Cthulhu is a fictional creature described by H.P. Lovecraft in the short story “The Call of Cthulhu” as a terrible monster that simultaneously resembles an octopus, a dragon, and a human caricature, with “a pulpy, tentacle head” atop “a grotesque and scaly body with rudimentary wings.” It’s also one of the drinks on the menu at Leviathan, the new bar from the Fifty/50 Group on the mezzanine level of the Dana Hotel adjacent to sister restaurant Portsmith. Itself inspired by (and named for) another sea monster, Leviathan aims to plumb the depths of the ocean through cocktails.
Both the Leviathan and the Kraken are less intense but dangerously drinkable—particularly the latter, which includes three rums, two of them overproof. As you might imagine, it’s a rum drinker’s cocktail, but grapefruit and lime brighten things up, though a crunchy squid-ink tuile has more of a flavor of burnt sugar than ocean. The Leviathan’s combination of rum, ginger, angostura, and mint steer it into tiki territory, but the gin and aquavit add a backbone of herbal anise notes, while the bonito flakes that garnish it add a faintly fishy smokiness.
660 N. State, 2nd floor 312-202-6050portsmithchicago.com
