[UPDATE] Wei Brings Authentic Chinese to Buford

Wei Authentic Chinese quietly opened last week in Buford.  The restaurant, a sibling of sorts to the restaurant by the same name in Marietta, features a more diverse menu than its Cobb county relative but still has several favorites.  Whereas Wei Marietta leans heavily to Szechuan offerings, Wei Buford's menu is fairly evenly split between food of Northern China, Szechuan, Cantonese and "American Chinese" preparations.  The original Wei opened last June on South Marietta Parkway, just off the Marietta Square.  

The new Wei is located in Mill Creek Station, a small strip center at 3320 Buford Drive across from the Mall of Georgia.  The sit down restaurant occupies the former Pazzi's Pizza (fka Uncle Maddio's Pizza) in what was originally a Wolf Camera. The Buford restaurant is helmed by Chef Hui, reportedly a well known and popular chef in the Chinese food community.  

Like several others in metro Atlanta, Wei was created by serial restaurateur Gary Lin.  In recent years Lin has taken a step back from cooking and operating his restaurants to become a Ford Fry-like figure in the Chinese food community.  Lin secures the space, creates the concept, hires a chef and partners with others in his network to operate and staff the restaurant.  Fry, who originally cooked in and ran his own restaurants, is today far less involved in the day to day operations of his eateries, collectively Rocket Farm Restaurants.  

In opening in Buford, Lin, who himself recently relocated to Suwanee, hopes to bring to the area something he felt it was sorely lacking: authentic Chinese cuisine.  

Wei features classic Chinese dishes like Peking Duck (offered as whole or half), Mapo Tofu, Spicy Chongqing Chicken and various clay pot offerings alongside popular "American-Chinese" dishes like Mongolian Beef, Orange Chicken and various fried rice and noodle dishes, among other menu selections.  For ToNeTo Atlanta, a favorite at the Marietta outpost that carries over to Buford is the fresh-made steamed bao and dumplings (also offered fried) with a variety of meat or vegetarian options.  

In addition to the two Wei locations, Lin is a partner in Hai Chinese in Suburban Plaza near Decatur and on Windward Parkway in Alpharetta, Urban Wu in Piedmont Peachtree Crossing in Buckhead and Hao Chinese in East Point.  

Wei Marietta has amassed more than 350 reviews combined between Yelp and Google with an overall 4.5 rating.  The Buford outpost has already garnered 25 reviews between the two sites with a cumulative five star rating.  

Have you been to Wei in Buford?  What is your favorite Chinese dish?  Where would you like to see Gary open his next restaurant? 

Please share your thoughts below.