Ingredients-first Philosophy at Jakarta's Modernhaus
More akin to a living room than a traditional bar
July 19, 2025
Updated July 20, 2025
Hong Kong’s Gokan, the latest Asia outpost by industry heavyweight and founder of SG Group Shingo Gokan in collaboration with F&B veterans Russell Stradmoor and Amanda Cheung, takes its name from the Japanese Kanji for "five senses" (五感), reflecting a holistic approach to mixology that transcends traditional boundaries. At Gokan, the philosophy of shokunin – dedication to mastery and perfection – is a common throughline, connecting cocktails to cuisine to curated service.
The bar's ambiance is enriched by the historic significance of its location, once home to Hong Kong’s first ice storage facility, lending a sense of heritage into the modern drinking experience that relies so heavily on meticulous ice preparation.
The menu is a celebration of culinary ingenuity, merging gastronomy with mixology. While each cocktail is categorized into one of five flavor profiles – sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, and savory – each dish utilizes spirits, liqueurs, and subtle cocktail balancing techniques, blurring the line between bar and bistro. Each of the drink categories are expressed in one of three ways: highballs, rocks, or up.
Drink highlights span the Mapo Mary (with Sichuan spice owed to Gokan’s homemade wagyu mapo tofu) to the Grilled Corn Colada to the Khun’s Tommy (a tom yum twist on the beloved Tommy Margarita.) The calling card of Gokan however is the iconic “Watermelon Koffeezz,” a gin fizz-inspired cocktail that harmonizes clarified watermelon juice with light roast Koffee Mameya, creating a refreshingly complex tipple that tells a story of cultural connection and nostalgia.
The food roster complements the cocktail offerings, showcasing Izakaya-inspired dishes crafted with seasonal ingredients to emphasize the five fundamental Japanese cooking techniques: raw, steam, grill, fry, and simmer. With options like Tipsy Shrimp Cocktail (with a Moutai baijiu marinade) and The Macallan Crème Brûlée kakigori, Gokan elevates the drinking and dining experience, spotlighting the intersection of food and drink.
Gokan, 30 Ice House Street, Central, Hong Kong
This article was originally published on the Asia's 50 Best Bars website here.
My name is Sophie Steiner, and welcome to my food-focused travel blog. This is a place to discover where and what to eat, drink, and do in Shanghai, Asia, and beyond. As an American based in Shanghai since 2015 as a food, beverage, travel, and lifestyle writer, I bring you the latest news on all things food and travel.
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