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Wan Lai Chinese Restaurant - CLOSED
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
42 reviews for Wan Lai Chinese Restaurant
Review Highlights
"three dumpling soup and the eggplant casserole."
(in 4 reviews)
"...fav definitely was the beef chow fun--beefy and definitely..."
(in 12 reviews)
"I came here and sampled the frog clay pot."
(in 6 reviews)
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42 reviews in English
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Review from sue m.
Marietta, GA
10/30/2011
Came here for duck noodle soup and was not disappointed at all. Have been searching for duck soup for the past five years since trying it at a noodle place in Honolulu Chinatown. It is hard to compare after so long, but I think this was a close second. My mom had shumai soup and loved it. They also gave us rock sugar for our tea upon request, as well as complimentary almond bean custard for dessert. Definitely go here if you want delicious, authentic Chinese food.
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Review from Daniel B.
5/2/2010 8 photos
My parents came to visit me for the weekend and knowing how much they love Chinese food (especially my dad), I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to take them to Wan Lai. The Yelp reviews are pretty much spot on about this restaurant. Wan Lai is located in the same strip mall/shopping complex on Buford Highway, just south of the Chamblee-Tucker intersection, with Pho Bac, Mini Hot Pot, Viet Tofu, and the Hoa Binh super market. It looks like there are two entrances to the restaurant, one north and one south, be sure to enter from the south (next door, to the left of Pho Bac). It's easy to get fooled.
Wan Lai specializes in Cantonese food and has an extensive, colorful menu selection. To my parents' pleasant surprise, our chatty 21-year old server Kevin spoke the same Chinese dialect (Teochew) as them! We ended up ordering Manila clams, gai-lan (Chinese broccoli), steamed half chicken with ginger and scallions, and fresh whole perch. This was a lot of food (we accidentally ordered the perch and did not plan on it), but everything was so good that the three of us finished it completely. My dad is a huge fan of the steamed/boiled chicken with ginger and scallions and orders it at almost every Chinese restaurant he goes to and he loved the version they serve at Wan Lai. See my local pics for photos of the dishes. We were given complimentary mango pudding to end the meal.
We were attended to by Kevin and another older gentleman and the service was excellent. Very friendly and the owner/chef came out to talk to us twice. I think Wan Lai may be one of the better Cantonese restaurants in Atlanta. Their food seems a bit oily to me, but that doesn't take away from its deliciousness (in fact, it probably helps). They also specialize in rice casseroles which are baked and served in clay pots. They looked pretty good and I will probably try one on my next visit.Listed in: Xie Xie! Chinese Food in…
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Review from Amrita R.
7/2/2010
This place was delicious. We went based mostly on what the waiter recommended, and it was all fairly good. The only item that was just OK was the salt and pepper squid, which the waiter actually told us NOT to get (we had a squid enthusiast at the table, sigh).
The eggplant was to die for and brought me back to my last summer in China where I ordered eggplant everywhere I went. It's drowning in unhealthiness but it's super tasty!
The pepper steak was also wonderfully peppery. The bowls are a bit small though, and not that many pieces of meat (or even eggplant) so for 4 of us (and 2 of them being hungry boys) I didn't get as much as I would have liked.
The crispy chicken was also not bad, but I like more flavor, like in the steak...
I want to come back here for sure!Listed in: Asian Flavor Explosions
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Review from Pam L.
Atlanta, GA
5/5/2009 ROTD 5/29/2009
Now this is totally the food I grew up with and the things I get when I go to Hong Kong. Even my very Asian mom would approve of this place if not for the prices. The prices are a bit higher than other Chinese places in Atlanta, but totally worth.
Of course, when you see beef chowfun on the menu, you have to get it. Usually I ask for less oil as it can be greasy, but this place does it right without my request. Not only that, the flavoring is just right and the beef (which I'll admit that most of the time I avoid because most other restaurants cook it too tough to eat, but I digress) is very tender and just about melts in your mouth. The Singapore Noodle is very lovely as well.
Other things worth getting are congee that's served in a claypot - very creamy and much like my mom's; preserved fish and chicken fried rice which I love the balance of salt from the fish and all the other ingredients - something my mom tried to give me when I was a wee baby and refused to eat. I didn't like it at all back then . . . . trust me there's video evidence of my dislike of it. It's heavenly though so don't trust baby Pam.
The must have though is the casserole rice. This is the only place in Atlanta that I've even seen this classic dish. Actually cooked in the claypot, you have crunchy, caramelized bits of rice from the bottom mixed with the soft lovely rice in the middle, and the rich, yummy flavors from the meats and vegetables from the top. Mmmmm Mmmmm Mmmmm!!! I've had the abalone and chicken one as well as the eel one. You can't go wrong as this is true, blue authentic Cantonese food.
Pretty much anything is good here, I've had a lot of other stuff but I won't bore you with my thoughts. I'll just leave you with this little bit of trivia: the literal translation of the restaurant name is "Fat Boy Store". Well, if I continue to eat so much here, I'll definitely be a fat girl! -
Review from Gretchen O.
