Wild French Food and Killer Wine Bar “Canard” Opens in Portland
From the award-winning team behind Le Pigeon and Little Bird Bistro, Canard is opening April 16. A cafe by day, wine restaurant with great cocktails by night, Canard will be serving breakfast, lunch, plus weekend brunch. Boasting wild French bar food, the menu at Canard will be conducive to snacking and dining. Evenings will focus on wine, cocktails, and an ambitious dinner menu. Canard offers the building blocks to an incredible meal, and showcases Rucker’s playful, no rules style in the form of dishes like Steam Burgers, Ducketta, and Foie Gras Dumplings.
“The sky’s the limit here. Our goal with Canard is to make anything possible, for anyone, at any time of day. Andy and I want Canard to be a place people want to hang out, and not take anything too seriously,” says chef/co-owner Gabriel Rucker.
Evening Menu Highlights: (available 4pm until close)
Oysters – zinfandel mignonette, green chile juice
Uni “Texas Toast” – avocado, finger lime, fish sauce
Ouffs in Mayonnaise – trout roe, bacon, roasted garlic, smoky maple
Chips & Dip – smoked mackerel, lemon pepper jam, chips
Rabbit and Prosciutto Terrine – apricot-green pepper relish, frisée, herbs
Pot de Canard – duck rillette, duck liver mousse, port gelée
Steak Tartare – chinese sausage, broccoli, parmesan, cashew
Cabbage Salad – strawberry, cheddar, green onion, ranch
Shrimp Toast – cucumber, avocado, chili mayo, furikake
Foie Gras Dumplings – peanut sauce, truffle, miso-roasted shallots
Chicken Wings – dry-fried, truffle ranch, shaved truffle
Garlic Fries – 18 mo. aged gouda, green goddess
Spring Greens – crunchy quinoa, honey herbs-de-provence
Roasted Carrots – sweet-pea hummus, sesame, radish honey
Mushroom Salad – garlic rosemary breadcrumbs, blue cheese
Baguette – european butter, flaked sea salt
Steam Burgers – pickles, onion, mustard, american, Hawaiian roll
Dry Aged Petite New York – french onion soup sauce, swiss cheese toast
Ducketta – chutney, frisée
Swordfish Oscar – crab, asparagus, béarnaise
Spaghetti – artichoke, asparagus, dill, parmesan
Wines are curated by co-owner and wine director Andy Fortgang, heavy on wines by the glass, with a large bottle list. The wine program at Canard is meant to be broad, deep and fun. Fortgang’s hope is people come in for a glass and a snack and leave hours later after dinner and several bottles. Just as the food menu is conducive to both snacking and dining, the wine list will be, too. Canard will offer 20 wines by the glass, over 250 bottles including a range from the inexpensive to the unique, and a big list of bottles that Fortgang has been slowly collecting over the years. Canard will have Burgundy, sure, but not just collectibles. The restaurant will also have well priced wines that show the value that is there if you look. Canard will have delicious fruity prädikat wines from Germany, many with some bottle age, but also the drier racier wines blowing people away these days. Oregon Pinot of course, but California, too. Loire, Rhone, Galicia, Catalonia, Italy from the north and the south, and many other regions. The only rule, is that it must taste good.
“This wine list is meant to spark conversation. Some of the wines on this list are about innovation, and some are about tradition. We hope our guests will feel encouraged to ask questions, explore, and enjoy,” says co-owner and wine director Andy Fortgang.
Cocktails at Canard do not take themselves too seriously. Crafted by bar manager Aaron Zieske, they compliment Rucker’s food in a way that maintains the aesthetic of the restaurant by being inventive and whimsical, yet still approachable. Featuring unique European herbal spirits throughout the menu, as well as a thoughtful brandy list for after dinner. Once lunch begins in May, Canard will feature boozy milkshakes, with sprinkles. Cocktails will include the Foie Turn, foie gras fat-washed bourbon, sauternes, apricot brandy, sherry, bitters, with a house candied apricot, the Breakfast of Champions, gin, caper brine, dry vermouth, celery bitters, garnished with a lemon twist and optional oyster side, and the Great Pyrenees, tequila, bruto aperitivo, grapefruit juice, lemon, salt. Canard will have two happy hours, from 4-5pm and again from 10pm to midnight. The happy hour menu will include ½ off oysters and steam burgers, as well as $5 aperitifs and a daily wine that will constantly rotate
________________
Canard will initially be open daily at 4pm, and will add breakfast, brunch, and lunch in May. Follow along on Instagram @CanardPDX, Twitter @Canard_PDX, and Facebook Canard PDX.
Located at 734 E Burnside Street Portland, OR 97214.
No Comments