Wai Lei Dim Sum is the restaurant of your dreams, if your dreams are filled with an endless amount of dumplings.
This humble dim sum restaurant, located in McIntyre Square in Ross Township, has a vast dim sum selection. With over 23 types of dim sum, 17 different appetizers, cold dishes, cold and hot noodles, soups, and rice dishes, you’ll have trouble deciding what to get. This type of restaurant is best when you have a large group who is hungry and willing to try anything. I was lucky to be in such company the evening I tried Wai Lei Dim Sum for the first time.
Our order came out in waves, and we started with two different appetizers: the vegetable spring rolls and the pan-fried vegetable dumplings. When items came to our table, they were boiling hot. Despite our burned mouths, this was a good thing because we knew the dishes were freshly made. After they cooled off for a moment, the vegetable spring roll was the perfect first bite. They were crackly and crunchy, and the duck sauce added the perfect tanginess. The vegetable dumplings, while perfectly browned on the bottom, weren’t my favorite. The filling was too much of a mishmash of vegetables for me. However, your vegetarian friends may enjoy it. Some appetizers I’d love to try the next time I visit are the golden tofu, spicy wontons, and chicken and corn dumplings.
Next came the dan dan noodles, the only noodle dish we ordered. These were the epitome of savoriness with a tangy peanut, sesame, and brown vinegar sauce. The chili oil added a bit of heat, but nothing overwhelming; it was probably a one on a scale of 0-5. The peanuts on top added some crunch, while the scallions and cilantro enhanced the flavor with a little freshness. I think these are a must order. No dim sum adventure is complete without a noodle dish.
It was time for the main event: the dim sum. We ordered a healthy selection. The first two things to come out were the turnip cakes and sesame balls; these were two dishes I had heard of but never tried for myself. The turnip cakes had a similar flavor to potato pancakes but with a slight sweetness. They were crisp and lightly fried on the outside with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth center. They’re definitely worth ordering, at least for some diversity in your meal. The sesame balls were a home run with my group. Everyone loved biting into the crunchy, sesame-seed covered outside and discovering the sweet, tender red bean paste inside. Red bean paste may be foreign to Westerners, but it’s commonly used in East Asian desserts. It’s not overly sweet, and it rides the line between dinner and dessert. Both of these dishes are definitely a unique offering that differ from the rest of the dumpling and noodle-heavy menu.
More dim sum arrived, and this time it was all of the dumplings we’d ordered. The steamed shrimp shumai are a classic dim sum offering. The dumpling filling is made with shrimp, pork, and mushroom, which makes for an explosion of savory flavor in your mouth. The pork soup dumplings were a contender for the group’s favorite dish of the evening. The dumplings were the definition of comfort food. The soup inside was like a warm hug and perfectly seasoned, making for a luxurious dumpling. The dim sum platter was a selection of four different dumpling pairs, including the spinach shrimp dumplings, shrimp and pork dumplings, the crystal shrimp dumplings and the shrimp shumai. We’d already sampled and loved the shrimp shumai, but the other six dumplings added further variety to our dumpling selection. All of these dumplings were delectable with a mellow flavor and light as air. This item was a great way to try more dumplings without taking up too much stomach room. The dish I was most excited to try was the bbq pork bao, and they fulfilled every expectation. The bao was as fluffy as a cloud, and the cantonese-style roasted pork was aromatic and sinfully luscious. You can’t visit Wei Lai Dim Sum without ordering the pork bao. I desperately wanted to order more, but alas stomach room was at a premium with so much delectable food at my fingertips.
One visit to Wei Lai Dim Sum is not enough to sample even a fraction of their menu. Next time I return, I’d love to sample the smashed cucumbers, the spicy oil splashed noodles, salted egg custard buns and egg tarts, among several other dishes.
I was impressed with the flavors of every single dish and couldn’t believe the affordable price point. Each member of my group of five paid around $30 (including tip) for an excellent and filling meal.
I’m already planning my next visit to Wei Lai Dim Sum. Until then, I’ll be dreaming of fluffy pork bao and hearty pork soup dumplings.
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