Atlanta, GA
7/7/2009
Oh yeah, I broke the Yelpy rules and ordered from the back of the menu. No worries, Kit F., my Kung Pao Shrimp was far from what you would get at Panda Expwess.
The Kung Pao Shrimp was quite honestly the best that I have had since moving to Atlanta. An ample serving of plump shrimp, onions, peppers, peanuts and chili's sauteed in a delicious dark sauce. It was fairly mild in heat, which did not deter from the flavor. It was so delicious, that it will be tough to try other dishes, despite Yelpers recommendations of the Beef Chow Fun and the Casserole Rice.
The back of the menu may not have Casserole Rice or Beef Chow Fun, but this all American Girl is pretty happy that she ordered the Kung Pao and is not afraid to admit it. -
Review from Mark T.
Decatur, GA
1/12/2008
When food comes out fire hot and steam rises from the plate as if to say I'm alive, I have soul, devour me; a certain response is required, a certain affection towards the restaurant, the cook, and the experience. Whether this happens in a restaurant or your mother's kitchen, it's always welcomed and appreciated.
It's difficult to try the stripmall chinese restaurant these days. There's a chance you'll get simple americanized food that's as interesting as eating at Panda Express. It becomes even more difficult when the popular malaysian restaurant Penang sits at one end, and then next door lies a vietnamese spot full of diners - while Wan Lai the chinese restaurant sits nearly empty. Do you really want to risk it? After so many uniquely great experiences in a row without a single miss, why take the chance? Why try something new that might be just like everything else? The signs don't look good.
I would comment on the decor (no comment) but I stopped focusing on such things a while back in favor of the food - always the food now.
Feed me. Feed me at the side of the street. Feed me out of the trunk of your car. Just make sure it's really good. Wan Lai isn't on anyone's radar and it probably won't ever appear on anyone's radar - I almost prefer it that way.
Generally avoiding anything I can get at P.F. Chang's these days, I ordered chow fen si (basically beef strips cooked with onions and thin rice noodles) while my girlfriend asked for Yu-xiang qie-zi (chinese eggplant cooked in one of several main sauces from Sichuan.) After a few moments, both orders arrived extremely hot, with the steam rising from the food as if the essence from the fire wok had been flash infused.
Maybe it was the fact that we didn't order general tso's chicken. Maybe not ordering orange beef and kung pao anything was appreciated. Who knows, but on this particular day the food was special. Perhaps the cook felt like flexing a bit and fired all burners, adding some heart to our meals, adding that unidentifiable quality within food that makes it soar - beyond simple flavors derived from obvious spices, beyond any attempts at being impressive and actually delivering fulfillment.
Wan Lai is a hole in the wall and no one knows it. If the food is always this good, I hope it stays that way. It's a comfortable place where you can stray from the regular menu and search for some excellent surprises. -
Review from Ivan S.
5/18/2009
My friend Cindy and I hit Wan Lai because, well, yelpers do as yelpers are wont to do. Cindy told me she'd been there several times back before the new owners. Back then, she said it was as empty as a Deadhead Investment Club. Apparently that's no longer the case. It was all hustle and bustle during our Saturday lunch. Even though, our waiter was on top of it all, filling our glasses, making suggestions and telling jokes which due to his accent, I'm ashamed to say I barely understood. I only knew they were jokes because he'd immediately follow-up with a hearty laugh and I'd fake chortle and then ask Cindy what they hell he said when he was out of earshot.
Taking our cue from Kit and the Gang, we celebrated with an order of octopus starter, beef chow fun, and the abalone/chicken rice casserole. The octopus came out first. We were a bit surprised that they arrived in dumpling/ball form. I wasn't expecting such big octopus balls. I mean, how does he sit down? (Ba da dump!)
The balls had a subtle octopus flavor, but they didn't blow us away. The rest of the meal arrived. Of the two, our fav definitely was the beef chow fun--beefy and definitely not a greasy as most places. The rice casserole was good, but I'm not sure what we were expecting. To tell the truth, after looking at it, Cindy and I concluded that we've both accidentally made similar dishes ourselves since, as Asians, we've experimented with putting stuff in rice as it cooked. Granted, the claypot definitely adds a smokey flavor to the dish which is probably missing from my $8 Emerson Electric rice cooker. Still, I expected something a little more complex. Don't get me wrong; it was good, but the beef chow fun took home the prize that afternoon.
Four stars. I'm looking to return and hopefully up that star total. -
Review from Addy C.
8/2/2009 3 photos
I would've never known except for Pam L's review that the Chinese characters of the restaurant name means "Fat Boy Store" - I also would've never known that it would be worth checking out except for the good reviews so again, thanks Yelp :)
Wai Lai is Cantonese food, and perusing the menu, I was overwhelmed by the number of different casserole hot pot dishes. Everything sounded intriguing. We had a group of 5, ordered 5 dishes, and had more than plenty food.
