Shanghai Restaurant Review: Jeju Izakaya – That’s Shanghai

For a cynical food critic, Jeju Izakaya is a unicorn restaurant – the kind of place that crops up once every few years. Seating eight across from an open kitchen, diners are served creative but affordable Korean fusion cuisine directly by the chefs. The place is so small it doesn’t have its own bathroom, though an agreement has been reached with The Cannery restaurant next door. 

Being neither particularly expensive nor large, for Jeju to work, it needs backing from at least a moderately generous parent company. Luckily, it has one in the form of the Belloco restaurant group, who also own Korean fusion concept Professor Lee. Jeju was intended as its research kitchen, with the most successful dishes making their way into the other restaurants. 

Despite being chef-driven, Jeju is rooted in comfort food that is conducive to alcohol consumption. It is an izakaya after all, a Japanese style of bar that serves inexpensive food. Shochu and highballs are the focus of the drink menu, customizable with various spirits and mixers. 

Our North Korean ginseng liquor with ginger ale strikes a good balance between herbal and sweet (RMB48).

Food begins with tofu, pressed into a ball until it resembles ricotta. It’s covered in Hollandaise sauce and laid on a bed of robust and spicy kimchi ragu, which completely steals the show (RMB88). 

The runaway dish of the night, however, is spaghetti aglio olio with uni (sea urchin, RMB108). Seldom is uni pasta greater than the sum of its parts, and our theory would apply to Jeju’s version were the ultra garlicky and peppery spaghetti not by itself so delicious. 

Every now and again, the tiny space is perfumed with the mesmerizingly gorgeous smell of freshly cooked rice, familiar to anyone who’s stuck their head over a rice cooker. The rice is cooked with precisely the same measured amount of water each time to preserve its texture. Sushi-sized portions of it are laden with Korean pulled pork, torched and dabbed with wasabi in another excellent dish (RMB98). 

Dried pollock fish, and grilled pork neck with a volcanically hot chili anchovy sauce fill us to bursting point, but we still can’t resist ordering one of the daily specials: spicy crab ‘ramen’ (RMB98). Using instant noodles, which are venerated in Korean cooking culture, Jeju’s ramen is more like budaejjigae – a type of stew traditionally made in army barracks – and filled with crab, clams, shrimps and leeks. Fragrant and spicy, it was worth every bite. 

Overseen by the charming multi-lingual manager and former scientist Chan, who collaborates with the head chef to design Jeju’s dishes, this tiny gem of a restaurant has both personality and substance. Unless you can’t stand seafood or spicy food, we suspect you will like it too. Our advice is to go now, before it gets too popular. 

Oh, and don't forget to make a reservation, only by adding their wechat (ID: jejuizakaya).

Price: RMB300-400 per personWho’s going: Koreans and localsGood for: dates, Korean food

See a listing for Jeju Izakaya

Read more Shanghai Restaurant Reviews

4/5 Restaurant Review Shanghai Restaurant Review Betty Richardson Korean Food New restaurants