Wineshark Mystery Restaurant - Lai’s Kitchen 美麗小廚

Lai’s Kitchen（美麗小廚）

Date: 1 April 2026

Lai’s Kitchen has been receiving a lot of attention recently, largely driven by its popularity on social media. As the restaurant does not accept reservations for groups smaller than six, we arrived early at its Thomson Road location in Wan Chai to secure a table.

Upon walking up the steps, we were greeted warmly by the staff and shown to our table. The décor immediately brought Tung Po to mind, featuring neon lights, round tables, and an industrial aesthetic that recreates the feel of a traditional dai pai dong in a more modern setting.

We started with Salt & Pepper Frog Legs with Dongjiang Preserved Vegetables 東江梅菜椒鹽田雞腿 ($148). The frog legs were meaty and well-seasoned, while the deep-fried preserved vegetables added a savoury crunch that complemented the salt-and-pepper flavours nicely.

On the staff’s recommendation, we also ordered the Black Bean Razor Clams with Fried Dough Stick 豉椒炒蟶子皇伴油炸鬼 ($300). Although the dish featured two large razor clams, it was unfortunately lacking in wok hei. For a stir-fried dish, this was quite disappointing.

Next was the Three Cups–Style Pan-Fried Sea Eel 三杯煎焗鹹水白鱔 ($298). The eel itself was large and meaty, and the three-cups sauce was flavourful, but the dish was overly salty. It might have paired better with beer, but on its own, the saltiness was rather overwhelming.

The undisputed highlight of the meal was the restaurant’s signature claypot rice. The staff assisted us by adding oil and soy sauce and timing the doneness of the Shrimp Paste and Dried Shrimp with Pork Collar Claypot Rice 蝦醬蝦乾肉板根煲仔飯 ($138). With fragrant rice and crisped edges, the dish fully lived up to expectations. Both the dried shrimp and pork collar were delicious, and the shrimp paste added wonderful depth to the flavour.

For dessert, I had the Ginger Milk Pudding 薑汁奶凍 ($50). A layer of ginger jelly sat atop the silky milk pudding, delivering a strong and intense ginger kick. The spiciness balanced well with the sweetness of the pudding. My wife ordered the Yellow Fungus, Snow Fungus, and Red Date Sweet Soup 黃耳銀耳紅棗糖水 ($50), which was light and pleasant, though unremarkable.

Service was generally decent—some staff were friendly and attentive, while others were less responsive. The total bill for the evening came to $1,049. Taking everything into account, I would rate Lai’s Kitchen a Good (68 points). It is worth trying, particularly for the claypot rice.