New in Shanghai’s Changning district is Wuli, a casual Korean restaurant by Tom Ryu, also chef owner of Nabi, the upscale contemporary concept located just upstairs.
About Wuli
Wuli is a chic and contemporary restaurant with modern bistro interiors and a huge outdoor setting that wraps around the venue. In the evening, the cozy dining room is backlit with warm light, and the current crowd, a young and hip demographic, livens up the atmosphere with chatter over wine, soju, and cocktails.
Wuli is located in the WYSH complex, the same block that also houses Lawry’s.
The traditional Korean food is well-priced, despite the posh setting. Dishes are very approachable, providing both value for money and variety.
The Food
The menu is easy to navigate. The QR code ordering system also provides photos, which is helpful for those not too familiar with Korean food.
On the menu are usual suspects of sizzling bibimbaps, Korean pancakes, rice cakes doused in spicy gochujang, noodles, and grilled meats. Soups-based dishes like jeongol (hotpot) and jjigae (stews) are bountiful too. All dishes are share-friendly.
First off, some starters. The Dumpling Salad is a good shout — fried meat dumplings with gochujang dipping sauce and shredded vegetables.
Don’t miss the Jeon, Korean-style fried pancakes, available with seafood (¥59) and pork belly (¥45), kimchi and scallion loaded, and comes with pickled chilies and onions.
The star of the rice-based dishes is easily the bibimbap. The Homemade Gochujang Bibimbap is served with shredded beef, house gochujang, an assortment of vegetables, topped with egg yolk, and a myriad of banchan for some pickly kick. Patience is rewarded when it comes to this dish. Allow the piping hot stone pot to crisp the rice before and after mixing.
An alternative is the Fish Roe Bulgogi Sotbap, also with beef, but topped with fish roe.
Wuli also has kimbap, a luxe version topped with fresh raw tuna. The seaweed rice rolls below are wrapped with julienned vegetables.
The rice dishes are comforting and easy to love, but also easy to fill up on. Order wisely, as you don’t want to overdo the carbs and miss out on the grilled meats!
Grilled pork belly and beef oyster blade are the two choices of meats, both served on a little charcoal powered grills with dipping sauce and leafy lettuce to wrap. I recommend allowing the pork belly to sizzle a while longer to char the edges.
Alternatively, there are sauced versions of beef and pork, equally enjoyable, if not more.
The Pork Belly Jeyuk Bokkeum is marinated in an addictive spicy sauce and then stir-fried, served on a sizzling stone plate, and demands to be paired with rice. The Bassak Beef Bulgogi is also enjoyable, but the flavorful saucy pork outshines it.
For more porky offerings, there’s the Spicy Salted Oysters Boiled Pork. Thick cut pork belly and jowl paired with a dipping sauce / accompaniment of fresh oysters cured in salt and chili and mixed with kimchi.
And if that wasn’t enough, Wuli also has noodles. I’m a huge fan of cold noodles and the Bulgogi Bibim Naengmyeon hits the spot. It’s a bowl of cold, chewy potato starch noodles topped with beef bulgogi and a spicy sour seasoning.
Otherwise, there’s Japchae, stir-fried vermicelli with meat and vegetables, and tteokbokki, stir-fried rice cakes tossed in a spicy sauce with tender chicken thigh chunks and hard boiled eggs.
For dessert, the Mango Bingsoo, made with mango-yuzu shaved ice and homemade ice cream is light and refreshing, and a perfect end to the meal. There’s also the Yugwa Rice Ice Cream, a sorbet made with rice, served on a chewy marshmallow-y base.
In Summary
Tasty stuff! It’s casual, delicious, and truly a fun dining experience. Highly recommended for date night and groups. Would definitely come back.
If I had to choose, the highlights are: Pork Belly Jeon, Homemade Gochujang Bibimbap, both pork and beef grilled dishes, Pork Belly Jeyuk Bokkeum, Bulgogi Bibim Naengmyeon, and the rice cakes.
Tables might be a squeeze for groups larger than 10. Dog-friendly inside and out.
Wuli
Address: No. 101, WYSH, 168 Wuyi Lu, 武夷路168号WYSH翡悦里1号楼1层101室
Tel: 18621692095
Hours: Tue-Fri, 5:30pm-10:30pm; Sat-Sun, 11:30am-2:30pm, 5:30pm-10:30pm
