Shojo is one of those places where you feel cool just walking in. Situated just around the way from the Chinatown gate, the space feels very "downtown," with vibrant, graffiti-splashed walls, exposed brick and industrial elements such as metal stools and a concrete floor. Good music pumps overhead as waiters bop about the dining room. In warmer months, the floor-to-ceiling louvred front windows fan open, giving the space an edgy, garage-like feel.
Owner Brian Moy grew up in the Boston Chinatown culinary scene, working at his family's landmark restaurants, China Pearl and Best Little Restaurant. At Shojo, he takes the traditional approaches he learned there and blows them up with art, style, and an exciting, flavor-packed menu of typical Asian—namely Japanese, Korean, and Thai—street foods, done with a modern twist.
Standout dishes include the hand-cut duck fat fries served with sriracha aioli, Wagyu beef dumplings, and the Shojonator, an enormously delicious Angus beef burger served on a toasted house-made bao bun with sriracha aioli, smoked BBQ sauce, bacon, fried shallots, and kimcheese, a mixture of Velveeta cheese and kimchi.
At the bar, Shojo's focus is its approximately 50-strong list of Japanese whiskies, along with many other rare Japanese spirits. The cocktails are a production. The tiki-inspired concoctions are often colorful and topped with garnish; some are served in adorable glasses shaped like pandas, dragons, and cats.
This is the place to go when you're craving dim sum with a kick; when you're showing hip friends around Chinatown and want to impress with a stylish happy hour or dinner; when you want a fun, fruity cocktail in a cute panda glass.
The vibe: Buzzy, hip, like hanging out at a bar in a vibrant neighborhood of Tokyo. The only buzz kill, at least for this writer, is the big screen TV over the bar.
The food: A burger on a bao bun? How could you not get the Shojonator? Go all-in with the duck fat fries. The C-Town Chicken N Waffles is another indulgent choice. Think juicy chicken thigh on a Hong Kong egg puff waffle with five-spice butter and "syzzurp."
The drink: The Bai Bai Mule is particularly special. It's made with Ming River baijiu (a clear Chinese spirit fermented mainly with sorghum), house-made ginger beer, cucumber, lime, and a sprig of mint in a charming ceramic mug. For something stronger, check out the One Thousand Deaths. It glows green with yellow chartreuse, lime, and pea sprouts; mezcal and scorpion bitters add complexity.
Time Out tip: Take Shojo with you on your next vacation, or at least before you leave. Moy has opened an outpost at Boston Logan Terminal C.