Thursday Tidbits: Late Summer
Celilo Restaurant’s New York State of Mind
Late August in the Gorge is delivering a little bit of everything: local peaches and heirloom tomatoes, new pastries and desserts, U-pick apples and pears, fresh summer drinks, and a few new beers to try. There’s also some bittersweet restaurant news this week — and a good reminder to make time for the places we love while we can.
Bittersweet news from Celilo
Celilo Restaurant & Bar has announced that it will close its downtown Hood River restaurant at the end of October after more than 20 years. The good news: Celilo’s catering business will continue, so this isn’t goodbye altogether.
And right now? Steak is calling. Celilo is channeling a little New York state of mind with steak on the dinner menu — one more very good reason to get in while you can.
A few savory finds
Brigham Fish Market in Cascade Locks shared one of their favorites: the Halibut Original, with the option to swap in a side salad with raspberry vinaigrette.
Did you know Solera Brewery in Parkdale has sliders? Their Pork Bulgogi Sliders feature pulled pork in a spicy Korean bulgogi sauce on slider buns with kimchi mayo and sweet-and-sour Asian pickle slaw.
And Pine Street Bakery has added a new savory pastry: the Tomato & Pesto Ricotta Croissant, made with local heirloom tomatoes from Hood River U-Pick Organic and pesto made with local basil from Oak Rose Farm.
Something new to sip
pFriem Family Brewers at the Hood River waterfront has introduced its Cosmic Guava West Coast IPA. An extra-dry, clean malt base lets the hops take center stage, with notes of guava, mango, peach, hibiscus and mixed berries. Find it on draft or in 16-ounce cans.
Over in White Salmon, Everybody’s Brewing recently featured Stir It Up, a lighter-bodied hazy IPA with bold tropical notes and a silky finish. It clocks in at 7.0% ABV and features Azacca, Chinook, Mosaic, and Strata hops.
Cathedral Ridge Winery has four wines on its late-summer tasting list: a crisp 2022 Pinot Gris, fruity and off-dry Halbtrocken, silky 2021 Summit Reserve Pinot Noir blend, and bold 2022 Elephant Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. Four very different pours for the final stretch of summer.
Late-summer drinks in Hood River
River Daze Café has two new drinks on the menu downtown. Try an Iced Peach Matcha with peach cold foam or a Cucumber Lime Mint Spritzer, available alcohol-free or with Champagne. River Daze is open Monday–Friday from 8 a.m.–3 p.m. and Saturday–Sunday from 8 a.m.–4 p.m.
Up in the Heights, the Start Up Coffee cart has been having some fun with its summer drinks. Current choices include the Mango Oasis Red Bull with mango, passion fruit and grapefruit topped with guava cold foam; the Huckleberry Peak, a Washington-style iced Americano with white chocolate and huckleberry; Lavender Berry Spritz; and the Pink Velvet Latte with white chocolate and raspberry cold foam.
They've also added something heartier: a new Chorizo Breakfast Burrito. Open daily from 7 a.m.–2 p.m.
Save room for dessert
Solstice Wood Fire Pizza is serving Budino while we wait for the return of its famous Key Lime Pie in September. The house-made butterscotch pudding comes topped with fresh whipped cream, caramel and candied pecans.
Peach season is still showing up beautifully on local menus, too. Riverside Restaurant has added a Peach Crumble Cheesecake made with Peachwood Orchard peaches, vanilla cheesecake, cinnamon and a crunchy brown sugar streusel topping over a graham cracker crust, finished with whipped cream.
The orchards are loaded
Late August means the orchard selection just keeps getting bigger.
Kiyokawa Family Orchards has U-pick Gravenstein apples from trees that are more than 110 years old, along with U-pick Zestar apples, pluots, pluerries and some strawberries. Starkcrimson, Bartlett, Ubileen and Tosca pears have arrived, too. Inside the farm stand, look for Sweetheart cherries, yellow and white peaches, donut peaches, nectarines and multiple apple and pear varieties.
Draper Girls Country Farm also has white and yellow peaches and nectarines ready for U-pick, with plenty of already-picked fruit available inside the Country Store.
We're reaching that sweet spot in the Gorge when summer fruit is still abundant, but the first apples and pears are beginning to arrive. Make room for both — this part of the season doesn't last nearly long enough.
Cheers!
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