Paal Description

With nearly 30 years of combined bar experience between the two, Paal co-owners, Crawford Su and Aya Guan are no strangers to China’s bar scene. The duo met in Guangdong, where they both grew up and started their drinks industry careers. Separately, they moved to Shanghai, with Crawford joining the Speak Low team in 2014 before jumping over to Flask, and with Aya having a stint at Union Training Co. followed by posting up shop also at Flask. 

But, the two had dreams of owning their own bar since the good ol’ days and finally put pen to paper in 2021, before opening Paal in January 2022 on Nanchang Lu. As two pals wanting to create a laid-back, just-hanging-in-your-friend’s-living-room vibe, the name Paal stuck. 

Cantonese flavors weave their way through the menu’s nine cocktails on offer at Paal, drawing on the two owners’ favorite dishes and regional ingredients from their hometown of Jiangmen. Sweet and sour pork, salted egg yolk zongzi, and aged tangerine peel are currently making an appearance, with drinks set to rotate every few months.