At The Danforth's southeast Asian-inspired Tempo Dulu, drinks don't come cheap — in fact, for $15 each, they're some of the steepest in Portland. They're also dramatic and labor-intensive, enough so that co-owner Raymond Brunyanszki told Eater most are probably being sold at a loss.
With his arsenal of advanced mixology tools, Hutchins puts on a show, fully inhabiting the role of a mad scientist — one who's becoming well-known in Portland and beyond. He served drinks at the recent Starchefs International Chefs Congress in Brooklyn, where there were murmurs of his being one of the top ten bartenders around. Here, get a sneak preview of two new cocktail additions coming later this fall, Temple and The Fourth Gentleman. In total, expect about eight new cocktails to appear by the end of the year.
Temple, Hutchins' communion-inspired green Eucharist, starts with liquid nitrogen-muddled sage, Green Chartreuse, Tanqueray Rangpur, powdered avocado, egg white, and lime. It's served up with a house-made Chartreuse wafer (a crispy, layered garnish that takes about 12 hours to prepare.) As Homer Simpson once said, "Mmm...sacrilicious."
The Fourth Gentleman — named for the Chinese art reference to the orchid, the bamboo, the plum blossom, and this drink's featured chrysanthemum — is a hot cocktail served only with a special pairing menu. It mixes Barr Hill Tom Cat Barrel Aged Gin, Strega, Carpano Bianco, and lemon. Table-side, it's heated and infused with chrysanthemum blossoms, mint, pink peppercorn, and coriander seeds. Look for a cold version of this earthy drink to hit the regular cocktail menu, too.