By David Hanson and Kathy Watson, with sidekick and social commentator, Stu Watson
 ​

​Going to the Red Carpet Tavern for breakfast is like returning to the scene of the crime. 
 
Or so we've been told. We aren't heavy drinkers ourselves, and Kathy will admit to only one hangover, and at that, an accidental one. She visited a bar in Salem 40 years ago, and asked innocently enough, "What's a B-52?" Turns out, it's delicious, so she had a couple more. She fixed breakfast for six the next morning while holding onto the stove. 
 
But thank heavens, you won't have to cook your relief breakfast yourself, because we've found four places that can feed that queasy stomach and aching head on the morning after you've accidentally gone a bit overboard. Just a reminder: Driving under the influence is a bad idea. All bars will call you a taxi, so please don't get behind the wheel. We've also heard breakfast in jail is not worth the risk, unless you like bologna sandwiches with your day-old coffee.
 

​The bartender/cook/manager disappeared into the kitchen to cook our eggs, bacon, and toast. Between songs, we could hear the bacon fat popping as she returned with coffee served in a cocktail rocks glass, engineered from a tiny espresso machine beside the kitchen door. Then the Bloody Mary arrived with two olives, a salt rim, pickled asparagus, and not much kick.
 
The eggs were cooked just as I like: fried over medium. (By the way, she only cooks fried eggs.) She had slapped a healthy knife-full of butter across the toast’s face. The bacon was thicker than expected and skillet-cooked with perfect crispy edges. It all went down in roughly two minutes, but left me satisfied. There’s an enjoyable novelty to breakfast in a bar, and it can be nice to avoid the hustle and bustle of normal breakfast joints and start the day in an unexpected, but familiar place. Were I properly hungover and in need of more grease, I could have just ordered another round, cheap as it is. By the end of two breakfasts it might be time to move out to the patio for a beer.
 
Ambiance: As disorienting (and oddly comforting) as one would expect in a proper dive bar illuminated by daylight.
Hours: Monday-Thursday 8am-1am; Fri 8am-2:30am; Sat 10am-2:30am; Sun 10am-12am 
Bonus: The price, the contrarian appeal of a dive-bar breakfast, and the knowledge that if you happen to end up sleeping in your car after a late night at Hood River’s best bar, there’s a scratch-made breakfast waiting in the morning for the price of a tip at a fancy bar.
Bottom line: $25 for two breakfasts, a Bloody Mary, and two coffees.
-- David Hanson

​Baseline Biscuits, Hood River
 
On spring mornings, Parkdale's Baseline Biscuits is above the lid of gray doom that often hangs over Hood River. 
 
When you drive up, though, you can bring your hang over with you, because if your head is throbbing, what you really need is a biscuit the size of a pork pie hat. And perhaps a little hair of the dog to go with it, such as a Morning Mule: Ketel One Vodka, Fentimans ginger beer and orange juice in a copper mug, for $10. Which raises a question for me: Why is morning drinking cheaper than night drinking? 
 
Baseline Biscuits is a newish spot to many, owned and operated by Leila Coe and Justin White, who bring us Apple Valley BBQ, just west on Parkdale's main street, Baseline Drive. 
 
The vibe, says Leila, is meant to be just a touch Southern, with shrimp and grits to round-out to the daily handmade biscuits and gravy. You can get your gravy three ways, too: white pepper, sausage or chorizo. There's huevos rancheros and thick French toast. For a crunch that will sound like thunder in your gin-soaked brain, order the French toast with a cornflakes and hazelnut crust. If you are ho-hum boring, you can just get the Farmhouse Breakfast with 2 eggs, breakfast potatoes, choice of bacon, sausage, ham or chorizo, and another one of those ... biscuits. Why not? 
 
