Kann | Portland, OR
A recap of Gregory Gourdet's hit Portland restaurant
My Portland flight landed early on Saturday night. I’m in town for Portland Trail Blazers work and didn’t think I’d touch down in time to head over to Gregory Gourdet’s restaurant Kann. Luckily, the winds were blowing my way.
I dropped my bags off at the hotel, hopped in a Lyft and went on a solo mission, hoping that my solitary status might give me a prayer’s chance at getting in without a reservation on a Saturday night. The Portland winds continued to gust at my back. With a smile, the hostess told me I was in luck; they just had a cancellation. At the bar? No, a two-seat table all to myself, by the bar.
No way, I thought. Kann is famously (and for good reason) difficult to get a reservation. My first time there was Fall 2023 when my Blazers bosses Aaron and Kevin surprised me with a table. I thought, man, the pro hoops team has some serious pull in town!
Turns out, a Blazers staffer told me a little secret about how to land a seat/table at Kann: follow Kann’s Instagram and turn your notifications on for its Stories. They post last-minute cancellations there. Otherwise, Kann releases tables on Resy the first day of every month for the following month (April 1 for May, for example).
So I walked to my table and immediately ordered the Marie-Jeanne, a bourbon-rum cocktail which my server, Caroll, explained to me was a tribute to a legendary female Haitian soldier. A strong drink in honor of a strong woman, she told me. Hell yeah. A nice touch: the ice block showed what appeared to be a Haitian seal with a palm tree (the Kann logo, I believe?) After a cross-country flight, it went down quickly.
I ordered the Whole Tai Snapper for my main and snagged a side of jollof rice as well.
What a beautiful plate. The circular (!) fish adorned a bed of green herbs and colorful floral accents atop a circular puree spread on a, yes, circular plate. I really appreciated the geometry of it all. The chili tamarind sauce with pineapple cubes (chunks hidden underneath) tasted exactly what you’d expect from Gourdet if you watched his brilliant Top Chef runs: acid, heat and bouncing with flavor. Cooked perfectly. Crispy skin that breaks apart with a turn of the fork. I’m so glad I ordered the impossibly-soft jollof rice so I could soak up every last drop.
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The server who delivered the dish to my table made sure to note that there was a backbone that runs down middle of the snapper. Heard it. Didn’t matter. I gobbled this thing up so fast I memory-holed his gentle warning. I apologize to all who saw me pick itty-bitty bones out of my mouth like an amateur.
Listeners of the show will know that I am no fan of cilantro. I should have known what “herbs” meant in the description of the dish on the menu… But I’m glad I didn’t mention my aversion. The dish was art.
Here’s a photo of the rice:
Yeah, it didn’t last long. Sorry. Might have been the best rice I’ve ever had. Can’t wait to try Eric Adjepong’s version at Elmina.
I also ordered the Guava Sticky Toffee Pudding for dessert. I can’t stop thinking about this one, and ate it so fast I forgot to snap a pic. A texture-lover’s paradise with a generous dose of spiced pecans for extra crunch. The most decadent of the desserts, but wasn’t too heavy for this all-day flyer.
Here’s the menu for those curious what Chef Gregory is cooking up these days:
Alas, Chef Gregory was not in the building. I did get a chance to meet him the last time I came here, so I wasn’t too bummed. Let’s be real, how could I be bummed about anything after that meal? On a Saturday night???
One cool thing about going to a restaurant of a Top Chef alum: you might spot a Top Chef alum dining there! And in my case on Saturday night, I saw a former Top Chef contestant (and PYK guest!) at the fine establishment. Another reason to love Portland, it’s a small town filled with world-class talent.
Kann is superb. I’m not a PNW expert, but the experience felt most worthy of the 2023 James Beard Award for Best New Restaurant: Northwest and Pacific. The service was personable and caring, the energy in the room popped. My seat by the open kitchen was exactly what I had wanted so I could see the masterful handiwork on the wood counters beside the live fire. My only misgiving was not eating with a group so I could order more dishes. ;)
If you are in Portland, turn on those notifications, y’all.
Any Portland food recs? Drop ‘em below! Can’t wait for the Top Chef Season 22 premiere in less than two weeks! March 13!
Thanks so much for sharing. Everything looks and sounds phenomenal. Looking forward to the season 22 premiere and your draft picks!