On any given night at Departure Restaurant + Lounge, located on the top floor of the Nines Hotel in Portland, Ore., you might find jetsetters
mingling with locals. However, this fall the restaurant targeted a decidedly svelte and athletic clientele. The establishment hosted the Marathon Dinner, conceived by Chef de Cuisine Gregory Gourdet, for two evenings before the Portland Marathon. Offered Oct. 7 and 8, the dinner was open to anyone who wanted to attend.
“(The menu) is a carb-heavy dinner designed to fill the glycogen storage, essential for long-distance running,” explains Gourdet, a marathon runner himself. “It will offer a fair amount of protein as well, needed for muscles. The dinner is made to be delicious yet easy on the digestive system for a stomach-issue-free race.”
Gourdet also offered a unique drink menu.
“I will serve a ginger and pomegranate soda drink, with alcohol and without. So, it’s refreshing and full of antioxidants either way,” he adds.
Departure’s staff spread the word via checkstuffer.com and various social-media outlets. Gourdet’s running coach also assisted with promotional efforts.