If there was an award for best "bang for your dining dollar" in Houston, Lai Lai Dumpling House would win it hands down. Tucked into a corner of an Asian shopping center in West Houston's bustling "new" Chinatown on Bellaire Blvd., this small Chinese cafe is just about the only place I know of where you can feed four people on less than $15 (including tax, beverages, and tip!) and still have enough leftovers for everyone to take home some. Lai Lai's menu is somewhat limited; do not expect the huge variety that some of the other Asian restaurants in Houston feature. Don't expect much in the way of ambiance either. But the owner is one of the sweetest people you'll ever meet and the Chinese food that comes out of her kitchen some of the best you'll ever taste. The house specialty is the dumplings, which are served either steamed or pan-fried. My personal favorites are the plump, juicy steamed chicken dumplings and pork buns. Be warned, all portions are HUGE. Do not let the tiny prices fool you into believing that one order won't go a long way. Dumplings come out in orders of ten, and each dumpling is so big that two orders of dumplings will be very filling for a table of four. Other excellent choices are the spicy hot and sour soup, which comes in a bowl so large that we've never finished it, and the general tso's chicken, which is arguably the best in Houston. When my office was located near Lai Lai, three or four used to go and order a bowl of hot and sour soup, two orders of dumplings, and an order of general tso's chicken. We'd all leave stuffed, and each with enough in our to-go boxes to provide a very filling full meal later at home.
The only downsides to eating at Lai Lai are the out of the way location (there aren't usually many reasons for tourists to be out in this part of West Houston and the place is a little hard to find), the lack of atmosphere, and the cash only payment policy. But, all of the food is very good, the service fast and super friendly, and the prices unbelievably cheap.
Additional Details:
- Location: Look for Lai Lai in the Diho Plaza Shopping Center on Bellaire Blvd. The restaurant is in a section fo the center that runs perpendicular to the street, making it hard to see unless you are in the parking lot. Watch for the large Diho Plaza sign (fortunately that much of the sign is in English) and turn into the center. Look for Lai Lai in the portion of the center that is not parallel to Bellaire Blvd. with the storefronts facing to the west.
- Bring cash! The restaurant accepts only cash; no checks or credit cards accepted.
- For a cultural treat, visit some of the other Chinese bakeries, markets, and shops in the area.
- METRO Route: 2 Bellaire.