What's a good biscuit joint without a biscuit sandwich, something David, who used to co-own a biscuit truck in Seattle, was quick to order. The sammie is one of those giant biscuits with two fried eggs, and your choice of meat and cheese. However, David's crucial discovery in his biscuit truck odyssey was that a biscuit sammy must be slathered with a big ol' spoonful of homemade jam. Baseline has those little matchbox size jams, so you may be scooping through three or four of them. That should keep you busy until, well, Noon, when Solera Brewing opens across the street. 
 
Ambiance: Mountain cafe with lots of reminders that the big white dome is just out the front door. 
Hours: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday - Monday, closed Tuesday and Wednesday. 
Bonus: There's also a lunch menu, and they serve hand-made ice cream in the summer.
Bottom line: $90 for three big breakfasts, coffee, juice and tip
-- Kathy Watson

Zim's Sports Bar and Grill, The Dalles
 
When friends told us that Zim's, that well-loved sports bar in downtown The Dalles, serves breakfast, we thought, OK, another $5 toss-off like the Red Carpet.  
 
Wrong. This is a righteous breakfast joint. The kind of place that dusts their pudgy French toast with powdered sugar, and serves a steak knife with their super thick side of ham. Poached eggs come neat in a small bowl, the rye toast is a hefty marbled slice, and the coffee is $1. Their French toast, pancakes and waffles come with strawberries and whip cream, if you like that sort of thing, and you might, since those strawberries are the only fresh thing on the menu. Don't go looking for yogurt and granola, either. But you're in luck if you want an omelet groaning with German sausage, mushrooms and peppers. The service from Laloni is excessively cheerful for so early in the morning. Wear sunglasses if the glare from a bright, white smile is too much when you have the whirlies.
 
Make no mistake: it's a bar, first and foremost. There's the table of six old guys, all regulars, having their morning coffee, ringed by ten TV screens, most of which were mercifully muted the morning we were there. Another regular came in at 8 a.m. for a Bud tall boy, just slowly working his way up to solid food, playing the video poker machines. 
 
But it is very, very clean and has a baby changing pull-down in the women's immaculate bathroom, proving you can show up with the kiddies for some nourishment. They'll be missing you anyhow, since you were out sooo late last night. 
 
Ambiance: Total sports bar, circa 1980
Hours: Opens at 7:30 a.m. Monday - Saturday, and Sunday at 9 a.m. Open late. 
Bonus: People watching, and you could win the lottery
Bottom line: $36 for two breakfasts, coffee and tip
-- Kathy Watson
 ​

La Pasadita
 
Menudo, a brothy Mexican soup, is traditionally reserved for weekend brunch, either due to the arduous prep time or its alleged ability to combat hangovers. In Odell, at La Pasadita, the giant, steaming menudo pot sits at the back of the kitchen. Kathy and Stu Watson and I have come here on a Saturday morning, early and grossly under-hungover for menudo. In fact, I went on a run this morning, which, if we’re being objective, makes me a lazy menudo reporter. We are chipper, caffeinated, and, speaking for Kathy and myself, a little apprehensive about eating hot stomach lining. Stu, however, is our Captain Menudo, having eaten the traditional Mexican soup for years, even preparing it at home. He orders the bowl after Kathy and I determine that sampling the breakfast burritos offers the most well-rounded perspective on Pasadita’s offerings.
 
“Quieres pata en el menudo?” the cook asks Stu.
 
Pata…? I dredge my brain for any remnant Spanish and ask her if she means “foot.” 
 
“Sí, de vaca,” she says.
 
Sure, bring on the cow’s foot.
 
It is believed that menudo originated during pre-revolutionary times in Mexico as a resourceful way to sap the nutrients and flavor out of every possible animal part, in menudo’s case, the cow stomach (tripe), bones, and foot. But the dish took its modern turn as a popular, urban street food in 1930s cities such as San Antonio and Los Angeles where immigrants from all over Mexico started becoming neighbors, gathering for community meals, and swapping recipes. 
 
