SoolHaus Bangkok Finds Its Rhythm Through Korean Flavours
A perilla sour, a cocktail seasoned with kimchi brine and a banana drink served in a bubble tea cup make SoolHaus’s intentions fairly clear. Korean influences reach well beyond the décor at this bar inside Canopy Bangkok Sukhumvit, where the drinks draw on herbs, fermented ingredients and familiar comforts. Its proximity to Sukhumvit Plaza, Bangkok’s established Koreatown, gives the concept a neighbourhood connection, while the menu supplies enough variety to make that connection interesting in the glass.
The room sets an appropriately nocturnal scene. A brightly illuminated back bar faces a dark counter, with warm overhead lighting picking out the architectural details. Elsewhere, red light washes across timber screens and a pitched ceiling, with a glowing emblem giving the space a more contemporary edge. The design references traditional Korean forms without making the setting feel like a historical reconstruction. It is a room built for an evening that can begin with conversation and gather momentum as it continues.
That progression is written into the menu. Organised around five “chas”, each representing a stage of the Korean drinking experience, it moves from shared soju to lighter cocktails, more assertive flavours, playful karaoke-inspired drinks and a final non-alcoholic selection. There is no obligation to follow the sequence, but it gives the programme a useful shape. The six serves sampled cover all five chas, showing how widely SoolHaus interprets its Korean starting point.
The Soju Bomb provides the most direct introduction to the first cha. Draft beer and house soju arrive with the shot glasses balanced above the beer on chopsticks, turning a simple combination into a small piece of table theatre. It establishes the communal side of the concept before the more elaborate cocktails appear. SoolHaus also builds a shared soju toast into its nightly programming, extending that sense of participation beyond individual tables.
Perilla Silk, from the second cha, moves into more considered cocktail territory. Perilla fat-washed vodka meets sour green apple, green apple, lemon and dry vermouth, with egg white giving the pale drink its foamy surface. Served in a shallow coupe with a leaf garnish, it takes the recognisable shape of a sour while introducing a Korean culinary herb as its defining ingredient. Apple and lemon provide the sharp framework; the perilla gives the recipe an aromatic direction beyond fruit alone. Dry vermouth adds another botanical component to a drink whose name promises softness.
The third cha turns towards stronger, more savoury territory, with SoolHaus Banchan offering a particularly clear expression of the idea. Gin, soju and dry vermouth are joined by maesil-ju, kimchi brine and sesame saline, translating the inspiration of Korean side dishes into a cocktail. The combination sets plum against fermented acidity and salt, with gin supplying a familiar botanical foundation. Its clear appearance and restrained presentation conceal a considerably more adventurous ingredient list than the glass initially suggests. Kimchi brine functions as seasoning, giving the cocktail a direct connection to the Korean table.
Yuja Jewel offers a fruitier expression of the third cha, combining gin and sloe gin with Lillet Blanc, yuja, Korean pear and lemon, clarified with milk. The recipe brings fragrant citrus and pear into a botanical framework, while milk clarification lends the drink its silky character. Yuja provides a distinctly Korean point of reference, with sloe gin introducing another fruit component alongside the pear. Set beside SoolHaus Banchan, it demonstrates the breadth of this cha, moving from fermented seasonings to fruit and citrus while maintaining the menu’s culinary connections.
The fourth cha allows the programme to loosen its collar. Inspired by the karaoke stage of an evening, this selection favours playful formats and familiar treats. Citrus Broadcast is designed for two and takes its cue from bingsu, with vodka, mandarin, orange liqueur, makrut lime leaf, honey and lime. The serve arrives in a bowl, with a generous mound rising above the rim and citrus arranged around it. Its scale and spoon-friendly presentation shift the interaction from holding a cocktail glass to sharing something across the table. Mandarin and honey establish a sweeter register, while lime and makrut lime leaf introduce contrasting citrus elements.
Yellow Frequency, also from the fourth cha, follows another familiar format: bubble tea. Vodka, banana, banana milk, lemon and cream are served with tapioca pearls in a branded takeaway-style cup. Visually, it is almost disarmingly ordinary, which is part of the appeal. The recipe makes room for the soft, creamy character of banana milk while lemon supplies an acidic counterpoint. The pearls add a physical element to the drink, making texture part of the idea rather than leaving all the interest to flavour.
Alongside Citrus Broadcast, it shows a willingness to borrow from everyday treats without insisting that every cocktail look solemn. Seoul Bam belongs to the fifth, non-alcoholic cha. Roasted barley tea, apple and brown sugar form a concise recipe, served over ice with a dried apple garnish. Barley gives this part of the menu a different direction from the citrus and cream of the preceding drinks, introducing a roasted ingredient where another fruit-led refresher might have been the easier choice. It also keeps the Korean reference present when spirits leave the recipe. The fifth cha feels like a continuation of the programme, with its own identity and presentation.
Food follows the same approachable logic, with a short selection that suits a table occupied by several drinks. The Hot Dog – Charcoal Wagyu Beef arrives as two generously dressed pieces, topped with gochujang ketchup, honey mustard, fried leek and spring onions. The sauces run across the beef, with a fine tangle of fried leek providing height. It is a familiar bar-food format given a Korean accent through the gochujang, and a substantial option alongside the smaller bites. Its generous presentation suits the more informal side of the drinks programme.
Golden Chicken is the more obvious companion to the opening beer and soju. The menu specifies chicken thigh marinated in ganjang, with gochugaru, danmuji and a soy-garlic glaze. The pieces arrive glossy and generously coated, scattered with sesame and accompanied by yellow pickled radish. Here, the Korean influence is expressed through a recognisable combination of fried chicken, chilli, soy and pickles. It fits comfortably into the bar’s emphasis on food that can be shared without interrupting the evening.
Crispy Kimmari completes the selection with fried seaweed rolls accompanied by truffle, fermented vegetables and sesame soya. Their cut ends reveal the filling beneath the golden exterior, while the dark seaweed remains visible through the casing. The dish gives the table another fried option in a smaller format, with fermented vegetables carrying through an ingredient theme already explored in SoolHaus Banchan. Together, the three dishes give the food menu enough variety to support an extended visit while keeping the attention on the drinks.
Across these drinks and dishes, SoolHaus gives its Korean inspiration several distinct expressions: the shared ritual of soju, the savoury possibilities of fermentation, the comfort of banana milk and the sociability of a bowl made for two. The five chas provide a framework that accommodates a composed sour, a more exploratory savoury cocktail and something cheerfully informal within the same evening. With food supporting the pace, SoolHaus has enough character in its glasses to make the setting more than a handsome backdrop.
SoolHaus Bangkok
Tel: +662 146 2891
Website: https://www.soolhaus.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soolhausbar.bkk/
Location: Canopy Bangkok Sukhumvit, 98, 98/1 Soi Sukhumvit 12, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110, Thailand.
Credits
Article: Wariya Intreyonk
Photos: Wariya Intreyonk
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