Departure Restaurant

Guests are whisked directly to the 15th floor by elevator from the ground floor lobby of the Nines Hotel and immediately enter through the “barnacle”, a low-ceiling entrance. The main dining room is an intimate space with a teak-clad bar situated below a 65-foot-long windshield skylight. A custom-made wooden structure shaped like a “smokestack” juts above the bar and makes reference to the ocean liner theme. A nautical mural of fantasy islands wraps around the main dining room. The bar is the epicenter of the dining room and a place to be observed. Dining room booths face toward the bar and the area is defined by marine teak decking, sailcloth panels, and helm bar seating. Outdoors, two open patios invite guests to relax and view the urban horizon.

The modern Asian menu will be divided into sections such as Zensai (starters), Dim Sum (small plates), O Sui Mono (seasonal soups, broths, and noodles), Kushiyaki (skewered and roasted on Japanese charcoal), and Gohan No Mono (Rice dishes). The menu also mixes in the flavors and dishes of other Southeast Asian countries from Malaysia and China to Laos and Thailand. The menu is available throughout the restaurant and lounge and is presented for easy sharing.

Departure’s beverage program complements the culinary journey throughout Asia with an extensive list of more than 30 specialty sakes and shochu. The sake list includes unfiltered, seasonal, and house-style sake, as well as shochu, a distilled beverage native to Japan and a popular drink in the local izakayas. Cocktails are infused with spices and other flavors found throughout Southeast Asia. Such creative cocktails include My Shy Geisha made with sparkling sake, Croft pink port, and a splash of tonic water; or the signature house Margarita with fresh kalamansi juice, tequila, shochu, Satsuma orange, grand Marnier, and yuzu. Departure also features a wine list with selections spanning the globe.