We started off with a FREE egg roll or chicken wing - to get the freebie, go to their restaurant website to get the promo code :) I'm all about promotions :)
Next we got 1 order of the "3-kind dumpling soup" which was just the right amount for all 5 of us. Broth was tasty and I liked that the dumplings were very stuffed. I think the 3 different kinds were watercress, shrimp, and vegetable. Nice way to start our meal.
Then all our dishes arrived:
Beef Chow Fun - i thought it was just ok b/c it was mostly noodles and not enough meat or vegetables. However I did like that it wasn't as greasy as other restaurants. My favorite is still Ming's.
Spicy Green Beans - definitely spicy and very flavorful but also very salty. We wanted a green vegetable and originally ordered the Snow Pea Shoots but they said they were not in season. Then we asked for the Watercress but they said it wasn't available. Hence, green beans.
Hot & Spicy Eggplant Casserole - as mentioned earlier, there were so many different casseroles to choose from. The staff recommended we try the eggplant. Very flavorful and perfect with rice. However, I like Chateau de Saigon's better. Next time, I'll try the chicken based on Yelp recommendations.
Crispy Garlic Chicken - another tasty dish and honestly the skin is probably the best part :) Also, the darker meats were much more flavorful so go for those parts first if you're eating with a group :)
Finished the meal with a complimentary dessert - watermelon in coconut milk with tapioca. Not bad.
3.5 stars for the food but 4 stars overall b/c of the variety of dishes we got to try, the good service, the staff trying to help us decide what to order, and the final price - just $11 per person incl. tip :) -
Review from Greg T.
6/6/2010 4 photos
Family and I decided to head down to ATL for a weekend..we were hankering Hong Kong cuisine for dinner one night. I jumped online for a recommended spot and came across Wan Lai.
First impressions - decor is very average..staff very friendly (1 star). Our servers, Kevin and Henry, were very helpful and steered us towards the restaurant's best dishes. We decided on steamed perch, pork belly and mustard green casserole, deep fried tofu, salty fish fried rice, and sauteed pea sprouts.
The perch was well done..steamed just right (1 star). I wished they had other fish to chose from but the perch hit the spot. The pork belly casserole and friend rice were good but the winner was the deep fried tofu. Tofu was fried to perfection...crispy outer with soft inner..served with a delicious spicy, pork sauce (1 star).
If you decide to visit Wan Lai make sure to ask for either Kevin or Henry..they'll take good care of you. -
Review from Robert M.
6/22/2009
Quite possibly our expectations were too high from reading positive Yelp reviews from people we typically agree with. Don't get me wrong, everything was good here, just not 'wow'.
We started off with some dumplings...he said something about 3 flavors...pretty sure they were all shrimp though mixed with different things. They were average.
I am a beef chow fun freak. So of course that was on the table. It was good, but again, not a 'wow' for me. It was a bit bland, and while the meat wasn't overcooked or tough...it came across a bit rubbery in chew and texture. Noodles were good. The hot sauce wasn't as good as other places. I still like Hong Kong, Mings and Bamboo better for this.
Probably the best thing we got was the half crispy garlic chicken. Chicken (on bone) was very tender/juicy with a very flavorful crispy skin. Some type of vege/minced garlic combo piled on top which added to the flavor tremendously.
Wouldn't shy away from going back but wouldn't go out of my way either. -
Review from Michael L.
Decatur, GA
4/9/2009
Despite the left halves of my mouth and tongue being numb from an afternoon dental appointment, I still wanted to go try this place. One of my friends raved about this place, and given the dearth of top-notch Cantonese places in ATL, we were quite curious.
We were greeted and seated promptly, and since it was ~ 6:15PM, the place wasn't super crowded- about 1/3 full. There is a rainbow-colored bilingual menu that they set in front of you (which is slightly hard on the eyes because it's harder to read the yellow and orange text), and then there are fluorescent-colored sheets of paper denoting various specials and daily fresh vegetables available all written in quasi-Chinese calligraphy. For those of you don't know how to read Chinese characters...if you feel like taking a risk, you could take a shot in the dark and just point...heh. J/K. I'm sure the waiters would be glad to tell you what they meant. Anyway, on to the food.
1) Thousand year old egg and pork Congee- Wow. I was pleasantly surprised by their rendition of this classic Cantonese dish. The texture of the porridge was good- not watery- almost thick to a fault! :) The pork strips were really thin- lots of care taken to cut it that way. The flavor of the pork, the egg, strips of ginger, and the porridge all came together to make this a great starter. Score: 4.5
2) Spicy Eggplant "Casserole"- (Yu2 xiang1 qie2 zi0 bao3). Served in a claypot, their rendition of this dish was solid- but didn't blow me away. My gripe with this dish: JALAPENOS were used to spice it up. :( I'll be nice and give it a 3.5
3) Salt and Pepper Squid- Whenever we go to Cantonese places, we try this dish out. While the quality of the squid they used tasted very much like frozen packaged squid, I'll give them props for the way they flavored the squid, as I've never seen it done that way. The squid was sprinkled heavily with fried, minced garlic and dried onions. This saved the dish from mediocrity. I was scooping up the leftover garlic/onion and eating it with more rice! Score: 3.25
4) Seafood fried noodles- This was the 'meh' dish of the night. The noodles were pan fried for a light crispy outside, and covered with a white corn-starchy sauce along with squid, shrimp, scallops, and some mushrooms and a few pieces of mussels (surprised about mussels!)- all surrounded by greens (yu choy). Very plain tasting dish- not bad...but nothing much to write about. Score: 2.75
We got complimentary dessert, which was rather unique- it was a yam-flavored sweet soup with tapioca. Usually you have a coconut milk-based soup with tapioca. While my wife didn't really like it, I really liked the change of pace- an initially spicy/cinnamon type of taste, and then sweet. Score: 3.25
Service here was terrific- atypical of Chinese places...and just about all our dishes came out within ~10 minutes! Prices are reasonable too. One last thing: the flavors here tend to be a bit lighter/less salty, which is welcome to folks like myself, but may be perceived as 'bland' by other folks who like to be blown away by Szechuan stuff. Remember, this place is Cantonese. Overall for food: 3.5 + great service = 4.
