Butternut squash is back on the pizza at Solstice, Henni’s has a South African braai on its fall menu, and Nashi Orchards is pouring cider downtown this weekend. We’ve also got a few hours changes, Thanksgiving reservations to put on your radar, and some sad news.

On the menu around the Gorge

Henni’s Kitchen & Bar in White Salmon has its fall menu up, and one of the new dishes is a favorite of Chef Christiaan’s. His South African braai brings together boerewors sausage, a beef skewer, and three fork-tender lamb ribs, served with polenta and chakalaka, a savory bean dish with onions and mild green peppers. The cedar-planked salmon has a new seasonal pairing, too, with black-eyed peas and acorn squash simmered in coconut milk and tomato. Dinner is served Friday and Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 5 to 8:30 p.m.

Clark & Lewie’s in Stevenson is serving stroganoff with ground beef, elk, and seasonal mushrooms, topped with green onions and served with toasted garlic bread.

Feast Market & Delicatessen in White Salmon is bringing back BOGO Pasta Wednesdays. A good one to tuck away for next week.

Solstice in Hood River has its BLBB pizza back on the menu. Local butternut squash and leeks meet applewood-smoked bacon, blue cheese and mozzarella.

Something sweet, something to sip

Backwoods Brewing Co. in Carson is serving Tuxedo Cheesecake, with layers of chocolate and white chocolate cheesecake over a pretzel crust, finished with whipped cream and chocolate pretzels. Try it with a darker Backwoods brew if you like a little roasted malt with your chocolate.

Love & Hominy in Hood River has an Apple Butter Fashioned on the menu, made with Bulleit bourbon, apple butter, and Angostura bitters.

Kaile’a Coffee Co. in Cascade Locks has a new house-made Maple Butter syrup. Try it in your coffee or chai. Yum!

A few hours changes

Baseline Biscuits in Parkdale is easing into winter hours, opening an hour later at 8 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 5, through Monday, Nov. 9.
Pearl’s Place Fruit is open Friday through Monday. Stop by Friday or Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Kiyokawa Family Orchards has moved its fruit inside the stand for the season and is now open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cider, Veterans Day & Thanksgiving plans

Sip and shop with Nashi Orchards at Sustain Home in downtown Hood River. Stop by for cider and browse work by local artists on Friday, Nov. 6, from 3 to 8 p.m. or Saturday, Nov. 7, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cousins’ Restaurant in The Dalles is treating active and retired military members to a meal from its special Veterans Day menu on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Options range from slow-roasted turkey with savory dressing to thick-cut Windsurfer French toast.

Thanksgiving reservations are open at two Gorge favorites + bakery Preorders are live:

Riverside in Hood River has seatings from noon to 7:30 p.m. Call 541-386-4410.
Cooper Spur Mountain Resort is also taking Thanksgiving Day reservations. Call 541-352-6691, ext. 0.
Pine Street Bakery is taking Thanksgiving preorders for baked good: pies, quickbreads, rolls, and more. Email orders to info@pinestreetbakery.com or stop by to place your order with a staff member.

Full Sail’s Hood River brewpub closes after nearly 40 years

It was a shock to learn that Full Sail’s Hood River brewpub closed abruptly on Monday, Nov. 2, and that the pub crew found out that day that their jobs were ending. Sazerac, Full Sail’s new owner, said it bought the brewery to expand ready-to-drink beverage production. A Full Sail brewer said the production team would keep making beverages under existing contracts. What’s next for the former brewpub space on Columbia Street is still unclear.

Since opening in 1987, Full Sail has been a gathering place and a training ground for brewers who went on to help start or build local breweries like Double Mountain, pFriem, Solera and Ferment. The pub was still finding new ways to give back this fall. Through its October Communi-Tuesdays, Full Sail pledged a portion of Tuesday food and beer sales to Helping Hands Against Violence. We’ll miss having the Full Sail pub in downtown Hood River. We’re thinking of the whole pub crew who made it a place we loved visiting.

That’s the scoop in a nutshell. Stay tuned for more info on Thanksgiving Day eats and holiday food + drink.