The Curry Gaeng is a casual eatery specializing in regional Thai curries located within the newly opened Fantang food hall on Yanping Lu. These are fiery, fragrant curries made from scratch—you won’t find a better Thai curry house in Shanghai.

The Curry Gaeng is a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Finding unadulterated Thai food in Shanghai is difficult. Most restaurants tend to use commercial curry pastes, which results in the same cookie cutter menu of watered down dishes. That’s OK. There’s a supply chain for just about anything, so why can’t restaurants do it with curry pastes? And there’s a high demand for cheap Thai food. But that’s boring.

The Curry Gaeng is a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Fresh curry paste is the secret to a good curry. Making pastes from scratch is inexpensive, but it is also extremely time consuming. The Curry Gaeng is all about putting in that effort—all the curry pastes here are freshly made. The result is better tasting curries that are also unique compared to what’s available in Shanghai.

The Curry Gaeng is a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

On The Menu: All The Curries

Most of the curries at The Curry Gaeng are on the spicier side. Some are even challenging for my palate, but God, I love it. If you have an affinity for even more fiery curries, you even can ask for them “extra spicy.” The mildest curry is the Chicken and Peanut Curry with Rice Noodles (¥52) and the spiciest is the Southern Thai Dry Curry Pork (¥56). I love both.

Green curry at The Curry Gaeng, a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Green Curry Chicken and Eggplant (¥52) – Love the texture of the bamboo.

Tofu curry at The Curry Gaeng, a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Green Curry Tofu & Vegetables (¥48)

Red curry at The Curry Gaeng, a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Red Curry Duck, Pineapple, Curry Tomatoes (¥56) – Some people are adverse to pineapple in savory dishes. I’m all for it. It’s also quite common in Southeast Asian dishes. Plus, it adds a juicy element to the curry.

Red curry at The Curry Gaeng, a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Red Curry Chicken and Sour Bamboo (¥52)

Spicy dry curry at The Curry Gaeng, a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Southern Thai Dry Curry Pork (¥56) – My #1 favorite. This is the spiciest on the menu. But it’s oh-so fragrant and addictive.

Dry curry at The Curry Gaeng, a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Southern Thai Dry Curry Chicken (¥52) – Unlike the pork version, this dry curry has a citrusy profile, amplified with lemongrass.

Noodles at The Curry Gaeng, a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Chicken and Peanut Curry with Rice Noodles (¥52) – Favorite #2. This fermented, nutty curry is funky and fragrant.It goes perfectly with these stringy vermicelli noodles.

Sausage patties at The Curry Gaeng, a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Chiang Mai Sausage Patty (¥36/two pieces) – Juicy sausage patties, a must-order.

Satay at The Curry Gaeng, a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Hawker Style Chicken Satay (¥26/two skewers)

Nam Prik Pao at The Curry Gaeng, a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Vegan Nam Prik Pao with roasted chili jam (¥40)

The Curry Gaeng, a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Ajat Thai Cucumber Relish (¥6), chili jam (¥30)

All curries come with rice (except the vermicelli noodle ones, of course) but you can also swap rice for noodles. All curries are also made to order.

Most of the curry paste ingredients are imported, including lemongrass, turmeric and galangal, the essentials of curry. The spice levels may also differ—that’s inevitable due the chilies, which can vary in heat depending on the batch.

Cocktails at The Curry Gaeng, a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Highballs: Hai Mei Mei, whisky and PAO yangmei hibiscus (¥40) and Mizu Horny, Mizu shochu and PAO yuzu jasmine soda (¥45)

For drinks, there’s highballs (from ¥35), draft beers (¥35), sodas.

In Summary: I Love It!

The Curry Gaeng is one of those everyday options. If you’re craving a curry, this is where you should be ordering from, barring restrictions on delivery radius. Either way, I think the curries are fantastic and it’s a great little gem.

The Curry Gaeng is a casual restaurant in Shanghai specializing in regional Thai curries. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Favorites: chicken and peanut curry rice noodles, dry pork curry, green curry chicken, red curry duck, sausage patty.

Daily specials also available, which will rotate, including some vegan options.

They’re still working on delivery options—The Curry Gaeng will be available via Eleme and Meituan in the spring. Meanwhile you can message the official account (thecurrygaeng) and get your delivery via Shansong.


The Curry Gaeng
Address: Inside Fantang food hall, 98 Yanping Lu, near Xinzha Lu 延平路98号, 近新闸路
Tel: 18019276651
Hours: 11am-10pm
WeChat: thecurrygaeng