Literally translated, Dim Sum means “a little piece of the heart.” So when you piece together Cholada Chan’s past and heritage, it’s no wonder she opened the area’s premiere All-Day Dim Sum and authentic Cantonese restaurant, Shangri-La. Cholada was born in Thailand to Chinese parents. After immigrating to the States, she opened Michigan’s 1st Oriental Market in 1976. This allowed her to bring authentic foods from her heritage to the area. Back then, if you wanted a taste of Dim Sum, you had to drive across the border to Canada. Eventually, Cholada grew tired of the drive to Windsor. Turns out, she wasn’t the only one. Since she opened Shangri-La in 1995, the West Bloomfield restaurant has acquired a huge following that includes food critics, locals who just want good Chinese food and Asians from across the state who are looking for a real taste of “home” Just don’t let the huge gatherings for Dim Sum fool you. Shangri-La also offers a full menu of fresh, authentic Cantonese fare as well as incredible dishes that pay homage to her Thailand birthplace—red, green and massaman curry dishes with coconut milk, kaffir lime and Thai basil.