The story
The first thing you need to know about mei wei is that it means ‘delicious’ in Mandarin. With just its name, Mei Wei Dumplings is talking a big game, but the crew behind this Cantonese-inspired concept already boasts a great track record of delivering the goods at its southern location at The Star Gold Coast. Perfect for a quick bite before a show, Mei Wei Dumplings in Broadbeach has been dishing up authentic eats since late 2016, and now it’s Brisbane’s turn to get a taste. Mei Wei Dumplings opens at Treasury Brisbane (in the former BITE space) today, with head chef Song Yao Su bringing a menu of Mei Wei favourites and new dishes for the large-format hawker-style restaurant.

The space
To save time, Mei Wei Dumplings can be accessed via a new George Street entrance located directly below Luke Nguyen’s Fat Noodle. Upon entry to the subterranean eatery, guests will be greeted by an interior aesthetic that harmonises far-eastern influences and period features of the Treasury Brisbane building itself. Design crew BSPN Architecture has favoured simplicity and sustainability for Mei Wei’s textural palette and layout – the concrete foundations have been accentuated with brass and recycled woods across the restaurant’s communal dining tables, cream-coloured booths, bar and 14-seat private dining room, while eye-catching artwork from Gold Coast-based artist Bastian Allfrey adds a pop of colour to the mix.

The food and drink
Chef Song Yao Su takes a back-to-basic approach to his style of cuisine, with a strong Cantonese centre bolstered by dishes from some of China’s other famous culinary regions. As the name suggests, it all starts with the dumplings. Mei Wei’s dim sum selection includes pot stickers, xia jiao prawn dumplings, soup-filled xiao long bao, vegetable dumplings and fluffy soft BBQ buns. If you’re eager to savour more of chef Song’s menu, we suggest pivoting to dishes from the wok such as Singapore-style curry rice noodles, ho fan noodles with beef or wok-seared pork with hokkien noodles. From there, you can move on to rice-based dishes including lup cheong fried rice, barbecued and roasted meats like char siu pork, Cantonese roasted duck and crispy pork belly, and rice congee with chicken, seafood or pork and preserved egg. Those keen to end things on a sweet note can snack on egg-custard tarts, golden buns and panna cotta-like almond-milk tofu for dessert. Those electing to eat in the comforts of the private-dining space will have a slightly different menu at their finger tips, one favouring large seafood-focused mains. Groups will be able to devour fried lobster with milk and egg white, Hong Kong-style fried mud crab with a chilli-garlic crust, Singapore chilli mud crab and steamed scallops with vermicelli and black-bean sauce. When it comes to drinks, Mei Wei Dumplings will serve a range of bubble teas, plus a selection of soju, wine and beer.

Mei Wei Dumplings officially opens to the public for lunch and dinner today, Thursday March 12. For operating hours and contact details, head to the Stumble Guide.