It takes hours to allow the bones and foot to break down into the gelatin that gives the soup its savory, rich broth and to soften the otherwise rubbery stomach lining. Dried red chiles give the soup its bright crimson color and hominy adds a hearty starch.
 
Stu’s bowl of menudo arrives, corners of the tripe barely visible, like sunken ships in a lava crater. He applies the full arsenal of accouterments—lime, chopped white onion, dried oregano, chile de árbol, torn corn tortilla—and takes a bite. His face lights up. Kathy and I dip our spoons, chasing a chunk of stomach. The honeycomb-patterned tissue is light and smooth, not nearly as chewy as I imagined. The broth has a kick, but the richness of the marrow with the tart lime juice and oregano cushion any excess heat. 
 
We alternate bites of menudo with our breakfast burritos—scrambled egg, a light dusting of chorizo, cheese, and hash brown potatoes, dipped in the house-made spicy green, creamy salsa. The burritos are fine, something to grab on the go. 
 
It’s a cheery place for breakfast with brightly painted walls and vivid, roadside-stand art that includes a pretty woman serenaded by a man with a guitar, a large plastic fork and spoon, and a painted portrait of a snowman. At one point the cook hustles through the front door with a bag of shredded cheese and a dozen eggs bought from the grocery store across the street. 
 
As Stu eats, the menudo line recedes, revealing the pata, a short, knobbed bone with meat and fat barely hanging on. We marvel at it, then encourage it back below the surface, while appreciating the nourishing, potion-like menudo, something to be nursed on a slow weekend morning, hungover or not.
 
Ambiance: Like you time-traveled to a roadside food stand in non-tourist Mexico.
Hours: Monday-Friday 6am-2pm; Sat-Sun 6am-12pm. Menudo only on Saturday-Sunday
Bonus: They advertise 25 tacos for $50, so worth remembering for the next semi-impromptu party.
Bottom line: Under $30 for breakfast for three.
-- David Hanson
 ​

​​Something is so nice about the Gorge in the spring: flowers are blooming, and the sun is shining more often. Spring is also a time for outdoor events and the start of outdoor patios.

Here are the Thursday tidbits for this week: 

• On April 27th at the Hood River Event Site, the Hood River Cider fest will take place, featuring Oregon and Washington's most beloved cideries. The Gorge's own Draper Girls Country Farm, Golden Row Cider, Double Mountain Brewery & Cidery, Fox-Tail Cider & Distillery, The Gorge White House, Better Together Tap Truck, and Working Hands Fermentation will be there along with cideries from around the region. You won't want to miss out on the food vendors either! Gorge favorites including Columbia Gorge Crepes, Empanadas by Maria Elba, Mt. Hood BBQ, and Tacos Pepe will be serving event-goers.

• White Salmon is having an artisan market on May 11th, and later on, they will have the White Salmon Wine Walk. The wine walk is ticketed, so be sure to purchase tickets. Participants will walk through downtown White Salmon, taste wines, and visit businesses. Pizza Leona will serve pizza slices for $2.50! The location for the wine walk will be at 292 E. Jewett.

• Grasslands Barbecue is having a grand celebration this Saturday for their three-year anniversary. This will be a party with live music, special guest chefs, and a brand-new beer collab release. Come early to get food as they will be serving menu items from 12 PM until they sell out, which is always fast!

• Other fun things to look out for are the Skamania County Spring fest at the Skamania County Fairgrounds on May 3rd and 4th (food vendors will be there!) and the Columbia Gorge Wine Festival on Saturday, May 4th, at the Hood River fairgrounds. Wine from sixteen winemakers in the area for tasting and purchasing will be available. All proceeds for the wine fest will go to the Hood River County Education Foundation.

Please send us any specials or things you would like to share! And keep using the hashtag #hoodrivereats so we can repost you!

• Analemma Wines will collaborate with Arden in Portland for Arden's winemaker dinner series. The Arden and Analemma Winemaker Dinner takes place on Monday, May 6, at 6 PM. A few seats remain available for this dining experience.

