Lai Lai Lai Opens Second Outpost on Jiashan Road, Turns Sauce Recipes Into Signature Dishes—One Dish Named After the Date Its Formula Was Born
Thai restaurant Lai Lai Lai has opened its second location on Shanghai's Jiashan Road, where chef Guo Li serves up Thai-style pork ribs braised in 24 spices and salted fish shrimp paste clams—with sauce recipes so personal, their birth dates make it onto the menu.
One dish on the menu is simply called "922 Clams"—the number isn't a code, it's the exact day the sauce recipe was born. That's the kind of detail you only get from a kitchen that actually makes its own sauces from scratch.
Lai Lai Lai's second location sits on Jiashan Road, tucked between decades-old noodle shops, cafes, and a hardware store—instantly recognizable with its blue facade and yellow signage. Step down into the high-ceilinged old building and you'll find eggshell-white walls, a shelf lined with vintage cookbooks, a handmade tape welcome sign, and signed design sketches on the wall. These personal touches come courtesy of co-owner Yijun, with Thai rock playing in the background—somewhere between a Shanghai lane house and a Chiang Mai night market.
Chef Luke Guo hails from Jiangxi, trained in culinary arts, and previously competed in the first season of Chinese cooking competition show "Chef Nic." Compared to the original location, the new space is three times larger, and the menu has been largely overhauled—only a handful of classics remain, with most dishes redesigned for sharing.
The signature carried over from the first location isPork Larb (¥58), minced pork stir-fried quickly and tossed with plenty of fresh herbs and lime juice—bright and tangy with a savory base, the first bite alone is enough to wake up your appetite.
The new dishes lean into a bolder, share-style approach.Thai-Style Pork Ribs (¥350)is the restaurant's flagship main, marinated in 24 spices and reduced to a glossy finish. The whole rack arrives glistening and irresistible, with layered notes of black pepper, licorice, tamarind, and floral fragrance, finished off with caramelized fish sauce for depth. The meat clings to the bone without going dry—it's the highlight of the meal.
Threadfin Fish (¥228)comes whole and salt-grilled, dressed with nothing more than holy basil leaves and scallions to preserve the fish's natural sweetness, served alongside a house-made fish sauce dip. Simple execution, precisely done.
And922 Clams (¥88)is the standout new dish this time—the sauce skips shrimp paste entirely, instead building deep umami from Marsala wine, browned butter, and preserved mustard greens. The clams themselves are plump and briny, delivering a combination so good you'll want to bottle the sauce and take it home.
Beef Rendang (¥58)skips the fiery spice you might expect, leaning instead toward sweet, herbaceous notes from its dry spice marinade. The portion is modest but layered with flavor, meant to be wrapped with perilla leaves, raw garlic, shallots, chili, cucumber, and shredded lime leaves—somewhere between miang kham and larb, with a playful way of eating it.
Water spinach (¥38) remains a must-order, while sticky rice (¥10) and steamed rice (¥5) are perfect for soaking up the heavier sauces. For dessert, don't miss theCoconut Sweet Potato Cake (¥45), pan-fried crisp on the outside and soft within—lighter than traditional nian gao—served with pandan sauce for dipping. To drink, there'sThai Milk Tea (¥30)。
From sauces to dish names, it's clear Chef Guo isn't relying on shortcuts or premade seasonings. The menu doesn't list information beyond the address and business hours, so if you're planning a visit, it's worth confirming the exact location of the Jiashan Road outpost beforehand.
