Departure Blog

Chef Gregory Gourdet and Departure Restaurant hosted their annual Chinese New Year Celebration from January 20th – January 28th to welcome the Year of The Dragon. Chinese New Year is the most important and celebrated holiday on the Chinese calendar where friends and family reunite and pave the way for a good new year. Gourdet added his signature flavors to a traditional multi-course kaiseki menu and Departure’s bartenders created signature cocktail pairings specifically designed for the cuisine and occasion.

 “Food is always the center of a Chinese New Year celebration. There are different dishes that represent the wishes of luck, wealth, longevity and a rich sweet sweet life,” said Gourdet.

 Chinese New Year Kaiseki Menu
$45 per person

 Shrimp Toast
Water Chestnuts, Ginger

 Crispy Pork Dumplings
Chili Soy 

Hot and Sour Soup
Bamboo Shoots, Sesame, White Pepper

Cod Steamed in Ginger and Scallions

Soy Sauce Chicken

 Longevity Noodles
Egg, Snow Peas, Ginger, Chilies

Nian Gao
Glutinous Rice Flour Cake, Adzuki Bean, Matcha Cream, Lychee-Wolfberry Sorbet

Featured Cocktails

 7-Spice Drop $9
Grey Goose Poire, Lemon Juice, House-Infused 7-Spice Syrup

 Red Banner $10
Canton Ginger Liqueur, Blood Orange Juice, Prosecco

Departure celebrated the New Year in style as Chef Gregory Gourdet created a 4-course Modern Asian tasting menu, taking on traditional New Year’s dishes from Japan, Korea, and Vietnam. In addition to the $50 per person Kaiseki Menu, including dishes such as Miso Roasted Winter Squash and Arctic Char with grilled shiitake, guests were also able to enhance their experience with a special sushi menu featuring Madai Sashimi, Tuna Tataki, and Kampachi Nigiri. As champagne, sparkling and sake alongside Departure’s Late Night Menu were flowing, husband and wife duo “Dressed to Kill It” began their DJ set of classic house, indie dance, and electro music at 10pm and played right on through into 2012.

For the month of December, Chef Gregory is serving whole Pekin ducks prepared in the traditional Peking style in celebration of the holidays.  Chef Gregory first cures the Pekin duck overnight with 7 spice (cinnamon, star anise, allspice, coriander, clove, nutmeg, fennel, chili). Then he blanches the duck in a bath of shaoxing wine, honey and 7 spice and hangs the duck for a second night to dry the skin and concentrate flavors. Finally, the duck is roasted then flash fried to order.  The whole duck is presented to the table whole then carved by Gregory and served with traditional Mandarin Pancakes, Plum Sauce, Hoisin, Cucumber, Scallions and Honey Kumquats.   But wait…..there is more!  Chef Gregory then picks off all remaining meat from the body and makes Duck Fried Rice. He uses duck fat and pan drippings to flavor the rice as well as the duck liver, heart and gizzards which have been cooked sous vide overnight with ginger and aromatics to garnish the rice.  The ducks are prepared in limited quantity nightly, so we suggest guests pre-order the Duck when making reservations.

Inspired by the changing of the season, Chef de Cuisine Gregory Gourdet and Pastry Chef Sean Sasser have created some exciting new dishes for our fall menu.  Chef Gregory’s creations are inspired by the freshness and simplicity of flavors that, when combined, make for an explosion for the taste buds. His culinary direction has framed a beautiful and well rounded menu for the fall that exudes the refined and modern aesthetic of Departure itself.

 New menu items include:

Kampachi Sashimi, orange, pomegranate, shiso, Serrano

Kampachi Nigiri, smoked citrus soy

Tuna Poke, big eye tuna, chili, sesame, white ponzu, rice chips

Smoked Salmon Roll, asparagus tempura, black sesame, dill

Kani Avocado Roll, Dungeness crab, citrus

Spicy Thai Sausage, butter lettuce, ginger, kaffir lime

Spice Crusted Scallops, kuri squash, kumquat, galangal

Crispy Squid, smoked chili glaze, sweet and sour pineapple

Bibimbap, Kobe beef, koshihikari, egg, kimchee, kochujiang

Sweet Soy Chicken, plums, ginger, takuwan, shiso

Dungeness Crab Fried Rice, thai sausage, ginger, thai basil

Curry Noodles, chicken, pickled mustard greens, toasted chili

Pastry Chef Sean Sasser has utilized the season’s change as well as the season’s unique flavors to bring juxtaposing tastes together for an entirely revamped  and intricately authentic dessert menu this fall at Departure. Fruity, savory, nutty, chocolaty, chewy, and altogether tasty; Chef Sean’dessert menu is the perfect complement to Chef Gregory’s main offerings.

