Pretty Decent Concepts, the hospitality group behind Wren & Wolf, Chico Malo and Trophy Room, tapped Donahue as the beverage director for all of its upcoming concepts.
His first project with the company focuses on the beverage program for Carry On, a retro plane-themed cocktail bar that promises to “provide a luxury ‘getaway’ to some of the world’s top cocktail destinations.”
"We’re so excited for Jax to join the Pretty Decent Concepts team and help bring the 'Carry On' project to life," Theodore Myers, the company's founder, said in a press release. "We knew (Carry On) needed to have a world-class cocktail program. We’re so grateful to have Jax on our team overseeing the vision.”
Prior to joining Pretty Decent Concepts, Donahue spent close to a decade at some of the Valley’s best bars and restaurants, including Clever Koi and the now-shuttered Crudo.
Most recently, he was the beverage director at Barter & Shake Cocktail Entertainment, the prolific Valley group behind UnderTow, Grey Hen Rx, Platform 18 and Sunny's Lounge. As a key member of the Barter & Shake team, Donahue helped usher in a period of growth for the company which culminated in a spot on the 50 Best Bars in North America list.
Donahue says he’s “excited” to take on this new role and to teach and mentor the next generation of talent.
“I’ve collaborated with a lot of really intelligent people, so sharing knowledge is where I’m at in my career,” Donahue says. “There’s a lot of really talented young people coming into our industry, and I’m happy to teach them whatever they want to learn.”
Carry On’s official opening date, originally scheduled for November 2023, is still to be determined.
Located inside Wren & Wolf, Carry On will take guests on a 90-minute immersive flight journey to some of the world's best cocktail destinations.
Carry On
Creating a world-class menu
Carry On’s beverage program will consist of 20 cocktails that Donahue describes as “modern takes on retro classics.”The first “flight path” will take guests on a 90-minute journey from San Francisco to Mexico City. Rather than focus the beverage menu around drinks or spirits originating in those locations, Donahue decided to focus on evoking a sense of time and place.
“The (interior) is a '60s, '70s kind of luxury plane, so I harken back to a lot of cocktails during that era,” Donahue explains.
One of the drinks customers can expect is a take on a Pink Squirrel, a classic cocktail thought to originate in 1940s Wisconsin. Typically consisting of white Crème de Cacao, heavy cream and Crème de Noyaux, Donahue's version of the drink is a lighter clarified milk punch.
His take on this funky cocktail forgoes the creamy liqueurs and instead starts with a tequila base. From there, he adds two types of tea, cloves, cocoa nibs and Sweet Woodruff, a flowering perennial plant native to much of Europe. During the clarification process, Donahue uses a heavy cream to help evoke the same mouthfeel as the traditional version.
“It has the flavor profile and the breakdown of a Pink Squirrel, but it’s presented in a reimagined way,” he says.
Donahue also points to his take on a Harvey Wallbanger. Traditionally made with vodka, orange juice and Galliano, a sweet herbal liqueur, Donahue uses a citrus infusion, alongside a vanilla star anise cordial and a different herbal liqueur. The ingredients work together to lessen the sweetness and bring more balance to the cocktail.
Jax Donahue has worked at some of the Valley's top bars including Century Grand's trio of immersive cocktail experiences.
TJ Perez
Drinking outside the box
Creating unique flavor combinations is something Donahue loves, to the point where it’s become one of his defining traits. He mentions enjoying the challenge of making unlikely pairings work well together and recalls those close to him making a similar observation.“A friend recently said to me, ‘If something looks like it shouldn’t go together, that’s probably one of the better drinks on the menu,’” Donahue says.
The sentiment is echoed by Donahue’s former boss, Barter & Shake's co-founder Jason Asher. When the duo first worked on the menu for Grey Hen, Asher tasked Donahue with creating a drink that tasted like apple pie, without incorporating any of the dessert’s typical ingredients.
Using a combination of “weird spices and botanicals,” Donahue successfully mimicked the taste of an apple pie without the standard combo of cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg.
“Finding a way to replicate a flavor without using the flavor can be challenging,” Asher explains. “He figured out a way to do it by understanding the chemical makeup of the flavor.”
Those eager to try Donahue’s drinks are going to have to wait a bit longer. Originally slated to open in 2023, the bar’s opening date continues to get pushed back. While Donahue can’t say exactly when Carry On will open, he did give some promising updates.
“A lot of the finishing touches are going in right now,” he explains. “We’re getting everything ready to have people in there for training in the next few weeks.”
