Peking duck is a plan-ahead meal: There aren’t many places that make it, and those that do usually need at least two days’ notice to prepare your feast.
But dear lord is that duck worth the effort, since Peking duck is like the very best of Thanksgiving, with more flavor and a better poultry. Often carved tableside, it’s all crispy, shellacked soy-sweetened slices of skin with a tender layer of fat and a little pink meat, ready to pile into steamed buns with hoisin and scallions. Next, you’re likely to get the rest of the duck stir-fried with mushrooms and other tasty tidbits and a heaping stack of lettuce wraps.
At Departure downtown, Chef Gregory Gourdet has made a Peking duck feast every December—the natural time to enjoy the labor-intensive dish.
“Peking duck is one of the great celebratory global meals,” says Gourdet. “It’s a natural choice for the holiday season as it’s a meal best shared with friends and loved ones—rich, savory, roasted meat, with a DIY garnish eaten with hands.”
Every Peking duck can easily feed three to four, and you know you’re gonna want some tasty sides, like any proper holiday meal. Grab a few loved ones, form a flying V, and eat this mighty duck.
Departure
This is the most expensive duck in town at $106, but tucking into this bird is a true delight. The duck is cured in five-spice, blanched in honey and Chinese wine, hung to air-dry for six days, roasted daily, glazed with honey-soy, and served with a house-made plum sauce, candied kumquats, scallions, hoisin, and cucumbers. Gourdet serves it with mandarin pancakes, encouraging guests to make mini sandwiches out of the feast. Afterwards, all the bits of meat left on the bones are transformed into a savory duck fried rice made with heaps of scallions and rendered duck fat. AND THEN there’s that duck broth and the duck dessert. 525 SW Morrison, departureportland.com, available Dec 1-30, reservations required