 New Dessert Items:

Japanese Purple Yam Bundt Cake, honey walnut glaze, goji berries, sultanas, condensed milk ice cream

Coconut Pearl Tapioca, melon, thai basil, citrus gastrique, coconut ice

Chai Milk Chocolate Cream, Saigon cinnamon sponge, ginger, caramelized banana, streusel

Yuzu Meringue Tart, macadamia nougatine, chili pineapple confit, pineapple sherbet

Asian Pear Crisp, black sesame oats, caramel, coriander, pomegranate sorbet

DEPARTURE’S SUMMER END VEGAN DINNER

Thursday, September 27, 2011 

Chef Gregory Gourdet alongside Portland vegan-friendly-fan-favorites Wes Hannah from Blossoming Lotus and Lisa Clark from Petunia’s Pastries celebrated the End of Summer and the Freshness of Fall on September 27^th at Departure. The 50 person special event was an Asian inspired Vegan Dinner that celebrated the end of summer and the freshness of fall ingredients.  Five dynamic courses were served focusing on vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, legumes, aromatics and spices. All three chefs partnered with a handful of local farmers and foragers to bring you this exciting and eclectic meal!

Vegan Dinner Menu

$50 Per Person

Vegan Charcuterie Board

A Selection of Asian Inspired Vegetable Terrines, Nut Cheeses, Savory Pate,

Live Seed Crackers and Early Autumn Pickles

Roasted Kabocha Squash Soup

 Sunflower Seed Cream, Sunchokes, Asian Pear, Crispy Ginger, Spice Oil

End of Summer, Fall Begins, 3 ways

Tempura Figs, Roasted Grapes, Candied Walnuts, Spicy Mustard Greens, Ginger Vinaigrette

Sweet Corn Custard, Grilled Runner Beans, Local Sea Greens, Pickled Shallot-Sesame Dressing

Maple-Soy Glaze Grilled Tempeh, Smoked Heirloom Tomato-Peach Marmalade, Tomato Crisps

Roasted Early Autumn Mushrooms, Wild Ginger, Spruce

Sake-White Soy Glaze, Crispy Hempseed Cake, Pumpkin Seed Condiment

Coconut Crusted Pistachio Tart

Black Pepper-Cherry Compote, Crystallized Ginger, Coconut Cardamom Ice Cream

This past April, Chef Gregory Gourdet of Departure participated in the BASE program in Portland.  BASE is a 6 week after school program that offers interesting classes to entertain and teach children while offering after school care for parents who need after school care.  At Beach Elementary School, Chef Gregory took over the “Star Wars” themed class teaching 5-8 year olds how to be fit and eat healthy.  Chef Gregory quizzed the kids on nutrition while they assisted in preparing fruit for Berry Luke Skywalker Smoothies and made granola Chewbacca Bars with chocolate and coconut.  All the kids had a great time and begged for more!

DEPARTURE takes happy hour to another level with a newly expanded menu and new late night hours.  Chef de Cuisine Gregory Gourdet increased happy hour offerings from eight to seventeen different menu items such as the crispy squid with ponzu sauce, shaking beef with chili and watercress, vegetable udon noodles and pork belly with house-made kimchee fried rice.  Happy hour menus are available from 4-6pm Tuesday through Thursday, and late night from 10pm to close Tuesday through Thursday and from 11pm to close Friday and Saturday nights.

Chef Greg Gourdet hosted a salon of sorts—actually it was more of an industry shindig—at Departure Restaurant & Lounge high atop the Nines Hotel.

Monday, February 28^th, Chef Gregory Gourdet hosted “Salon” a casual reception where chefs and restaurant owners from all over the Portland area came together to celebrate each other and the industry.  Notable guests included Yelp ambassador Don Baroussa, local writer and IACP board member Mike Thelin as well as fellow Food & Wine “People’s Best New Chef Northwest” contestants Ben Bettinger and Chris Diminno.  “This is an amazing gathering!  Nowhere else would you find this group of people mingling and hanging out together celebrating Portland,” said Byron Beck of Eater PDX.