Lailai Snack Dumpling — Restaurant in Shanghai

Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant selling the ubiquitous Xiao Long Bao of Shanghai. Expect long queues at any time of the day with a lot of local tourists and foreigners. The queue does move quickly. Peruse the menu while you are in the queue. Be ready to order when you reach the head of the queue.

We ordered Xiao Long Bao, Duck Blood soup, pork chop and dumpling soups (both the large and smaller versions). Total damage was RMB221 for three pax.

The plump Xiao Long Baos were definitely the MVP of the restaurant. Filled with juicy meat and crab roe, the gravy spills out with every bite so be careful as these are scalding hot.

Pork chop was also nice. Bread crumbs flour coated in the outside and fried to golden brown. Very crispy on the outside and pink tender pork on the inside. Reminds me of the Tonkatsu of Japan but the ones here are thin cut.

The blood curdle soup was a joy since duck blood has been banned in Singapore for so many years. Love the tofu like texture of the duck blood with just a hint of firmness.

Both the dumplings were however quite ordinary. Can skip if you don’t have the capacity to consume too much at one seating.

Overall, well deserving of a Bib Gourmand award and I personally feel better than the other Bib Gourmand Xiao Long Bao in Shanghai. Strongly...

I visited this xiao long bao shop on a Sunday morning at 11 AM, just before the lunch rush. Due to its popularity, I waited about 25 minutes to be seated. It’s worth noting that customers need to order and pay before being seated, which, while a bit unusual, helps streamline the ordering process.

Once seated, I waited another 10 minutes for the xiao long bao to arrive. When they finally came, the steaming buns released an enticing aroma that was hard to resist. The taste was absolutely amazing—the soup inside was rich and flavorful, and the meat filling was tender and juicy. The thickness of the bun skin was just right, allowing the delicious filling to shine without being overwhelming.

The atmosphere of the restaurant was bright and simple, although it felt a bit crowded during peak hours. Nonetheless, the overall dining experience was very enjoyable. The staff were friendly and efficient, quickly handling the orders.

Overall, this is a highly recommended xiao long bao shop with outstanding flavor and great value. It was definitely worth the wait, and I will certainly return and recommend it...

📸 The problem with touristy restaurants like Lai Lai Xiaolong is that most of their guests have probably never had xiaolongbao before.

🐣 The place benefits from a kind of beginner’s luck — highly praised, but mostly by diners who are new to Chinese and Shanghainese cuisine.

⏰ Don’t get me wrong — their soup dumplings are good. But are they good enough to justify waiting 30–60 minutes and paying over 80 yuan for four plain crab dumplings? My answer is a firm no. To top it off, your bill even includes an extra 1 yuan charge for ginger!

🐖 The menu is quite limited, featuring only a handful of items: breaded pork chops and chicken skewers for the meats, plus some decently sized wontons.

🦀 If you’re a diehard hairy crab lover, you can give Lai Lai Xiaolong a try — but you’ll likely find better value and more authentic Shanghainese flavors at less-hyped spots, if you’re willing to do a bit...