Orion Bar brings soju-splashed Negronis (and more) to Bushwick
You can rightfully call her a soju fangirl: Irene Yoo—the LA-raised, Brooklyn-based chef behind the Korean-American comfort food pop-up turned content channel Yooeating—is basing her brand-new Brooklyn bar around the stuff.
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At Orion Bar, which opened at 157 Suydam Street in Bushwick this past weekend, you can find the Korean rice liquor is many permutations: as a spritz flavored with omija, mugwort and grapefruit; as a Negroni featuring jujube-infused soju with Sonbi gin, Forthave Red Aperitivo, vermouth, ginseng and a rice wash; or as a Melona frozen, made with Tokki Soju Black Label, Makgeolli, Midori, lime and angostura.
If you don’t want the spirit stirred into a martini (deliciously savory with dried kelp, shiitake, rice vermouth and lemon oil), you can have your soju straight-up in five-buck shots (Jinro is Back, Chamisul Fresh or Chamisul Original) or as a $12 flight. And, of course, the soju bomb, that collegiate favorite, is also on the menu, available with samgyetang-infused soju and Bacchus-D energy drink for $8. There are also by-the-bottle options, including Golden Barley ($39), Tokki White ($48) and Tokki Gold ($77). If you need a break from the starring spirit, the beverage menu includes beers (Founders Solid Gold Lager, Ebb’s IPA No. 3), natural wines and non-alcoholic “bevies” like Korean canned coffee, Chilsung cider and citrussy Osulloc Jeju tea.
You can’t have soju without anju, or drinking snacks—among the belly-coating bar food options, you’ll find shareable stuff like shrimp chips and dips with pollock roe and mascarpone, fries seasoned with kimchi and kewpie, and Spam Musubi with American cheese and caramelized kimchi. There are also heartier dishes including kimchi carbonara, a patty melt loaded with kimchi pimento cheese, and Chapagetti ramyeon upgraded with brisket and truffle oil, in case you’ve got a lot of soju sipping in your near future.