We'll be coming here instead of Canton Cooks (besides, they're too far for us versus Wan Lai). -
Review from Todd P.
8/4/2009 1 Check-in Here
Wan Lai = Fat Boy Store? Wow, thanks Pam L, no wonder I'm drawn to this joint. After I snarfed my lunch here, I felt like I could be their poster boy, belly stuffed and protruding nicely.
I met up with Tulie L for lunch at Wan Lai before catching a movie on a lazy Sunday. We were the only table of patrons in the restaurant for a little while so we had a lot of attention from the manager and a couple of servers who were standing around looking for something to do.
Just before we entered the place, I noticed several pictures of different dishes displayed in the front window. One of them looked like what I was in the mood for, so I went for it -- Cantonese noodle soup with shrimp dumplings. The dish came out with the clear broth scorching hot, a generous amount of thin egg noodles and 5 or 6 of the most delicious shrimp dumplings I've ever had. I will go back just to have this soup again, but I'll go back before that to try some of the other items on their expansive menu. Much to explore at this place.
Random observation of the day: What is it with Chinese restaurants and those straight, metal-tubing backed dining chairs? There must be a restaurant supply store with a section that says "Chinese Restaurant Dining Chairs" where every joint along Buford highway buys them.Listed in: Everyone's Got One
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Review from Jacqui C.
Atlanta, GA
7/12/2010
I discovered Wan Lai over a year ago when I had dinner at Pho Bac which is right next door. The strip mall that Wan Lai is in isn't anything to write home to mom about and neither is Wan Lai's decor but the food is consistently very good.
I go there regularly. At least twice a month. My favorites are their seafood noodle soup, the Chinese water spinach (Ung Choi) stir-fried in garlic or fermented soy bean paste and their "8 treasures claypot stew." I also love the eggplant and the chow fun though it can be a little greasy.
Service is another notable thing about Wan Lai. The staff is extremely helpful and provide very good suggestions about their specials. They even know my favorite dishes and ask me if I want my "usual" when I go there. This level of service is rare in a Chinese restaurant and keeps me coming back for more. -
Review from May T.
Atlanta, GA
6/30/2010
I love the claypot "casserole" dishes. I'm a vegetarian, I usually go to Harmony restaurant but we wanted something new, although Harmony restaurants have good food too.
When we ordered, I let the waiter know that we were vegetarian, I ordered some veggie dishes and he warned me that some veggie dishes have chicken base. I was thrilled to find such an honest waiter!
Before vegetarian days, one of my favorite dishes was eggplant with garlic sauce, and it still is! The taste is very close to what I get at home. I usually ask for no MSG- and they still taste super awesome. I've ordered alot of other veggie dishes on the menu too and they are all awesome, especially the tofu ones! (My husband hates tofu, but I told him you haven't tried all the tofu in the world yet, I brought him here and he agreed). -
Review from Eva T.
6/3/2009
I came here based on other Yelp reviews and was not disappointed. I was happy to have found another Cantonese restaurant in the area. Even better, they have a ton of clay pot rice to choose from. The last time I had it was when I visited Hong Kong.
There's nothing fancy about the interior. They had plaid tablecloth covering all the tables with a TV showing CNN hung over the wall. You know you're dining at an authentic Chinese place when there's a scent of Tiger Balm in the air as other diners walked in.
The service was excellent. Our waiter was nice, courteous, and prompt. Our dishes came out pretty quickly from the kitchen.
We had steamed minced pork with salted fish ($9.95). It was on the salty side as expected from the salted fish. The meat wasn't too greasy. This dish went very well with white steamed rice. They had ong choy (Chinese water spinach) stir-fried with garlic and preserved beancurd (furu) even though I was told by my MIL that they don't grow this vegetable around here anymore because its roots clog up the sewer. Anyway, that was probably why this dish was $12.95, more than the meat dish. Despite this, this was very tasty. It also went very well with the steamed rice. Lastly, the chicken and abalone clay pot rice was a great treat. It surprised my husband, who has never had clay pot rice before. The juices (aka fat) from the chicken seeped into the rice underneath and made this tasted wonderful. To end the meal, they served us complementary red bean soup with tapioca.
