How to Recreate Bun House Disco’s Pandan Negroni at Home

Recreate Bun House Disco’s Pandan Negroni at Home — a step-by-step guide

Frustrated because you can’t find a current menu photo or want to recreate a bar favourite at home? You’re not alone. Many diners and home cooks want exact recipes from modern restaurant menus but hit dead ends. This guide gives a clear, kitchen-friendly, and print-ready method to recreate Bun House Disco’s pandan negroni — with substitutions, batch scaling, pairing ideas and a printable cocktail card for dinner parties.

Why the pandan negroni matters in 2026

By late 2025 and into 2026 the cocktail scene doubled down on Asian-inspired reinterpretations of classics: bartenders are using indigenous herbs, rice spirits and aromatic leaves to refresh old templates. The pandan negroni is a perfect example — it keeps the bitter-sweet backbone of a Negroni while introducing the fragrant, grassy-sweet character of pandan and the herbaceous intensity of green Chartreuse. The version created at Bun House Disco (recipe credited to Linus Leung as shared in The Guardian) is simple, approachable and ideal for home mixologists who want a restaurant-level drink without specialized equipment.

At-a-glance recipe (single serve)

• 25 ml pandan-infused rice gin (or substitute; see options below)
• 15 ml white vermouth (bianco / blanc style)
• 15 ml green Chartreuse
• Large ice cube, orange peel for garnish

Mix in a rocks glass with ice, stir 20–30 seconds, express an orange peel over the surface and drop it in. Serve.

Quick note on origin & flavour

“Pandan leaf brings fragrant southern Asian sweetness to a mix of rice gin, white vermouth and green chartreuse.” — inspiration from Bun House Disco / Linus Leung

Step 1 — Make pandan-infused gin (two fast methods)

What you’ll need: fresh pandan leaves (if possible), a bottle of rice gin or neutral gin, a blender or jar, fine sieve and muslin/coffee filter.

Quick blitz method (15–30 minutes)

1. Chop 10 g pandan leaf (green parts only) and place in a blender with 175 ml gin (adjust proportionally for more).
2. Pulse 10–20 seconds until leaves are broken down but not warmed to steam.
3. Strain through a fine sieve lined with muslin or a coffee filter into a clean bottle. Press gently; don’t force solids through.
4. Cool, then rest 30–60 minutes in the fridge for flavours to integrate. The gin should be vivid green and fragrant.

Cold infusion (best for cleaner flavour, 6–48 hours)

1. Lightly bruise 10–15 g pandan leaves and add to 175–250 ml gin in a jar.
2. Seal and refrigerate 6–24 hours, checking every few hours until desired aroma and colour are reached.
3. Strain through muslin/coffee filter; bottle and label.

Tip: blending extracts more colour but can bring green vegetal notes if overdone. Cold infusion usually tastes smoother and more balanced.

Step 2 — Assemble the pandan negroni

1. Measure 25 ml pandan gin, 15 ml white vermouth, 15 ml green Chartreuse into a mixing vessel.
2. Add plenty of ice, stir briskly for 20–30 seconds to chill and dilute.
3. Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube.
4. Express an orange peel over the glass and garnish.

Why these ratios?

The pandan negroni keeps the Negroni’s structural balance but reduces gin proportion to let the pandan aromatics and Chartreuse shine. Green Chartreuse is potent; the 15 ml keeps herbal complexity without overpowering.

Substitutions and pantry-friendly swaps

Not every kitchen has rice gin or fresh pandan — here are reliable swaps that preserve the drink’s character.

Gin & rice gin alternatives

• Rice gin: if you can source rice-based gin (they’re more common by 2026 via craft distillers), use it. Otherwise use a floral or soft London dry gin.
• No gin: use 25 ml of a light rice spirit like shochu or a neutral grain spirit; the drink becomes softer — increase pandan infusion slightly.

White vermouth alternatives

• Lillet Blanc or Cocchi Americano: slightly fruitier, increases body.
• Dry vermouth + 2 tsp simple syrup if you want a bianco-like sweetness.

Green Chartreuse alternatives

Chartreuse is unique; if unavailable, consider:

• Bénédictine + a small dash (1–2 drops) of absinthe or a high-proof herbal spirit to add brightness.
• Génépy or alpine herbal liqueurs — lighter, so reduce to 10–12 ml and taste.
• Amaro + fresh herb tincture: 10–12 ml amaro (less sweet) + 3–4 drops of concentrated basil or rosemary tincture can mimic herbaceousness.

Pandan when fresh leaves are unavailable

• Frozen pandan leaves: fine, thaw and use as fresh.
• Pandan extract or concentrate: use very sparingly — start with 2–3 drops per 25 ml gin and taste; extracts can be intensely sweet or perfumed.
• Pandan syrup: make a pandan syrup (recipe below) and use 5–10 ml in the cocktail while using neutral gin — this will sweeten the drink, so cut overall sweet components accordingly.

