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| - Lai Wah Heen is a fine-dine dim sum restaurant on the 2nd floor of the Metropolitan Hotel It translates to "elegant and splendid loft". LWH serves dim sum for $4-8 per order, so for the average person, it is a one-time visit just for the luxurious experience. When I sat down, I was presented with table napkin, a stand for my spoon and chopsticks, and a fancy teapot and teacup.
I ordered the following:
1. Crispy fried pastry with foie gras and minced pork ($4/pc)
2. Pork shrimp and scallop siu mai ($6.50/4pc)
3. Steamed barbecue bun ($5.50/3pc)
4. Baked mini egg tart ($5/3pc)
Jasmine tea ($2.50/person)
Some of the dim sum at Lai Wah Heen is not the traditional version, but fits under the noveau/innovative category.
[1] Crispy pastry with foie gras and minced pork was the most impressive dish that I ordered. The foie gras had a rich and creamy texture, and was uniquely paired with the salty flavors of minced pork with sprinkles of tangy ginger on the surface. This dish is a must-try, especially for those living in California since foie gras has been banned for sale there.
[2] Pork shrimp and scallop siu mai was my second favorite item. Each order arrived with 4 pieces of delicately crafted siu mais. Each piece is wrapped carefully and layered with jumbo shrimp, minced pork, and scallop, in that order from bottom up, and topped with salmon roe. Siu mai is a traditional dim sum dish, but adding scallops to it made this Lai Wah Heen version unique. This impressive savory dish is worth ordering.
[3] The steamed barbecue buns were bite-size. There was no culinary sophistication found in the buns, but they were very soft on my hands and melted in my mouth. The barbecue pork inside was sweet. Save your money and do not order this traditional dim sum dish.
[4] Baked egg tarts appeared to be the flaky kind, but the crust stood well. I was able to hold the crust without crumbling the egg custard. The filling was creamy with rich egg flavor, although not too sweet. Although the egg tarts were delicious, I would pass on this next time and save my stomach for another non-traditional dim sum dish.
The bill was $30 including tips and the expensive 13% Canadian HST. I did not leave with a full stomach, but instead, with a satisfied mind that I experienced Toronto's standards of creative dim sum. The dim sum in Toronto is more creative and far superior to those found in Los Angeles (although the former is much more expensive). A message to my LA friends: I can confirm that the best dim sum outside of China can be found in Vancouver and Toronto, not the San Gabriel Valley in LA.
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