I will definitely go back now that I know there's another Cantonese restaurant around here. I want to try the Chinese preserved meats clay pot rice. Overall, I think this is my favorite Cantonese restaurant in the Atlanta area for now. -
Review from jimmy s.
Atlanta, GA
7/13/2009
I met up with a foodie friend at Wan Lai recently for lunch, which had drawn a large crowd - always a good sign.
I would have been lost trying to order from their large menu, but my well versed dining companion quickly suggested a few items, "Jimmy - congee or three dumpling soup?" Before I could answer, she answers herself, "Let's get both!".
She placed our order, after which the waiter counted out all seven dishes, then looked at us with a quizzical and sarcastic look. Move it along. We're hungry.
With my recent Sichuan experimentation in my home kitchen, I was interested to see how Cantonese differed. While writing this post, I did some research, and discovered that many of the dishes/ingredients we ate at Wan Lai are Cantonese mainstays - congee, century eggs, and beef chow fun are all staples. Similar to Sichuan, stir-frying, braising, and steaming are the primary cooking methods, but Cantonese sauces are often much lighter and less intense and full of heat as Sichuan. The most often used spice is Chinese 5 spice, which can actually vary and have more than 5 spices, though anise, fennel, and cinnamon are almost always going to be included.
So there's a small bit of knowledge. But how did it taste? Well, it was one of the best all around Chinese meals I've had. I love the heat and boldness of Sichuan, but Wan Lai is rocking. You need to get out there and try it. Order a ton like we did, and you'll be left with enough leftovers for 3-4 meals.
Dish #1: Century egg congee. The eggs looked like mushrooms to me at first, but read the century egg link and you'll understand. Much like porridge, this wasn't bad, but can be very plain tasting if you don't get a big bite of pork and egg. Worth a try if you haven't had it.
Dish #2: Three dumpling soup. This was ridiculously good. Chinese cabbage (appeared much like broccoli rabe to me), amazing broth, and firm, crunchy (from the shrimp) dumplings. I had to pace myself at this point.
Dish #3: Beef Chow Fun. I loved the beef and the delicious noodles in this dish. The beef was soft, succulent, and texturally awesome. The flavor of the whole dish was overpowered by bean sprouts to me, but this is definitely something to try.
Dish #4: Fried Rice. Eh, it was fried rice, not bad, but too filling for me to waste valuable stomach space on, except for the wonderful pork mixed in with the rice.
Dish #5: Ong choy water spinach. Tubular and leafy greens, sautéed with garlic in a light sauce. I loved this, please try it.
Dish #6: Pork belly and taro casserole. This was one of the casseroles that takes 20 minutes or so for them to prepare, but I didn't even notice the wait with all the other food on our table. The sauce was rich, very sweet, obvious 5 spice flavor, and there was tons of pork belly and taro. I thought taro is a root vegetable, but you actually eat the "corm", which is like a root, but it's actually an underground stem.
Dish #7: Garlic fried chicken - Ridonkulous. Perfectly crispy and covered with garlic, you are going to want to savor the skin on this bird.
Hmmm, now I am hungry for more! -
Review from soomy s.
Cumming, GA
7/19/2009
I seriously love this place. I don't even like Chinese that much, but this restaurant has changed that in a heartbeat.
We came with 5, and polished off everything. We ordered a half order of the crispy chicken (don't think this dish has been mentioned before), green beans, beef chow fun (how could we not?), three dumpling soup and the eggplant casserole. I had three servings of each and my eyes wanted more but my stomach was too full. I loved it here. My favorite was the crispy chicken. This dish is on the salty side, which I usually don't prefer, but the flavor combinations were exploding in my mouth. It was soooo good! The skin was extra crispy and they topped it with these fried onions and scallions. They also serve this as steamed chicken which is kind of like a soy chicken dish.
The owners are super sweet and our server was great about answering all the questions we had. I love this place. Nothing was too greasy or heavy on the intestines. I also didn't have any MSG reaction which was a plus! I will definitely be back with an empty stomach and ready to try their beef chow mein (pan fried noodles). -
Review from Allen M.
Doraville, GA
5/13/2009
Excellent ingredients. Real beef, real broth, real dumplings. High health score - rare for a 'chineses' restaurant. Really nice people work here.
I like the beef belly noodle soup with flat noodles. It's like if you were at a Pho place and you said - just give me all of the tendons... ALL OF THE TENDONS. But then again, this beef belly turns out to be on another level. It's layers of roast beef meat fibers and mixed with other tissues that dissolve in your mouth like the finest sashimi, except that it's hot, and it's beef, and it's floating in a broth that they made from scratch today.
I have to take it home so that I can have it with BEER. Try it with guinness...
One reviewer says "The menu was limited on choice of greens" It's a restaurant, so just talk to your server - they have a variety of greens. Oh yeah, due to recent top ranking in the Yelp iPod app, the walls are crawling with yelpers.Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Adam R.
Atlanta, GA
9/28/2009
There is so much good stuff in this shopping center.
