It's Tidbit Thursday and here's the news we have for you this week: 

Local Rhoots will be hosting a Mexican pop-up called Estelita in May. All month, it will be hosting weekend brunch. We'll have more details available as well as a menu up later this week. 

Mt. Hood BBQ will open tomorrow in the 1301 parking lot (1301 Belmont St.). Find their menu for opening week above. On Friday, they'll also have  ribs on special. On Sundays, they'll serve handmade sausage. Opening at 11, closing at 6 (if they don't sell out). 
Columbia Gorge Crepes has secured its former location near Pacos Tacos and the movie theater. It will open Saturday, May 7. See the company's Facebook page for more info. 

Celilo will be closed through May 10, re-opening May 11 to provide staff with a break before summer. 

Mother's Day is upon us and a few places are offering special menus or brunch. 

• Columbia Gorge Discovery Center will be offering brunch but at the time we gathered this information, tickets were sold out. 
• The Columbia Gorge Hotel & Spa will be offering brunch buffet. The menu is available here. Call (541) 386-5566 or check online for reservations. 
• Riverside has a special menu for Mother's Day. See it here. 

Kickstand has a special menu for Cinco de Mayo. Additionally, Crush Cider Cafe will have a dj and Mexican food handmade by Michoacan Grill, and Finnriver Cidery will pop by to takeover the taps for the day. 

Parklets are back! Taphouse 64 already put theirs up. 

Got news to share? Email Melissa at therealhreats at gmail.com

Soon, a vegan sandwich and bake shop will open in downtown Hood River. The new spot, called Golden Goods, will be at ​111 Oak St, Hood River, OR 97031 (look next to Andrew's, where the fro yo places used to be). 

The shop is the creation of Savannah and Chad Hinman. You may recognize the couple from the various hats they wear around town. Chad at Broder Ost and Savannah used to manage Basik Acai Cafe. 

The duo plan to open the doors some time in May. Then, they'll shut down for a few weeks as they welcome their first child. 

We dropped by today and the space was sunny, bright, and inviting. Savannah and Chad have brought their own touches to the space, including tiling they did themselves. Look around and you'll see the influence of their friends on the space. Audrey Mae, known for her rad artistry, painted two pieces on their walls.

So what's there to know? Golden Goods will be Hood River's first fully-vegan eatery. It will serve veggie-forward sandwiches focused on real food instead of meat substitutes (think: lentil meatballs on the meatball sandwich). Much of the bread and baked goods will be made in-house, but some things, like any gluten-free vegan bread, may be brought in from elsewhere. There will be kid-friendly items on the menu. For drinks expect kombucha, juice, espresso and hopefully beer and wine (with time, their application is under review with the OLCC). 

That's it. That's what we know! We're excited to see everything when they open soon! 

You may remember Halley from a write-up we did a bit ago about a pop-up she did. Well, she bought the Huck Truck, renovated it to fit her Puerto Rican theme, and will open Saturday, April 30. Hours will be 11-2 p.m. for opening weekend (or until sold out, stay tuned to Halley's Facebook page for updates). The truck will be parked where Huck Truck was at 415 W Steuben. 

FishPeople Seafood will be offering both brunch and dinner kits for Mother's Day. Order for 2 or 4 (or multiple sets to feed more). A sample basket for brunch for 2: a dozen farm-fresh eggs, mimosa makings with juice from Columbia Gorge Organics (the bessssttt), salmon, potatoes, asparagus, and rémoulade. Make whatever you want with the ingredients or follow the included directions to make a bomb frittata. $39 feeds 2. Order by calling (541) 436-3474. 

Mount Hood BBQ is on track to open May 6. We'll update you if anything changes. It will be parked in the parking lot of Local Rhoots/1301 at 1301 Belmont St. 

Remember when we got excited about the new boba truck? We may have got over-excited. The truck hit some snags and is on hold for now, from what we understand. More info to come. 

For some time, Ethan Fuller and his team of 3 drivers have been delivering takeout to Stevenson, Carson, Stabler, Home Valley, North Bonneville, and Cascade Locks. The 19 year-old plans to hire two additional employees and expand to White Salmon, Bingen, and parts of Snowden this May. We chatted with Ethan about his business and what sets it apart from other delivery services.

EAT 14
Pizza Leona
Harvest Market

Instead of calling the restaurant you want to order from, head to gorgedeliveries.com. Find the restaurant you want to order from, hit "order now" and select your items, then check out. Food will be delivered to the address you put in during checkout. 

None

$8 for most deliveries, but up to $14 (not including tip). 

Currently 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday-Sunday. However, each restaurant has specific hours delivery is available. Head to gorgedeliveries.com for the most up-to-date schedule. 

In the past few weeks, several restaurants have swapped their menus to reflect the season. 

pFriem's spring menu keeps favorites like mochiko chicken, mussles & frites, and the fried chicken sandwich. It adds seasonal selections like smoked salmon dip, roasted beets, paprikash, and a spring salad. Find lots of gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian options. See the full menu below. pFriem is located at ​707 Portway Ave #101. See their menu online at www.pfriembeer.com

Kickstand's spring menu features a poke bowl, year-round staples like the street tacos, and what you see in the picture above: a grilled prawn and calamari platter with garlic rice, baby bok choy, green onions, and soy sauce. You'll also notice the return of the Ricky Bobby sandwich (eggs, fried chicken, sausage, cheese, and green onions on a biscuit). 

Below, find the full menus. Find Kickstand at 1235 State St #100 and online at kickstandcoffee.net

Chef Ben is always innovating at Celilo Restaurant and Bar. This spring's menu features items like seafood risotto, mushroom and coconut ravioli, ricotta gnocchi with roasted cauliflower, and, of course, a pasta loaded with spring veggies like artichoke hearts. The bar menu remains the same with happy hour from 5-6 daily. Find the full menu below or at Celilo  (16 Oak St.) and online at  www.celilorestaurant.com. 

Elizabeth changes her menu monthly, rotating through the cities and regions of Italy. This month, she takes us to Sicily. Start with an order of  Panelle (a chickpea fritter with handmade lemon aioli), then order some fresh, handmade pasta with pistachio pesto. We can't wait to try it. Have you? