Amanda G.
Yelp
I've never had a bad dumpling at Vanessa's. Their filling to wrap ratio is great and even with their price increase, you get a big bang for your buck. If I'm in the area with the fam, we'll order a couple of different types and just chow in the car. My tiny tot absolutely loves dumplings, probably more than me, which I could not believe was humanly possible. One thing about this place, however, is that they're always packed to the seams and it gets kind of crazy with people hovering near the plexiglass, despite having JUST ordered while there are five people that ordered before them. As hectic as it looks, however, the staff is quite organized with their service. I ordered one time in person but I'll never order on site again. I'll always order through the Yelp app for convenience and have never had an issue with my order.
GRUB RUNDOWN:
Dumplings - We love all things dumpling here. They've never been a miss. My faves include the basil & chicken dumpling, shrimp dumpling, shrimp & chicken wonton, and spicy beef dumpling. Other than that, the guys might also get the pork & chive dumplings as well. We usually order a lot because some of us like the spicy sauce and some do not, including my tiny tot (we're building up her tolerance, tho). In any case, you can always order the spicy sauce on the side. I would also insist on asking for more dipping sauce. Even when we've ordered enough for a small army, they've given us too few dipping sauces so make sure to get extra.
Dan Dan Mein - I have only ever ordered the dan dan noodz with spicy beef sauce and they are really good. The noodles are served with julienned carrots and cukes on top, along with the sauce of your choosing. They're definitely shareable. I love getting a bunch of different things so that we can eat family-style and try a little bit of everything.
Soups - I've ordered wonton soups before and since it's a drive to get home, I'll ask for the wontons to be packed separate from the broth so that they don't get too soggy and break apart. Once home, adding a little broth to them will loosen them from each other, as they tend to stick together. The dumplings are always good but In my opinion, the broth leaves something to be desired; it is a bit bland. I usually order this for my little and she likes it, so it's no biggie for me. I have also ordered the white meat chicken noodle soup for her before and that had way more flavor but prefers the wonton soup, so she wins.
Sesame Pancake - My guys like these sandos. My son always gets the Peking duck with extra meat and hubby will get the beef or chicken versions. I've had the duck sando before but it's a little bit too greasy for me and I find there's not enough meat filling and I can't resolve the need to order extra meat just to make it better, so I've never ordered it again for myself.
To reiterate, I prefer ordering from the Yelp app. It's easy and efficient, and even if you have tons of requests, they follow everything. They will mark all the dumpling packs for you if you request, and separate your dumplings from the broth if you order soups. I've ordered from the UWS location as well and both are the same, save for a bit of a price difference which is weird; some items cost more at either location, I'm assuming based upon the demand in that area. Regardless, when ordering via the app, nothing beats that feeling of walking into an incredibly bustling restaurant, slithering your way up to the front, giving your name and having your food handed to you while others salivate in disbelief.