Diversion PDX: DEPARTURE

Departure is a departure from Portland's typical restaurant scene in a couple of senses: the lofty space atop the iconic Meier & Frank building (now the luxurious Nines Hotel) is modern, glossy and expansive,  channeling a modern airport concourse quite contrastingly to the more typical rustic, quirky, bird-studded and wood-planked aesthetic of its
brethren.  Also, the price points are remarkably high for Portland standards, some of which may have to do with Executive Chef Gregory Gourdet's quasi-celebrity status, but given that Departure is what vaulted him into his notoriety,
perhaps he just followed in the footsteps of his mentor, Jean-Georges Vongerichten, under whom he first staged. At any rate,
neither point seem to have deterred its audience, as the room was bustling and OpenTable showed a fairly full dance card, depending on the day.

Our server, adorably introduced herself as Virginia, could not have been sweeter, putting up with my dad's corniness and handling her duties with grace and efficiency.  As she explained, the plates arrived as they were readied and in no particular order, although sensibly our salad came out first, and while it was a lovely crock of local greens, it took the derivation of its name much too literally- it was assaultingly salty, so much so that by forkful #3 my lips were shriveling in protest.  Had we not been sharing amongst three it probably would've been
 unfinishable, and while Virginia offered to have the kitchen re-make it, we instead treated it like a devilishly salty amuse, and quaffed a somewhat lackluster 14 Hands Pinto Gris a bit too voraciously, and in retrospect I would've preferred the riesling or Vermentino on offer, or a pick from their well-described and complexly festive cocktail list.













Next up came a plate of "wings", which I think were actually super juicy thigh meat wrapped around a wing bone, breaded softly and doused in a sticky sweet sauce,  just a whisper of heat augmenting their naughtiness.  There is a solid menu of sushi and dim sum options which may have offered welcome  respite from the flavor-bomb trail upon which we had partook, but luckily the miso scallops provided a moment of subtlety, plated more simply with some roasted squash and lightly dressed in yuzu and chili.  Wok fired brussels sprouts reassumed the
 seasoning aggression, slathered in kimchi miso and freckled with black sesame, but could've used a bit more fire from that wok, both to tenderize the sprouts and contribute some depth with a nice smoky char.    Tom Yum soup had a tangy, spicy slap, redolent with fermented funk, lemongrass and galangal  and boxing with tender ivory chunks of halibut, whole shrimp and scallops.  It was perhaps the best example of how each of these individual dishes do not necessarily play well together, making Departure a better destination for drinking food rather than traditional dinner and drinks.    By the time our
last dish arrived, both our palates and our stomachs had already reached capacity, and a dense, starchy softball of crab and sausage studded rice didn't get finished, and while
 not necessarily for any aversion, it didn't really entice me for more than two bites.   It also eliminated any possibility for dessert, though, which was most unfortunate 'cause that berry and rhubarb tart with coconut curd and cream OR the jackfruit mousse with DURIAN!, guava and pineapple ice both had my name written all over them.

Would I go back?  I wouldn't not.... I'd definitely recommend it for a social destination moreso than a dining one: cocktails, a few small plates and definitely dessert either in the lofty, airy dining room or better yet, on the panoramic deck outside if the weather cooperates.  I might wish that (as always) Chef Gourdet spent a little more time on-site (evidently he remotely oversees more than actively participates), because overall, things might need a little reigning in.


525 SW MORRISON STREET, 15TH FL
PORTLAND, OR 97204 
TEL: 503.802.5370