03/08/2023
6:30 pm
Nathalia Durval
The waiter takes a green bottle, filled with a colorless liquid, and shakes it up and down, turns it from side to side and shows the customers a swirl that is formed from the contents. With another quick hand gesture, he opens the cap and, only then, pours the drink into a shot glass.
The scene is frequent among those who order soju at Ogame, a bar and restaurant in Bom Retiro. The drink is a typical South Korean distillate, made from rice or sweet potato, and became the national drink.
Lucas Lee, owner of Ogame restaurant and bar, serves soju –
“Here in Brazil, everything is beer. From celebrations to drowning sorrows. It’s no different in Korea, but there, everything is with soju”, says Lucas Lee, who runs the address in the São Paulo neighborhood.
Soju has an alcohol content that ranges from 12% to 41% —higher than the 4% average of beer, for example. The distillate is still the best selling in the world, according to the ranking published annually by Drinks International magazine.
There are a number of rituals involved in drinking soju in addition to shaking the bottle. The main rule, says Lee, is to toast and flip everything at once. He claims that the clientele of Brazilians willing to try soju has grown, thanks to the growing interest in Korean culture.
The drink was created in the 13th century. Here in Brazil, it arrived with immigrants who came from South Korea, in the 1960s. Today, it is possible to find different brands of the drink in bars, restaurants and markets. Discover ten places to try soju in São Paulo below.
Arena Karaoke Bar
The soju helps to release the gogó in this karaoke. The drink is sold in a bottle, with prices from R$42 to R$48, or blended with fruit and other items in a one-liter pitcher, for R$60.
R. Talmud Thorá, 63, Bom Retiro, WhatsApp (11) 97696-1680
Bicol
It sells a special soju, Hwayo, with an alcohol content of 41%. It is distilled from rice and aged in typical Korean porcelain. The bottle (375 ml) costs BRL 200.
R. José Getúlio, 422, Liberdade, central region, tel. (11) 3208-4123
komah
The restaurant invests in drinks that have soju in the recipe. Keopi (R$37) is made with coffee-infused soju, Amaro di Angostura, mixed bitters and miso caramel.
R. Cônego Vicente Miguel Marino, 378, Barra Funda, tel (11) 91652-2249
monster
South Korean Julie Cho set up the bar because she wanted to have a place to have soju with friends. Over there, the typical distillate is served in a bottle and costs from R$50 to R$55.
R. Guarani, 465, Bom Retiro, central region, tel. (11) 91595-5588
ogame
With a menu specializing in meat, the restaurant and bar sells soju for R$45 to R$49 a bottle. The flavored version comes in options like green grape, strawberry and peach.
R. Lopes Trovão, 50, Bom Retiro, central region, WhatsApp (11) 94151-4667
oksan
The house brings together karaoke, restaurant and bar. The soju blended with fruits such as watermelon and lemon costs R$60 for a 900 ml pitcher. Another suggestion is the caipirinha made with soju, for R$30.
R. Prates, 611, Bom Retiro, central region, WhatsApp (11) 99517-1919
rainbow beer
Craft beers are the specialty, but there is also soju on the menu. The traditional bottle costs R$40 and flavors like strawberry, green grape and plum cost R$45.
R. Prates, 560, Bom Retiro, central region, WhatsApp (11) 96179-8470
Seoul Chicken
The restaurant specializes in fried chicken, which is a popular pairing with soju. The traditional bottle of the drink costs BRL 40 and the fruit bottle costs BRL 45.
R. Guarani, 127, Bom Retiro, central region, WhatsApp (11) 91042-2801
Wabar
The bar offers drinks that have soju in the recipe, named after Korean series. One of the flagships is Goblin, which combines soju, Yakult and strawberry. Round 6 mixes soju and orange juice. Both cost R$60.
R. Prates, 613, Bom Retiro, central region, WhatsApp (11) 99611-6120
wooza
In this Korean bar, a bottle of soju costs R$35 for the original and R$37 for a blueberry or green grape. The house drink named ruju
combines spirit, Sicilian lemon and Sprite. It costs BRL 25.
R. França Pinto, 203, Vila Mariana, south region, WhatsApp (11) 97399-6990
Source: Folha
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