The first time I came here was with a big group of people. We ordered a lot of random stuff and it was all great. My favorite was the beef chow fun so that is what I have been ordering on every repeat visit.
Everyone I have gone with has really enjoyed it as well, even the white devils who worship at the alter of General Tso. Well the general shall not return here, he will be left on the back page where he belongs.
Wan Lai is awesome. I will definitely be back again and again! -
Review from Mariana R.
Atlanta, GA
1/31/2010
I love Wan Lai!!!
Rubi (the owner) is amazing at getting you to try new things.
It is original Hong Kong Cuisine and let me all just add, that it is delicious.
Definitely if in the mood for soup, try the Three Dumpling soup and by all means the casseroles (The taro one is my personal favorite) just make sure you order that in advance, it does take at least 20 minutes.
If you like duck, the Hong Kong style duck is really simple and delicious. It is also $14.00 for half a duck and you can't beat that.
Jazmin Tea and Dessert are complimentary. (One dessert per day).
If you are hesitant about what to order, definitely approach Rubi, she will ask you what you like and make suggestions.
Great Place! -
Review from Cristina K.
Atlanta, GA
7/16/2010
Aghh. Did I come here at a bad time of day-- a Friday at 7:30pm? There were only two other customers. Or maybe it was our mostly non- ( ^_^ ) group of friends who made the chef think we didn't know better? Whatever the reason, our expectations based on Yelp were not met.
Beef chowfun -- While I like wide rice noodles, the ratio of beef to starch was way off. For $8.95, I think they can afford to put some more beef. A sure way to lose a customer is to be cheap and mess up a very common dish! It would be like using Velvetta cheese for mac 'n cheese at a restaurant. Too cheap on the onions too!! Goaaashhhh.
Crispy Garlic Chicken -- while a little salty, this was pretty tasty and super crispy. The skin was thin and had finely chopped golden garlic sprinkled on top. Glad we got this. This was the best out of everything we tried.
Chinese Preserved Meat Casserole Rice -- aka crispy rice with Chinese sausage in a clay pot. This very traditional Cantonese dish was good but cooking it an extra 2 min would've resulted in that yummy crispy monolayer of rice at the bottom. There was some of that but not the optimal amount. This is naturally an oily dish from the sausage but there shouldn't be excess oil at the bottom of the clay pot. I've had better in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in Costa Rica.
Spicy green beans -- OK, not overcooked but they used more oil than necessary. -
Review from Diana L.
4/13/2009
Excellent congee. Thick and tasty. Huge portions, one congee can satisfy the needs and desires of two.
Chicken and abalone congee. Good.
Seafood congee. Good.
"Casserole" with taro and something else. Okay.
Next time I go, and there will be a next time, I will only order congee.
Fast service. Clean place. -
Review from Felix C.
5/31/2009
Speedy service with excellent ingredients. We started with an order of dumplings and moved onto the spicy seafood noodle soup. Good spice heat and very good mixture of seafood. It has some real kick.
Then, wee had the "rice casserole" which is a bed of rice topped with pork and taro root served in a claypot. Excellent, I can't remember the last time I had rice in a claypot in Atlanta. -
Review from Chloe M.
Atlanta, GA
4/23/2009
Was there today for the 3rd time and have yet to be disappointed. Cantonese is my most favorite Chinese flavor and this one is tops. The congee is very, very flavorful with lots of meaty and eggy goodness. The soy sauce noodles with beef and scallions were perfectly sticky but not to the point of the noodles being gummy. The wontons are fantastic. The dumplings are great. And the casseroles are to-die for. Run, don't walk, and hit this spot NOW before it ends up closing like most new joints in the area.
By the way, health code rating is still at 100. Yay! -
Review from Neal C.
Brooklyn, NY
12/15/2009
Went there last night after reading over some positive blog reviews and basically followed much of what was said in the blogs. Plain dining room but pretty big. service was friendly but not necessarily all that helpful (how often is it on Buford Hwy for someone who only speaks English?).
So the food . . . Had the 3 dumplings soup which was very tasty with 3 different varieties of dumpling that all had shrimp and a vegetable in them - one had mushroom, another had some greens, forgot the other. A bit of chili oil spruced this one up right to where I like it.
The crispy chicken with garlic was given a GUARANTEE by our server and he was to be trusted b/c this was the definite highlight. Fried chicken skin worthy of consumption in the finest of southern chicken shacks but the chicken had been marinated in soy sauce giving it a great salty/sweet flavor that was complimented nicely by the bits of garlic and pepper that were scattered all over the chicken. Worth going back for that
Beef chow fun was tasty and not very greasy but maybe a tad more grease than I would like - hard to find any thats not though. We also had some bok choy with garlic that was a necessary green/fresh/crunchy addition to the meal.
Funniest moment of the meal was when we got our bill they brought us each a bowl of something that looked like black bean soup. That's actually what it turned out to be but it was sweet with some kind of small tapioca balls in it . . . Anyone know the name of this dish? We decided that it was strangely intriguing but had it not come out after several successful dishes then we would have been much more wary of its murky appearance.
