Pandan Brings Lumpia and Lobster Dumplings to a Gold Coast Rooftop

Pandan is bringing Filipino flavors to the Gold Coast.

When Viceroy Chicago executive chef Verlord Laguatan moved to the U.S. from the Philippines 16 years ago, he found all Americans knew about Filipino cuisine was adobo chicken and ube.

The success of Kasama, Boonie Foods, and other spots has demonstrated Chicago now possesses a deeper interest in the cuisine. While working in Wicker Park at Indian street food restaurant Wazwan, he supplemented the South Asian menu with Pinoy-inspiredred items.

Laguatan is now seizing a larger opportunity by bringing Southeast Asian flavors to the Viceroy’s rooftop cocktail lounge, formerly known as Devereaux. The space’s new name is Pandan.

Crispy pork belly steamed buns.

Lobster dumplings, spicy tuna on crispy rice, and steamed buns.

“There were plenty of chefs who have come from high-end backgrounds and now they’re starting to represent themselves and their culture,” Laguatan says. “We are now bringing the spice, we are bringing the funk and people are accepting of that. For many years people were like ‘Ohh, what is that smell?’ or “Ohh, that’s too strong for me,” but now people are starting to accept all of it and there’s a sense of adventure when you’re finding something new.”

While there are still a few outdoor tables near the pool — which is only open to hotel guests — most of the space has been enclosed to allow it to stay open and provide views of Lake Michigan and the Chicago skyline throughout the winter. The decor focuses on simple elegance, with a main bar lined with leather high-backed chairs and club chairs positioned around candle-lit cocktail tables.

The bar’s namesake shrub is the star of a signature cocktail blended with lemon, lime, and Don Julio Blanco or Seedlip Notas de Agave for a non-alcoholic version. Pandan foam tops a float made with Ron Zacapa rum, amaro, sarsaparilla, and tiki bitters. Other drink highlights include a wood-smoked blend of bourbon and cardamom and the Flight School, a gin and mezcal-based drink colored purple with violet liqueur and served in a bird-shaped glass.

Laguatan’s food takes inspiration from Southeast Asia, pairing Filipino classics like pork lumpia and bistek tataki with sweet corn tempura and spicy tuna on crispy rice. The lobster dumplings with coconut curry, crispy shallots, and cilantro oil are inspired by the Nihari momo Laguatan made when working with chef Zubair Mohajir at Wazwan. The goal is to show the qualities that unify the region’s food.

“Every island [of the Philippines] definitely has their own way of cooking and you’ll find throughout Southeast Asia some people eat spicy, some people don’t,” Laguatan says. “The biggest thing that will always be consistent is that there will be some funk to it. You’ll get your fish sauce and other ferments in there and all tropical fruits and other warm weather ingredients.”

Flight School (Tanqueray No. Ten, mezcal unión el viejo, crème de violette, cocchi americano, lemon)

Classic cocktails and more familiar bites like Thai fried chicken and nori fries are also available. Keeping to the farm-to-table focus of Viceroy’s ground-floor restaurant Somerset, Pandan’s produce is sourced from Mick Klug and Nichols farms. Laguatan is also growing ingredients; he operates a garden and beehives on the roof above the kitchen, one of the first projects he started after joining Viceroy three years ago. The menu will change seasonally, with warm cocktails rolling out for winter.

“We’re continuously improving this garden, adding more things and using it as a learning platform for our cooks and sometimes our guests,” Laguatan says. “It’s for them to understand when ingredients are at their best and hopefully we can carry on this learning culture of using what’s around us. Working with our farmers and local vendors is how we keep our community alive.”

Pandan, 1112 N. State Street, opening Thursday, June 20.