Their soup dumplings (小龍包）are super yummy, my favourite is the truffle one. Their hand made noodles are also a must try! Very tangy and flavorful.
Service is just like any other restaurant in HK, quick and efficient.
Gets really packed during lunch and dinner time though, so be prepared to wait in line!

Come here whenever I go to Causeway Bay and I love all their dishes!
Very similar to Ding Tai Fung!
Their soup dumplings (小龍包）is super yummy!
Their hand made noodles are also a must try!

Very delicious Shanghainese food. The Xiao Long Bao and the noodles are the best I’ve ever tasted.

We often think Hong Kong is all about Cantonese food, but it’s not just that, in the 1940s, during the civil war, many wealthy Shanghainese moved to Hong Kong. Think the BAFTamA 2001 movie «In the mood for love,» which happens to be my favorite love story of all time, it had a lot of people speaking Shanghainese. That’s the number one thing one must remember in looking for good Shanghai food. Don’t just go to Shanghai, go to Hong Kong.
My last meal in Mainland today was with my uncle and aunt, who are from Shanghai and was in town for the Chinese New Year, suitably we ate Dim Sum and then chitchatted about Xiang Long Bao, aka Shanghai dumplings. Nanxiang is still good, my aunt speaks with a strong Shanghai accent, and there are others that local elderly go, but by and large, Shanghai has become a super wealthy people’s playground, and for that matter, I had not returned in 10 years, though I spent many summer holidays there as a child.
All that talk got me thinking to take my bet at this nearby Shanghai dumpling house. It has two things, dumplings, and hand made noodles, which made me remember those days of visiting Xi’an.
The wait was 15 – 20 minutes, not to bad considering it’s a Saturday evening. Waited a bit before my number is called. During the time while standing outside and waiting, I had studied up the menu and knew the basics, Shanghai dumplings and Sichuan hand made noodles, with some Northern pancakes.
Food arrived within 10 minutes. Very efficient. Price is comparable to what you’d expect to pay in the U.S., which by Hong Kong standard, is super cheap and affordable.
The noodles are very chewy and super tasty, the broth very creamy like you’d expect a pork flavored ramen broth would be, the Shanghai dumplings were the best I’d had this trip, including the times I ate at Shanghainese restaurants in China.
A keeper.

³⁄₅ stars
Eh, my expectation for this place was super high. I expected so much more, but was a bit disappointed.
Ordered:
1) XLB: ³⁄₅ The skins were so thin – we tried to pick them up carefully, but 75% of them teared before they went into our mouths.
2) Spicy peanut sauce noodles: 3.5÷5 This was good, but a bit spicy for my palate (I don’t normally eat spicy food)
3) Pancake: ²⁄₅ yuck
4) Pan fried XLB: 3.5÷5 Standard and good.
I get annoyed of HK custom. the check is returned to you and your waiter stands right there waiting for you to sign it…

This is the Causeway Bay branch for the famous Shanghainese chain that I like.
My favorite food choices here is the xiao long bao and the dan dan noodles like the other branches.
Another good thing to know is that this place has the shortest wait (or sometimes not even waiting at all) to get a table.

one of my favorite chains throughout asia. quality control also maintained well and pretty much most items delicious. this is what fast casual should be.

Crystal Jade is probably one of the most well-​known Shanghainese restaurants in Hong Kong, and with good reason — the food is good, affordable, and there are quite a few locations in HK so it’s convenient to go to.
The branch I visit most often is the one at the basement floor of Times Square. Regardless of its a weekday or a weekend, Crystal Jade is always crowded! If you’re coming at around 12 or 1pm, which is the time I’m usually there, expect to have to get a number and wait for at least ten minutes.
No meal at Crystal Jade is complete without ordering their signature xiao long baos (shrimp dumplings)! The meat is tender, the broth is heavenly but my one complaint is that sometimes, the skin is a little thick. The pan-​fried dumplings, which are kind of like the xiao long baos but, well, a little crispy, are good as well.
I normally go for the wonton noodles in soup here. I find that the portion of the noodles is actually pretty decent, and finishing it is a bit of a struggle for me — though I admittedly am not a big eater. The wontons here are different from the traditional Hong Kong-​style wontons — the skin is thicker and more slippery, and though it is still good, I prefer the Cantonese style of wontons more. The ‘dam dam meen’, or the noodles in spicy peanut soup, is quite famous here. A lot of my friends love it and order it when here, but must take a bit of a breather halfway because it’s so spicy!
Another must-​order is the flat cold noodles with shredded chicken, cucumber and tossed in peanut sauce. This makes a great appetizer and has a really refreshing taste. I love peanut sauce, so this is definitely one of my favorite Shanghainese dishes!
I would no doubt recommend Crystal Jade to anyone who is looking for a nice and inexpensive Shanghainese restaurant to go to. Do note that they don’t take reservations, so be prepared to have to wait, or come early to avoid the crowd!