Overall it was some good food with the crispy chicken being a standout (probably better than Bo Bo Garden) and for 3 of us it was just over $30 and all were content. Will be back as long as my ambitions to try as many restaurants on Buford Hwy as I can don't get in the way! -
Review from Shalin P.
10/1/2009
Reading about the casserole rice on Yelp intrigued me, so I stopped by for a weekday lunch. The restaurant is in the Orient Shopping Center, alongside a bunch of other well-regarded restaurants. The interior is pretty simple, but they do have a plasma TV on the wall showing news.
I started out with the Hot N Sour soup. It was a solid bargain at $1.75, due to its big portion and quality. It was truly spicy, which I loved. Then I ordered the chicken and black mushroom casserole dish ($6.50). They warned it would take 25 minutes, but I told them that was fine. The dish was definitely not as good as I was anticipating. The problem with the chicken was that half the pieces had bones, and half did not. So I had to play with each piece of chicken to find out. And the pieces were small so it was not easy to take the bones out.
The crispy rice at the bottom of the clay pot was a letdown. The problem is it's just plain white rice, and a ton of it. So it has no flavor, as there is no sauce in the dish. I felt like I was eating a huge bowl of plain white rice, with a few small pieces of chicken and mushroom. I had to add quite a bit of hot sauce.
I don't think I'd come back, but if I did, I will stay away from the casserole dishes (or find one that comes with sauce and flavor). -
Review from Lucy W.
Atlanta, GA
12/12/2009
Not bad, not bad...my Atlanta chinese restaurant experiences are finally getting better. I sat down next to a table with 2 middle aged chinese women having their Saturday congee so I figured I must be in a good place.
I ordered chow fun and congee, like I do in checking out every Chinese restaurant. Chow fun was good, not very greasy, soft rice noodles, but too many onions and scallions which made it kinda sweet. I'll ask for it plain next time...I like a big noodle ratio to all the other stuff. Definitely better than Hong Kong or Ming's.
On every table there was at least one pot of congee, so I figured it must be good. Congee, served in a hot clay pot, was a little runny for my taste and the 1000 year old egg and pork was not wonderful....egg was a funny yellowy color and pork was kinda chewy. I also like congee without ginger shoots, which this one had, so I'll have to remember to ask for it without them next time. Giant portions- I took the leftovers home and made a second meal out of them.
Service was friendlier, less brisk, than most Chinese places- very attentive by both the server and the manager. Tables had pink plaid tablecloths with glass/plexiglass on top; walls were the requisite pink on top, green on the bottom....not fancy but better than most.
With a couple tweaks during ordering, I'm sure this place is a keeper...I'll be back. -
Review from Mandy P.
Atlanta, GA
2/8/2010
We first tried this place at the "taste of chamblee" event last fall.... And fell in love with their shrimp dumplings!!!! We've been to the restaurant several times since, always ordering dumplings!! The menu is a little confusing for me (I dont speak or read chinese) and there is a special menu in Chinese on the wall that I wish I knew what it said. The restaurant owners and waiters have always been helpful and kind to us... as though they recognize us!!
The only reason I'm not giving them 5 stars is that there were a lot of bones in the chicken dishes we've ordered. They've been delicious but a little annoying to pick out bones. I prefer the dumplings anyway and could eat them everyday. Beef chow fun was also yummy. -
Review from Wesley C.
2/3/2010
I've been here several times and I'm sad to say that the quality of the dishes has unfortunately gone down. It seemed that before, their salt and pepper fried squid would be piping hot and crispy, but lately, it's not been crispy at all. Their fried chicken (Cui pi ji) is pretty good, but I'm almost sad to say that right now, my favorite thing to eat there is their preserved egg and pork rice porridge in a clay pot. Don't misunderstand me when I say that though. That dish is very very very good. I'm just sad that it seems that the rest of their dishes have not maintained the same standard that they used to. Although this is my first posted review of Wan Lai, I'm downgrading them from 4/5 stars to 3/5.
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Review from Gretchen S.
Tucker, GA
6/26/2009
Sorry folks. It wasn't all that. Beef chow fun was greasy- I'd rather have the Thai version any day. We also tried to order the duck, they were out and recommended a chicken dish that was all garlic- not close to what the duck was supposed to be. Soup was ok (we had it seated in the dining room as we waited for our to-go order) , as were the dumplings, but overall, nothing special. No alcohol either meant that this became a carry out order since after a hot busy day we wanted to relax a bit. Service was friendly, but there are so many other choices out there.
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Review from Nicci R.
Atlanta, GA
7/10/2010
Came here because of reviews and we eat at other places in the same strip mall. We ordered the mixed dumpling soup, boiled chicken and eggplant in hotpot. It was okay, but a little pricey. Better options out there.
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Review from B C.
Redondo Beach, CA
5/9/2010
Mmmm. Yummy! How nice to happen upon a delicious Cantonese style restaurant near Atlanta's chinatown.
