Pandan Brings Lumpia and Lobster Dumplings to a Gold Coast Rooftop | Eater Chicago
"On the Viceroy's rooftop, now rechristened Pandan, I found a mostly enclosed cocktail lounge (with a few outdoor tables near a pool reserved for hotel guests) that offers year‑round views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline and a decor of simple elegance — a main bar lined with leather high‑backed chairs and club chairs around candle‑lit cocktail tables. The drinks lean into Southeast Asian flavors: the bar’s namesake shrub is blended with lemon, lime and Don Julio Blanco (or Seedlip Notas de Agave as a nonalcoholic option); a Pandan‑foam float layers Ron Zacapa rum, amaro, sarsaparilla and tiki bitters; there’s a wood‑smoked bourbon and cardamom blend; and the Flight School is a gin‑and‑mezcal drink colored purple with violet liqueur and served in a bird‑shaped glass. Chef Verlord Laguatan, who moved from the Philippines 16 years ago and previously added Pinoy items while working at Wazwan, applies Southeast Asian inspiration to the food — pairing Filipino classics like pork lumpia and bistek tataki with sweet corn tempura and spicy tuna on crispy rice, and offering lobster dumplings with coconut curry, crispy shallots and cilantro oil inspired by a Nihari momo he made at Wazwan. Keeping to the Viceroy’s farm‑to‑table focus, Pandan sources produce from Mick Klug and Nichols farms, and Laguatan tends a rooftop garden and beehives that help drive a seasonal menu with warm cocktails for winter. Pandan opens Thursday, June 20." - Sam Nelson