• The Dalles is set to host its 43rd Northwest Cherry Festival, celebrating the community's agricultural heritage. The festival features an outdoor market, live music, and a parade. The festival theme this year is "Cherries on Broadway." The event runs from Friday, April 19, to Sunday, April 21.

• Main Street Mosier Spring Fest takes place on April 20 from 9 AM to 4 PM. Activities include a Riverwalk cleanup, plant sale, and clothing pop-up. From 12 PM to 4 PM, Mosier Company will offer food and drinks, with local artisan vendors on site. Brenna's Market will host wine sampling from 12 PM to 3 PM.

• Domaine Pouillon is putting together a seed exchange on April 20 from 12 PM to 4 PM, allowing attendees to share and trade seeds. This gathering also provides an opportunity for gardeners to learn together and will feature a silent auction too. 

• Hood River Farmers' Market will have its final winter market at 403 Portway Ave on April 20th before transitioning to its main market season on May 4 at 501 Columbia Street.

Thank you for following along! Be sure to tag Hood River Eats in all your food posts on social media. 

​Simple, elegant, and tender with a bit of crunch. Serve this brussels recipe all at the end of a long winter to keep that craving for greens satisfied in style. Featuring our Black Mission Fig Balsamic and healthful, delicious, seasonally-sourced Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
 
Ingredients:

• 1 lb brussel sprouts, cut into quarters
• 2-3 Tbl extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• ¼ cup goat cheese
• ¼ walnuts, chopped
• ¼ cup black mission fig balsamic

Method:

• Dice onions. Heat oil in pan on medium heat. Cook onion until translucent.
• Cut brussel sprouts in half, then cut each half lengthwise again.
• Add brussel sprouts to the pan, continue cooking until caramelized, about 8 minutes, or until dark golden brown. Add chopped walnuts, salt, and pepper. Pan roast for 2 minutes.
• Transfer to a serving bowl, toss with balsamic vinegar, then add goat cheese. Serve immediately.
• For extra flavor, try tossing in crispy bacon chunks.

 

​The weather is nice and there are many great things happening in the Gorge. 

Here are this week's Thursday Tidbits:
• Tomorrow at Cork, Teddi Fuller of Lushington Wines will showcase spring wine releases with a chocolate pairing with treats from Edeske Patisserie. The event will happen  from 5pm-8pm.
• This Saturday, April 13th pFriem Family Brewers and Le Doubblé Troubblé Wine Co. are throwing a release party at the LDT wine clubhouse located at 111 E. Jewett Blvd in White Salmon. There will be snacks, wine, and beer tastings, as well as live music to celebrate the release of Phriem's 2024 Vinif-era Saison, a beer made using grapes from LDT wine co.
• Everybody's Brewing is sponsoring Mazot Fest at Mt. Hood Meadows, an event benefiting The Avy Dogs at Mt. Hood Meadows. They will be serving BBQ and Everybody's beers on April 12th and 13th from 11am-3pm.
• AniChe Cellars is collaborating with Skamania Lodge in the Dine and Discover series. This Spring meal features locally foraged ingredients, with each course paired with wine. There are still some spots left for this dinner. This will be the last of the Dine and Discover dinners at Skamania Lodge this season. 

By Sarah Harper

Below is Registered Dietitian Sarah Harper’s take on a Sub Salad, the classic lunchbox staple but in salad form. This recipe reimagines the classic sandwich as a vibrant and veggie-packed salad. This customizable Sub Salad is bursting with flavors and textures. I’m talking crisp, creamy, and juicy. 
Make this Sub Salad your own by adding your favorite toppings, such as sliced turkey, cherry tomatoes, or Sarah’s favorite, Mama Lil’s Peppers. You can even add cooked pasta to make it a pasta salad. Whatever you choose will add a unique twist to this versatile dish.
Finish this recipe with a Creamy Yogurt Italian Dressing. The dressing leftovers can double as a snack dip for cut-up veggies. ​