But even better than the food was Kevin, our server. He was so attentive - noticed that we had a baby and immediately catered to her without us even asking. He brought water in a cup with a lid and straw. Also, when he brought our ceramic rice bowls, he brought a styrofoam bowl and plastic fork and spoon for the baby!
Aside from that, Kevin was great in directing us to their better dishes. He had suggested that we order their won ton soup because they're known for it. To which I replied, "Really? Can it be THAT good? I mean, we make our own...so..." But he stood his ground. "Yes, they are very good."
And he was right! They are delicious! We also saw a fried tofu dish that the neighboring table had ordered and asked for it. But Kevin, knowing us, steered us toward another fried tofu dish with a better dipping sauce. Also very delicious!
The other server, Henry was also very accommodating in suggesting other good restaurants to us. Sadly, we were not able to taste any other restaurants as we were only in Atlanta for a weekend. But we'll for sure be going back! -
Review from David D.
Atlanta, GA
2/17/2010
Good food, with plenty of dishes that aren't on the usual Americanized Chinese restaurant. The familiar standards are listed on the back of the menu, but the real reason for dining at Wan Lai are the dishes inside the menu. Our server was knowledgeable and steered us towards good choices. Ambiance is basic and could use more attention. No alcohol served.
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Review from Denny C.
Irvine, CA
5/29/2010
Let me first start off by saying that outside of NYC, SF and LA, it's pretty hard to get authentic clay pot rice in the US. So, you can imagine how surprised I was when I found out that ATL had at least two clay pot restaurants! I came here and sampled the frog clay pot. Included in it was some Chinese bacon/sausage, which added to the fragrance. If you've never had clay pot rice before, know that it takes a good 15 minutes to prepare, but it's well worth the wait. I was impressed by the authenticity here at Wan Lai. The rice really did take in the frog and bacon/sausage flavors, making it perfectly delicious. On the bottom of the pot, the rice was starting to get hard and crunchy, exactly like it should. Almost all the other tables also ordered a clay pot rice dish of some sort, so I would recommend at least trying it out if you come here - I fully realize frog is everyone's thing, but they have plenty of other options. Overall, portion sizes were about average, price was about average, too (8 bucks for my pot), but taste was very on point. Wan Lai left a mark, and I definitely would come back to try other clay pot rice dishes.
Other things:
- The server recommended I try their dumplings/wontons here; apparently, they're very popular. Next time!
- You get tea free on the house unless you order the chrysanthemum flavor ($1).
- WL gives you complimentary dessert, too. The dessert of the day was a honeydew sago concoction - hit the spot after some clay pot rice!
- There's a good number of items posted on the wall that you can order, but look out - they didn't have a lot of the stuff I asked about (mostly seafood). -
Review from J W.
Monrovia, CA
4/8/2010
This place is outstanding! I came to Atlanta last yr for a trade show looking for some comfort food. Couldnt find anything on yelp and went to really nasty ones. On the last day, we were driving aimlessly hoping to find a better chinese restaurant and decided to turn into this mall and gave Wan Lai a try. We were so hungry we could settle for anything. We ordered typical dishes and they were all SO tasty and authentic. Didnt believe it that I was in Atlanta. We will be going again to the trade show this year and are definitely going again. Can't Wait!!!
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Review from Cozy G.
Milpitas, CA
2/10/2009
Food was as authentic as it can be. I ordered scallops with black pepper sauce and the eggplant/salted fish casserole. The food came out steaming hot and delicious. I think given the Chinese restaurant selections, the new management here knows true Chinese cuisine. Definitely worth a try! It's not about the decor. Sometimes, the more basic a restaurant is, the better the food!
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Review from Gloria M.
Canton, GA
2/2/2010 3 photos
I came here b/c I was in the mood to try some new Chinese food and since I was in the Buford area, I decided to try Wan Lai. OMG! Best decision everrr! (I actually read the review from chowdownatlanta's blog so this prompted me to go). I got the Three Dumpling soup, Garlic Chicken, and Taro/Pork casserole. Food orgasm. The complimentary dessert is awesome and the server was soo nice. Most def will be coming back to try other things.
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Review from Dan C.
Torrance, CA
9/10/2009
As a work lunch spot, this place gets 4 stars from me. I went with black pepper beef as recommended by my server. Service was lightning quick. Meal came with soup and a large bowl of rice, the main dish tasted good. I'm often disappointed with beef in Chinese restaurants but I enjoyed it here. Would be willing to revisit. A note: $10 is the minimum credit card charge.
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Review from Andy S.
Atlanta, GA
8/16/2009
We had the best food there thus far last week. The duck and taro hot pot had to be the best I've ever had. Their clam special dish was terrific! The staff is attentive and quick to offer suggestions! Terrific experience.
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Review from L. J.
Tehachapi, CA
6/28/2010
We had the congee with pork and preserved egg. It was delicious comfort food. We also had the eel and black mushroom rice casserole. It was ok, although I prefer the Japanese version of this dish, una-don, and I savored the crunchy rice from the bottom. The black fungi/mushrooms are flavorful and fantastic. I can't wait to bring my father here, since I know he will love it.
