Lets face it, dim sum can be a stressful experience. The waiting, crowds, loud noises and rushed service can all be off-putting. It may be a big price to pay for those delicious Chinese tapas that we call dim sum.
Some may argue these unpleasantries are part of the quintessential dim sum experience, but I disagree. I don't like crowds and I don't like noise, so typically I stay away from dim sum. Lai Wah Heen is an exception to the typical Dim Sum experience.
Dim sum at Lai Wah Heen is more like a High Tea experience. It's mostly calm and soothing. The service is impeccable with attentive uniformed waiters. The ambiance is upscale with white tablecloth and minimal ambient noise.
It's pricier than average dim sum. True. But you get what you pay for. All the dishes are very good. The clay pot eel rice is delicious as is the steamed bean curd sheet wrapped with mushrooms. My gf's favorite dish was the steamed chicken with fish maw in rice wine sauce.
Now that my mother lives in condominium close by, Lai Wah Heen may be my new go-to for some "peaceful" dim sum. It may be more expensive, but it's worth it in my opinion, since I only get dim sum occasionally.