Some in Toledo who think they know authentic Chinese food might get offended by what I’m about to blog, but hey man, I just tell it the way I see it when I’m talking about food.

And I tell you what, the best Toledo Chinese restaurant is only a couple of weeks away from making a comeback.Here’s the secret with Chinese restaurants in Toledo and Northwest Ohio.  They scale back their authentic cuisine because they know that authenticity doesn’t sell to a largely non-Chinese demographic.

Don’t get me wrong: I enjoy General Tso’s Chicken very much, but you can get that at your neighborhood Magic Wok.  In other words, it’s EVERYWHERE.

Authentic Chinese food is not everywhere around here.  Jing Chuan on Secor has some solid authentic cuisine, but as much as I love the ownership there, they do scale back the authentic selection even though they are quite capable of cooking authentic food.  New Empire has dim sum for lunch, which is tremendous, but those of us from big cities know that it’s not the authentic dim sum that’s pushed around in carts.  Rather, it’s pretty much thawed-out stuff and served to order, which is still delicious, considering you can’t get it anywhere else.  Other than that, Ipoh is respectable, but limited.  And the same with Flower Drum.

Wei Wei Noodles completely took it to the next level in authenticity.  They did it, so much so, that they had an entirely different menu of authentic Chinese food.  And this menu was extensive.  When my parents visited from Houston, the chefs at Wei Wei actually customized a vegetarian meal for my dad and my sister because they’re vegetarian.  They actually created authentic vegetarian food that my family has never had before and enjoyed very much.  To be able to do this is pretty amazing considering that it’s VERY convenient to eat Chinese vegetarian food in Houston.

Unfortunately, a few months later, and this was a few years ago, Wei Wei Noodles had a kitchen fire that had an estimated $50,000 in damages.

When it first happened, I was a little heartbroken.  After all, the owners and chefs there had always treated me with the utmost respect.  They treated me like family.  They welcomed me in during late hours and encouraged me to eat with them like a family.  I, in turn, was a frequent customer because they were the only restaurant to cook noodle dishes the way I like it.

I had given up on the restaurant ever coming back.  Turns out I was wrong.

Recently, I tweeted that I saw a “Coming Soon” sign on the Wei Wei building (http://www.twitter.com/ho_chen), and this definitely intrigued me.  Today, while driving by the restaurant on the way to Rogers High School to preview the playoff football team, I saw a few cars at the restaurant and decided to stop in.

Sure enough, Mike (the owner and executive chef) was there preparing his restaurant to be re-opened.  I can tell you that the lobsters are in the tank, ready to be used in dishes.  The kitchen has been re-modeled.  There are new stoves.  The dining room looks close to being completely ready, and the same goes for the bar area.

Mike told me that he’s been in the refrigeration business these last few years, and that’s been easier on him and his family.  Plus, it’s more profitable.  However, the restaurant business is like his baby.  He missed it.  So now he’s back, and the rest of Toledo should seriously be thankful.

In case you’ve never tried Wei Wei Noodles, it’s located on Reynolds close to Dorr, right next to the Japanese restaurant formerly known as Fujiyama (I think it’s now called Domo).

And no, I am NOT getting commission from this.  I just sincerely believe this is a restaurant that was only recognized by the few who appreciated authentic Chinese cuisine.  Others should totally try it.

And in case you’re wondering, yes you can still get your dose of General Tso’s Chicken there if you choose to.  It’s just on a separate menu.