The Place
Fafu – the Korean BBQ late night favorite amongst many a Shanghai chef and bartender – now has a younger (and bar-focused) brother, Hanok. It opened in Shake’s old spot on Maoming Lu this past June.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Hanok is first and foremost a seltzer bar (read: highballs made with Korean spirits like soju and cheongju and Korean culinary ingredients) that also offers Korean bar snacks by Fafu owner Jacob Ju and his team.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
With mixed-level seating for over 70 (across hightops, booths, counter seats, and private tables for different group sizes), the traditional Korean design aesthetic is juxtaposed against a ‘bubble wall’ backbar focal point – like a fish tank sans fish, plus a lot of flowing and glowing bubbles – an homage to the highball-centric menu and lively atmosphere.
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The Drinks & Food
The first page of drinks are all in line with the restaurant’s eye-catching bubble wall – seltzer water-based libations with Korean riffs on the classic highball.
Using an American-imported soda machine, all carbonated water is made fresh-to-order, ensuring the silkiest Champagne-esque bubbles, a noticeable difference when compared with standard store-bought carbonated water.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Milder highballs – like the Barley Tea (RMB88), paired with whiskey, or the Pine Needles (RMB88), stirred with gin – make for easy drinking.
The bolder highballs, meanwhile, pack a stronger, flavorful punch, not unlike a craft cocktail – like the 90 Day’s Tomato (RMB88), a blend of a premium tomato drink found in South Korea and whiskey that come together like a Bloody Mary-meets-highball sipper.
Or the Berry Much (RMB88), a fruity syrup comprised of fresh strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, cranberries and red wine combined with whiskey.
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A more refreshing alternative to the commonplace pairing of whiskey and ginger, the Ginger (RMB88) uses a fiery homemade ginger syrup, its nose-tingling heat mellowed by a hit of soda water.
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Hanok signatures begin with a mix of cuisine-inspired cocktails, such as the Samgyetang (RMB128), that bridges traditional Korean chicken ginseng soup with cocktail culture.
Crafted through low temperature distillation that preserves the aromas of said slow-cooked samgyetang soup, the cocktail is augmented by the addition of makgeolli – lending a necessary sticky rice fragrance – and gin.
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Presented in a mini kimchi onggi (or earthenware pot), the cocktail is paired with traditional Korean snacks like rice puffs and yakgwa – a deep-fried Korean confectionary made with honey, cheongju rice wine, sesame oil and ginger syrup.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Similarly, the Tofu (RMB128) sees the curious addition of soft tofu paired with Jeju Island citrus soju. Pandan leaves, taro and coconut amplify the soy’s natural saccharinity, resulting in layers of sweet complexity and a creamy mouthfeel.
Beyond the crafted cocktails, the menu also offers a robust selection of whiskeys ranging from Scotland to Japan, plus Korean spirits, like soju, makgeolli and cheongju, all meant for creating your own highball.
Welcome Snack – Homemade low-oil cassava chips, traditional Korean chestnut porridge, and Korean 'hangover' tea meant for preventing what the day after drinking may bring. Image by Sophie Steiner/That’s
Along the same lines, the snacks lineup is a tight menu of 11 plates meant for sharing, with options like...
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The K-Chicken Pancake (RMB88), a mix of battered chicken thigh meat, seared for a crisp exterior yet juicy interior, dribbled in a sticky sauce with shaved scallions on top, all based on an ancient Korean Royal Court recipe reserved for emperors.
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The Dwaeji Gomtang (RMB68), a melt-in-your-mouth Iberico pork slowly simmered broth with soft yet still chewy broken rice, served with a mix of banchan – like gochujang paste, white kimchi, homemade pickles, and owner Jacob’s mother’s recipe for stir-fried crispy anchovies.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
My Honey Chicken (RMB98), classic Korean-style fried chicken, fully deboned, battered, flash-fried, and drizzled in a pure honey sauce.
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And Octopus Muchim with Plum Sauce (RMB88), boiled then torched sliced baby octopus, plated above a seasoned and julienned salad of green apple, bell peppers and water parsley, all drizzled tableside in a tart homemade ume plum dressing.
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Other Korean-style bar snacks span Fafu Pork Kimchi Egg Roll (RMB78), Grilled Dried Squid (RMB48), Jang Kalguksu Spicy Noodle Soup (RMB58), and Galbi-Jjim with Chestnut Puree (RMB268).
The Vibe
Inspired by traditional Korean houses – hanok , hence the name – the space sees Korean elements like wooden beams and columns, granite and stone foundations and counters, and even real birch wood branches lining the ceiling, that create shadows across the tables evoking a sense of being in the forest.
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At the entrance, guests are greeted at a door covered in a type of traditional slatted Korean paper; the bar is adorned with pottery and jewelry boxes hand-carried from Korea; and the walls are decorated with art pieces by Korean artist Arita Ugeng, who combines ancient Korean elements with pop culture and modern TV drama imagery.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Correspondingly, the upbeat music is a curated list of trendy Korean covers of Top 40 hits and pop, with tempos to match the enthusiastic drinking pace.
Image by Sophie Steiner/That's
Price: RMB120-300
Who’s Going: The South Korean expat contingency, Fafu fans, Jing’an dwellers of all ages
Good For: Everyday Korean food fixes, Korean spirit consumption, casual comfort eats
Hanok, 3/F, 46 Maoming Nan Lu, by Jinxian Lu 茂名南路46号3楼, 近进贤路
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[Cover image by Sophie Steiner/That's]
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