Parasol Bar, the new bar from the Biwa team, officially opened in the old Biwa space on November 1, and it’s since settled in as a sort of subterranean cocktail lounge serving working-person’s Japanese-inspired food, including $6 bowls of udon and soba noodles, plus a new, eponymously named burger. Owners Gabe Rosen and Kina Voelz tell Eater Parasol Bar lets them address “commonplace Japanese dishes” that haven’t fit into either Biwa or Noraneko. Check out the new design, with much expanded bar seating, in the photos above.
Kayla Goul leads the cocktail program, with around 20 signature cocktails, many with Asian-inspired flavors. “We’re incorporating more homemade ingredients,” Rosen says. The Golden Deer cocktail features house-made golden milk, a frothy turmeric-infused milk traditional to India, with Stoli, honey, and lime ($11). Parasol Bar’s new happy hour runs daily, from 5 to 7 p.m., bringing dollar-off beers, $5 cocktails, and $5 bowls of udon and soba noodles.
Rosen tells Eater Parasol Bar will be “music and arts community oriented,” with an events calendar appearing on the website shortly. DJs are already playing each Friday and Saturday night.
Running the kitchen is chef Carl Krause (Noraneko), and the new Parasol burger comes with crisped pork belly, spicy pickles, lettuce, and special sauce on a standard bun. Could it gain the cult following inspired by the Biwa burger? Rosen says the burger is cooked fast and hot to caramelize the meat, and it’s served with French fries, seasoned with the same togarashi seasoning as Biwa’s popcorn.
Another dish to be on the lookout for: the savory Japanese wheat pancakes, okonomiyaki. “They’re adored by children in Japan and often eaten with mayo or teriyaki sauce,” says Rosen.
And while Biwa’s ramen is now only served at Noraneko, Rosen hints a variant may be appearing at Parasol Bar. “The last chapter of ramen has not been written,” he says.
- Parasol Bar [Official]
- All Previous Parasol Bar Coverage [EPDX]