Rohan Lounge Serves up Korean Specialty Drinks Made with Soju

photo: Francis da Silva

Rohan's bartender Chellis Ying stands behind a drink on the bar made with soju.

By Dmitry Kiper

As refreshing as a dip in Lake Tahoe in early spring and as awakening as a slap in the face, soju is a traditional Korean liquor that has been gaining popularity the last few years outside of its mother country, primarily in Asia (especially Japan) and the United States.

A law in California, as well as in a few other states, allows for the sale of soju with a beer and wine liquor license. Although this option could be monetarily beneficial to many license holders - compared to beer and wine, soju has a high alcohol content (25 percent) - few have taken advantage of this law like the Rohan Lounge, which bills itself as "San Francisco's first and premium soju bar."

Although it would not be too difficult to find a San Francisco restaurant or bar that serves soju, it would be difficult to find a place that serves soju like the Rohan Lounge.

Located on Geary Boulevard near Second Avenue, the lounge offers 10 unique soju cocktails (all $6) with names like "Asian Blonde," "Confucius" and "Haiku:" They are all made with soju and fresh juices.

The lounge is also a Korean-fusion restaurant, which combines diverse Asian culinary flavors and cooking styles. On weekends, patrons can order appetizers as late as 1 a.m.

Inside the lounge, a small disco-ball hangs over the bar near the entrance alongside the DJ, where jazz, funk, swing and hip hop records are spun - there are live DJs a few times a week, especially on the weekends. Opposite the bar, a long dark-red couch of leather and velvet graces the bamboo-covered main wall.

Husband and wife team Rolan Reichel and Anlie Han, in their early 30s, are the unlikely owners of Rohan Lounge. Their story begins in Texas. Reichel left Austin 10 years ago to go to UC Berkeley to pursue a Master's Degree in Social Welfare. He met Han in 1998 and they got married in 2001. At around that time, they decided to open a Korean-fusion restaurant/lounge.

"The idea was born around a kitchen table," Reichel recalls.

At the time of this modest proposal, Reichel was working as a social worker in San Francisco and Han was pursuing a Ph.D. in psychology.

"Our family and friends thought it was kind of crazy," Reichel admits. "The restaurant business is hard. They didn't think it was such a good idea."

It took them a year, but they raised the money from their friends and relatives, got a lease and built the Rohan Lounge.

Despite the fact that they serve sake, beer, wine and Korean rice wine, Reichel admits that they are mostly known for soju cocktails. The Rohan Lounge goes through approximately 250 liters of soju a month - about 3,000 cocktails.

Soju is distilled from rice, barley and sweet potatoes. It has a light, crisp, eye-opening taste and it can be served as a shot, on the rocks or in a cocktail.

Originally, soju was homemade and not manufactured commercially. It was introduced to Korea's upper class around the 13th century. About 100 years after its debut, soju made its way into the life of the average farmer. The tradition of making soju from a blend of rice, potatoes and grains came from the harsh reality of farm life: They made the liquor with what little ingredients they had.

The lounge staff sometimes has to do "a lot of educating of the customers," said Reichel. But, he said, once they try the cocktails, the questions stop. Only a few cocktails stand between a soju novice and a soju veteran. However, becoming a soju black belt may require more than a few hops to the bar - different kinds of soju vary in taste, quality and alcohol percentage. 

The Rohan Lounge was designed to reflect the relaxed, multi-cultural and non-pretentious atmosphere of the Richmond District, Reichel said.

"It's just a great place for everyone to hang out," he added.

The Rohan Lounge is located at 3809 Geary Blvd. It is open everyday, except Mondays, at 6 p.m. For more information, call (415) 221-5095 or visit rohanlounge.com.