For the people!
By Heather Millet
Exterior of Pawoo by. Photo by Maria Menand / That's
It is called Pawoo by, a name meant to evoke youthful—or perhaps drunken—mispronunciation of the phrase 'powered by.'
Pawoo by Interior. Photo Courtesy of Pawoo by
The bar title was chosen to recognize that Shanghai beverage-seekers have a mature palate, but also lively demand for satisfying whims.
They know what they like and they want it precisely. So much so that menu direction at the bar is being led full charge by the people who drink there.
Co-Founders of Pawoo by: Folen Cheng (L) and Dali Yu (R)
Pawoo by was co-founded by Folen Cheng, who previously worked at Union Trading Company as well as Pop Corner, and Dali Yu, who is bringing experience from J.Boroski.
Their third co-founder, Amy Huang, is a humble alcohol aficionado, and the three are quite simply friends.
The trio want their customers to be the electrifying force behind an evolving menu, set to a simple environment.
Bar Seating at Pawoo by. Photo Courtesy of Pawoo by
Decor is minimalist, providing a clean foundation to the playfulness of their drinks, with evenly bright lighting and muted shades.
Pawooby secret sliding door. Photo by Maria Menand / That's
Bottles are hidden by sliding cupboard doors, and navy blue hues dominate the furniture.
Wall seating at Pawoo by. Photo by Maria Menand / That's
Conversation and cocktails are meant to flow equally smoothly in this space. A careful selection of music is instrumental only to avoid interrupting conversation.
Menu and upcoming cocktail request by a friend… story yet to unfold. Photo by Maria Menand / That's
The beverage selection will represent individuals that have come to the bar, with the first signature menu having been molded by requests or ideas from friends and early customers.
On the flipside, their bespoke menu is meant for tailoring and gamifying the drinking experience.
All cocktails, whether signature or bespoke, are RMB98.
Signatures follow the growth of a plant for now, mirroring their starting days as the bar is in its first phase.
Seed (RMB98): Rum, Peanut & Sesame Sauce, Guava, Lime, Agave Syrup. Photo by Maria Menand / That's
On the lighter side is the Seed, which is meant to have a subtle nuttiness and umami via the direct addition of a dash of 2/8 Sauce.
For those unfamiliar, this is the sauce most associated with hot pot, made from 2-parts peanut and 8-parts sesame.
The drink is surprisingly refreshing thanks to fresh guava.
Saccharify (RMB98): Blended Whisky, Dried Longan, Black Sugar, Water Chestnut Sauce, Red Dates, Chocolate Bitters. Photo by Maria Menand / That's
The Saccharify stays true to its name, taking a sweet twist on an Old Fashioned with clever use of Chinese ingredients, including tea, longan, and red dates.
The usual punch of the classic is softened with flavor extracted from water chestnuts.
Folen Cheng, co-founder of Pawoo by and winner of the 2024 Bacardi Legacy Competition, China. Photo by Logan Wu / That's
In 2024, Cheng won the Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition for China with a drink titled Bear Fruit, which is available in the current run of cocktails at Pawoo by.
2024 Bacardi Legacy Champion Cocktail, the Bear Fruit (RMB98): Bacardi White Rum, Pineapple, Sichuan Peppercorn Oil, AER, Lime, Smoked Lapsang Souchong Tea
Lapsang Souchong Tea marries with a hint of Sichuan pepper, balanced by citrus and pineapple.
Fermentation (RMB98): Marsala Infused Calvados, Kombucha, Melon, Peach
A more unusual cocktail is the Fermentation, which directly uses kombucha as the namesake ingredient, with fresh honeydew to contrast, marsala infused Calvados, and fresh peach.
Co-Founder Dali Yu, bringing his prior experience with bespoke cocktail creation from J.Boroski. Photo by Logan Wu / That's
With reverence to Yu's experience, the bespoke side of the menu will offer a matrix to select from.
The circuitry of choices goes first through structure (sour, fizz, old fashioned), to alcohol base (gin, rum, whisky, etc.), and into more definition with added flavors, bitters.
They are also open to random requests to challenge the mixologist.
Bespoke Cocktail (RMB98): Mezcal Verde, Black Sugar, Chili, Tea, Lime. Photo by Maria Menand / That's
For example, asking for sour, mezcal and chili resulted in a smokey, spicy concoction that included Campari.
There will be an ever-revolving selection of options in the bespoke menu—which should be ready by the time you are reading this—and those which are most successful may find permanent residence on upcoming menus.
Swing through Pawoo by to charge up on drinks, and help power their vision.
Dali Yu, here to serve you the people. Photo by Maria Menand /That's
Daily, 7pm-2am
63 Ruijin Er Lu, Huangpu District 黄浦区瑞金二路63号
[Cover Photo by Maria Menand /That's]
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