Servings: 2 meal-sized salads
Time: 15 to 20 minutes


Sub Salad Ingredients:
Greens

• 4 cups romaine lettuce

Vegetables

• 1 cup red bell peppers, small dice (approx 1 pepper)
• 1 cup cherry Tomatoes, halved or quartered
• ½ cup red onion, small dice
• ½ cup pepperoncini peppers, sliced
• ¼ cup hot peppers, chopped (such as Mama Lil’s Peppers)

Protein

• 4 oz turkey, thinly sliced
• 4 oz Italian cured meat, such as salami or prosciutto, thinly sliced

Cheese

• 2 oz provolone cheese, sliced or shredded

Creamy Yogurt Italian Dressing

• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup whole milk Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated or shredded
• 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

​

Instructions:
Prepare The Creamy Yogurt Italian Dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayo, Greek yogurt, Italian seasoning, grated Parmesan cheese, and red wine vinegar to make the dressing.
Add Greens: In a large salad bowl, add your greens base of Romaine lettuce.
Layer Ingredients: Arrange the bell peppers, tomatoes, red onion, pepperoncini peppers, and chopped hot peppers, into the bowl.
Add the thinly sliced turkey, Italian cured meat and provolone cheese over the salad.
Serve: Wait to toss the ingredients together until just before serving for maximum impact. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently to coat all the ingredients evenly. Any dressing leftovers can double as a snack dip for cut-up veggies, chips, or an accompaniment to roasted vegetables, chicken, or fish. 


​

​Sarah Harper is a Registered Dietitian, creator, and one of many eaters behind The Addy Bean. She is also an avid hiker, a registered yoga instructor, and a former nursing home dietitian. Based in Hood River, Oregon, Sarah lives with her husband Jacob, her dog Huey and her blog’s namesake – her cat Adeline.

• On Monday, April 8th, there will be an eclipse! Thunder Island Brewing Company will host an event for people to watch the eclipse called "Total Eclipse of the Pub"! With the purchase of a Moon Pie, you will receive a complimentary pair of eclipse-watching glasses. The eclipse will occur around 11:20 AM to 11:30 AM. Head to Thunder Island to enjoy this unforgettable experience!
• For wine enthusiasts, there is a wine club share happening in the Gorge this month. Throughout April, members with wine club subscriptions can enjoy club perks at 20 participating wineries in the Gorge. The participating wineries include: Jacob Williams Winery Loop de Loop Wines, Waving Tree Winery , Clyzm Wines, Maryhill Winery, Evoke Winery, Tierra de Lobos Winery, 15 Mile Winery, Hawkins Cellars , AniChe Cellars, Willow Wine Cellars , Mt Hood Winery Idiot's Grace Wines, Le Doubblé Troubblé Wine Co., Upsidedown Wine, Phelps Creek Vineyards, The Pines 1852, Stave & Stone Winery, Cathedral Ridge Winery, Hood Crest Winery.
• Apple Valley Country Store is now open for Spring hours, Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 AM to 5 PM. They offer a variety of treats, pies, and jams for tasting or purchase, as well as serving Huckleberry and Marionberry milkshakes.
• Spring is here, but there are still two more winter season Hood River farmers markets left. One is scheduled for this Saturday, and the other is on April 20th. Both of the Hood River Farmers' Markets will be located next to Ferment Brewing and will take place from 10 AM to 12 PM.
• This Saturday, Grasslands Barbecue will be serving breakfast and will open early at 10 AM until they sell out. They will be closed on April 13th but will reopen on April 27th for their three-year Anniversary Party! The celebration will include live music and a Tex-Mex menu.
• Exciting news, a new Indian restaurant, Kirpa's Indian cuisine , is coming to Hood River! The restaurant will be located at 4040 Westcliff St. Keep an eye out on our blog for more information.
Be sure to tag us in your posts and use the hashtag #hoodrivereats to be reposted!