Dadar cocktail by Alejandro Saravia

A nutty, elegant and fresh drink

For our ‘Emerald Green’ cocktail and food pairing event at rooftop bar LuminAir, Amsterdam we asked Alejandro Saravia, bar manager at LuminAir to create Bandoeng ‘22 pandan liqueur cocktails to pair with a selection of Indonesian bites provided by restaurant Bowery, Amsterdam. Alejandro explains his inspiration and process behind his pairing for the sweet bite made with pandan, coconut, brown rice, palm sugar and lychee.

Why this cocktail
When asked what his inspiration was for the cocktail, Alejandro said; “The idea for this cocktail came from a series of small conversations with Chef Adrian from LuminAir, where we explored classic Indonesian desserts. He prepared three different flavored dadars (Indonesian sweet snack), and I took the core flavors from those preparations and translated them into a refreshing highball with the right balance and structure.”

How to make the Dadar
Here’s Alejandro’s recipe, so you can make the cocktail yourself.

Ingredients
20 ml (1 oz) Bandoeng’22
30 ml (1 oz) Sesame-washed Vodka
20 ml (1 oz) lemongrass & Brown rice cordial
Top up with Perrier
Glassware: Highball
Ice: Ice spear
Garnish: Fresh lemongrass

Preparation
For the Sesame-washed Vodka
700 ml Vodka
150 ml Sesame oil

Combine in a sealed container and freeze overnight. Once the oil solidifies, separate the vodka from the hardened oil. Fine-strain and bottle. Reserve the sesame oil for the next batch.

For the Lemongrass & Brown rice cordial
220 gr Lemongrass
1 L Brown rice water
600 gr Caster sugar
9 gr Malic acid

Heat all ingredients except malic acid over medium temperature until sugar dissolves. Cool completely while infusing with lemongrass. Strain, add malic acid, and bottle

About Alejandro Saravia (NL)

Bar Manager – LuminAir Amsterdam

At LuminAir Amsterdam, high above the city skyline, Bar Manager Alejandro Saravia leads with calm precision and a deep love for flavour. Born in Buenos Aires and shaped by years behind bars across the U.S., New Zealand, Australia, and Croatia, Alejandro brings a world of experience to Amsterdam, where he now crafts one of the city’s most ambitious cocktail programs.

Rooftop Bar Hilton DoubleTree
Once known as Skylounge, LuminAir has evolved into a vibrant destination where creativity meets hospitality. It is a place where ideas move fast, spirits meet modern technique, and guests from around the world gather under one roof.
What sets LuminAir apart is not only the view, it’s the philosophy behind the bar: thoughtful preparation, intentional design, and a team that works like a well-tuned engine.

Preparation & Purpose
For Alejandro, great cocktails begin long before service starts.
“LuminAir is a high-volume, super dynamic bar,” he says. “We embrace the energy, but we never compromise on quality.”

His “less is more” approach ensures that every drink can be built with just a few essential elements at hand. This streamlined way of working isn’t about simplicity; it’s about clarity, consistency, and space for true hospitality.

Behind the scenes lies LuminAir.Lab, the heart of the bar’s preparation. Here, spirits are infused, ingredients clarified, syrups perfected, and flavors re-distilled. It’s where technique meets intention, so that every cocktail served, even on the busiest nights, tastes exactly as it should.

Alejandro Behind the Bar
Alejandro’s story begins in Argentina, but his craft took shape across continents. Each place left its mark; local ingredients, new techniques, and the people he learned from.
At LuminAir, he channels those experiences into drinks that carry both structure and soul.

Though soft-spoken, he becomes a storyteller once the shaker is in his hand. Working alongside his team, he builds connections the way he builds cocktails: with precision, warmth, and a touch of global inspiration.