Pandan syrup (simple) — useful for balancing

Make pandan syrup to sweeten cocktails or desserts and reduce waste from leaves.

• 200 ml water
• 200 g sugar
• 5–8 g pandan leaves, bruised

1. Bring water, sugar and pandan to a simmer for 5–8 minutes, then cool and strain. Store refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Troubleshooting & professional tips

• Too vegetal/green: you infused too long or over-blended pandan. Dilute with unflavoured gin (10–20%) or let the infusion rest and blend with extra vermouth.
• Too sweet (if using pandan syrup): reduce vermouth or Chartreuse slightly, or add 2–3 dashes of orange or twig bitters to sharpen bitterness.
• Cloudy drink: strain again through a coffee filter; chilling before serving helps clarity.
• Overpowering Chartreuse: cut to 10 ml or add an extra 5–10 ml gin for balance.

Batching for a dinner party

If you want to serve multiple guests, streamline service by batching components and using simple service rituals you can repeat. See our micro-events & pop-ups guide for ideas on running fast, repeatable drink service at home or small pop-ups.

Batch formula for 8 servings (ready to stir with ice):

• 200 ml pandan-infused gin
• 120 ml white vermouth
• 120 ml green Chartreuse

Mix and store chilled in a sealed bottle up to 48 hours. When serving, pour 60–75 ml into a mixing glass with ice, stir and serve over a large cube.

Zero-proof & low-ABV variations (2026 trend: mindful drinking)

Demand for low- and zero-proof cocktails accelerated in 2024–2026. To make a zero-proof pandan “negroni”:

• Replace gin with a non-alcoholic botanical spirit (pandan-infused if you can infuse a neutral non-alcoholic base).
• Use non-alcoholic vermouth alternatives (bitters + white tea concentrate + a touch of syrup) and a herbal non-alc liqueur or amaro substitute. Adjust sweetness and bitterness to taste.

For the broader context on mindful drinking and how chefs and programs are adapting menus, see Food as Medicine: chef residencies and community nutrition trends.

Food pairings — what to serve with a pandan negroni

The pandan negroni sits between sweet, herbal and bitter. Match with foods that either contrast or mirror those notes.

Small plates & snacks

• Charred prawns with lime and chilli — acidity cuts sweetness.
• Pork or chicken buns (bao) with hoisin — mirror the Asian aromatics.
• Spiced peanuts or sesame brittle — textural contrast.

Main dishes

• Grilled miso aubergine — umami depth complements herbal Chartreuse.
• Green curry (moderately spiced) — pandan echoes dessert and rice flavours.

Dessert

• Pandan chiffon cake or pandan custard — a fragrant mirror.
• Light coconut sorbet — cleansing finish.

Glassware, ice & finishing touches

• Glass: old-fashioned / rocks glass
• Ice: one large clear cube to control dilution
• Garnish: express orange peel; optional pandan leaf or flamed citrus for drama
• Stirring: 20–30 seconds; avoid shaking or the Chartreuse will foam slightly

Storage & safety

Pandan-infused gin: if made cleanly and refrigerated, it will keep 7–14 days with good flavour; longer if bottled and cold. Discard if off-odours develop. Pandan syrup lasts ~2 weeks refrigerated.

Advanced strategies & 2026 trends for home mixologists

Here are advanced, modern approaches that home cooks are adopting in 2026:

• Sous-vide infusion: gentle heat under vacuum gives fast, clean extraction for pandan without vegetal bitterness.
• Smart batching: use kitchen scales and a QR-labelled bottle with recipe and ABV for easy service at parties — a technique shared in field guides for running small tasting events and mobile service in the field.
• Sustainability: use leftover pandan for syrup, compost leaves, and source local Asian produce via online marketplaces which have expanded since 2024.
• AI recipe personalisation: use available AI mixology tools to tweak sweetness and bitterness to guest preferences — many platforms now offer adjustments for 2026 dietary trends.

Printable cocktail card (party-ready)

Right-click and choose Print, or press Ctrl/Cmd+P. This card prints on a single A4 or letter page and is perfect to hand out at a dinner party.

Final takeaways

• Start simple: pandan-infused gin + white vermouth + Chartreuse — small steps yield big flavour.
• Substitute smartly: floral gin, Lillet or gentle herbal liqueurs work if originals are unavailable.
• Pair for contrast: spicy or citrus-driven bites cut sweetness; pandan desserts mirror it.
• Batch & print: make a party batch and use the printable card to turn your table into a pop-up bar — see local micro-event playbooks for quick setup tips here.

Inspired by Bun House Disco’s take on the Negroni, this home-friendly breakdown gives you everything to nail the pandan negroni in your own kitchen in 2026 — from sourcing to plating to printable cards for your guests.

Call to action

Try the recipe tonight, photograph your finished drink, and upload it to your favourite menu-discovery or social app with the hashtag #PandanNegroniAtHome. Want more menu-to-kitchen recipes and printable cards? Subscribe to our weekly mixology menu picks and get 3 new restaurant-inspired recipes each month.

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