Lucky You for Cantonese BBQ & Dim Sum in Shanghai (Closed)

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Lucky You 发达盛 is a Cantonese restaurant on Fumin Lu serving all-day dim sum, excellent Cantonese barbecue, and classics from Guangdong. There are even a few American-Chinese dishes like General Tsao’s Chicken. It’s affordable, tasty and open late.

Cantonese Food at Lucky You: Don't Miss The BBQ

Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Fumin Lu is a hotspot, mostly for its cluster of drink-friendly venues. New on the strip is Lucky You, a Cantonese restaurant by Charles Zeng of Charlie’s burger joint. It’s not Charles’ first foray into Cantonese cuisine. He already has two Cantonese restaurants, Yang Lao Tu 洋老土 (hotpot) and Shang Yue Lou 尚悦楼 (Shunde cuisine).

Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Lucky You is more of a Cantonese diner/cha can ting with an easy-going menu of Cantonese barbecue, stir-frys and dim sum. I have to admit that I was a bit torn when it replaced Tsui Wah, an international Hong Kong style chain. But Lucky You is a good change up.

Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

The barbecue is particularly excellent, made possible by their barbecue chef, who was formerly a chef at Lei Garden, a highly regarded restaurant for Cantonese food and dim sum. Lucky You’s dim sum chef and cooks have also been handpicked from other Cantonese restaurants in Shanghai.

If you had to choose one, it must be the Black BBQ Roast Pork Charsiu (¥98). Two rows of chunky pork belly roasted and glazed in a thick, sticky-sweet glaze come served over boiled peanuts. You can even see barbecue ring on the meat. The sauce is so caramelized that it sticks to your teeth.

Charsiu. Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Black BBQ Roast Pork

Another must-order is the Crispy BBQ Pork (¥98), crisped not only on the skin, but all sides, and the Crispy Roasted Chicken (¥78/half, ¥142/whole), perfectly seasoned and a fantastically brittle skin. Other barbecue includes goose, pigeon and soy sauce chicken. Combo barbecue platters are ¥88 for two kinds, ¥128 for three.

Roast Pork. Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Crispy BBQ Pork

Crispy Roasted Chicken. Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Crispy Roasted Chicken

The dim sum selection is short and sweet with highlights such as the Steamed Shrimp Dumplings (¥32/three) and Steamed Pork Ribs (¥28) in black bean sauce. My go-to dim sum order is always the Pan-Fried Turnip Cake (¥26), which Lucky You does well, served with their spicy house XO sauce.

Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Steamed Shrimp Dumplings

Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Steamed Pork Ribs

Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Pan-Fried Turnip Cake

Couple all that with some appetizers, carbs and veg. Lucky You also has a wide selection of fresh seafood from whole groupers to crab and razor clams to shrimp.

Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Crispy Fish Skin with Salted Egg Yolk (¥68) - A fantastic snack food, great with drinks, and a good starter to share.

Fried Rice. Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

One Piece Fried Rice (¥88) - A sizeable bowl of fried rice with shrimp.

Fried Noodles. Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Stir-Fried Noodle with Black Bean Sauce (¥38) - Excellently springy golden brown noodles.

Dim sum and Cantonese food in Shanghai at Lucky You. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Mixed Greens in Claypot with XO Sauce (¥46)

And if you’ve ever fancied American-Chinese food, you’ll be glad to know that Lucky You has a few of those fan favorites, including General Tsao’s Chicken (¥56). Oh yeah. I indulge in this. Give me all the saucy chicken and a bowl of rice.

American Chinese food at Lucky You, a Cantonese restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

General Tsao’s Chicken

Lucky You Also Has Sandwiches

New on the menu are sandwiches, using the Cantonese barbecue mentioned above. They’re impossible to not like. Good for quick lunch or to cure late night munchies post-drinks. All sandwiches are ¥68 and come with fries.

Cantonese sandwiches at Lucky You, Cantonese restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Charsiu Grilled Cheese (¥68) - Charsiu, mozzarella cheddar, garlic, butter, and a reduction of the sweet and savory sauce.

Cantonese sandwiches at Lucky You, Cantonese restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Crispy Pork Sandwich (¥68) - Chicken liver pate, sriracha, pickles, pork belly, coriander, mint and basil.

Cantonese sandwiches at Lucky You, Cantonese restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

Crispy Chicken Sandwich (¥68) - Crispy chicken, foie terrine, spicy English mustard and coriander.

Speaking of drinks, Lucky You has a number of HK-style drinks, a couple of standard cocktails, highballs (from ¥28), Asahi (¥25) and wines (from ¥35/glass). Yeah, those prices are good. And their bottled spirits—Patron, Kinobi, Dassai, Laphroiag, Plantation, etc.—are also competitively priced. They're also working on a Scorpion Bowl, a flambéed tiki cocktail.

Lucky You, Cantonese restaurant in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.