Swapping out the rice noodles in Pad Thai for orecchiette might sound like a whim in the kitchen, but one bite tells you it's a carefully considered call—the pasta itself has bite, and the balance between wok hei and sauce is dialed in just right, giving this signature street dish a whole new textural layer. This is the first signal Akanee (¥58) sends: what's happening here isn't the Thai stir-fry tourists already know, but rather the "New Thai Cuisine" that's been trending in Bangkok lately—Thai flavors paired with Western technique and refined plating.
The restaurant sits on a quiet residential lane in Changning, having opened last September in a space previously occupied by Alley1923. The renovated single-story old house still keeps its arched ceilings and a dining space with a bit of raw edge to it, with the bar facing directly onto the open kitchen. This kind of spatial feel is getting rare in Shanghai these days.
At the helm is May Phannita, a Le Cordon Bleu graduate who previously worked at Oliang Bangkok Bistro in Bangkok. Her approach layers Western techniques—sous vide, refined plating—onto Thai flavor profiles, but most dishes still make a trip through the charcoal grill, so the flavor foundation doesn't lose its authenticity just because the technique has changed.
Among the starters, the Jellyfish with Spicy & Sour Sauce (¥68) pairs crunchy jellyfish with glass noodles and cashews, hitting a spice level of around 9—the kind of heat that jolts your senses awake. If spice isn't your thing, swap it for the Avocado Seafood Salad (¥78), which uses a similar sauce but milder, equally appetite-whetting.
The Sous Vide Wagyu Tongue (¥88) deserves a special call-out here: the tongue is first cooked sous vide, then finished on the charcoal grill, giving it smoky depth and slightly charred edges. It comes with two sauces—one a rich, tangy tamarind sauce loaded with Northern Thai pepper, fried sticky rice grains, and palm sugar, the other a lighter version made with lime and green chili. That tamarind sauce is good enough to make you want to buy a bottle to take home.
The Panang Grilled Chicken Thigh (¥78) reduces Panang curry down into a concentrated sauce, with chunky charcoal-grilled chicken thigh meat laid on top—sweet, spicy, nutty, and savory all at once, with Thai lime leaf adding a hint of citrus brightness. The layers are complex but never messy.
Several other dishes also stand above average: the Peppery Stir-Fried Squid (¥98) has bouncy, chewy squid paired with two kinds of chili, garlic, and fish sauce, hitting every note—sour, sweet, spicy, and salty. The signature Stir-Fried Curry Crab (¥298) has a silky sauce, with egg and yellow curry whisked thick enough, and fresh crab roe—perfect over rice. If dealing with a whole crab feels like too much hassle, next time try the prawn version instead (¥128).
Dessert takes a creative route: Thai Milk Tea Pudding with Salted Cream Cheese (¥48) and Coconut Mung Bean Pudding (¥38) are the two headliners, with the latter being lighter and refreshing—a great way to wrap things up after a mouthful of spice.
Akanee is quite popular right now, so booking ahead is recommended if you want to go.
