Crystal Mall is a crazy place – from high tech home appliances to an indoor open market, some really bizarre clothing shops, and some pretty great restaurants!
We were there after the regular lunch rush, so the place was pretty quiet. We got to choose from any of the tables, which, with their plastic peel-away tablecloths, seemed to cheapen the rather nice look of the dining area.
We looked over the limited menu while enjoying some crazy-hot tea. It took a little while to get checked in on, and I am pretty sure there was some miscommunication during the interchange too 
Shredded Pork with Garlic & Chilli Sauce on Rice ($6.99)
I was surprised by how the Shredded Pork with Garlic & Chilli Sauce on Rice looked when it came out. The strips of pork had a strong vinegary sauce, and with a lot of bamboo shoots and black fungus, it wasn’t really what I was expecting. The flavours were good though, and the plate was a large serving (though not quite easy to share).
Dan Dan Noodles ($5.99)
Our other dish was Dan Dan Noodles, which I was excited to share with Chris for the first time. I was quite disappointed with this version. There was a lot of broth which was thin and vinegary (!?) and sprinkled throughout were burnt-tasting Schezuan peppercorns.
Dan Dan Noodle closeup
The ground beef was also kind of burnt tasting, and there was no real peanut aspect to the dish either. This was definitely not a good introduction to this normally awesome dish.
So while the portions and price were good, I can’t say I truly enjoyed this meal. There are lots of other choices at Crystal Mall that I’d prefer to try rather than rush back to Meishan again.
Cash only.
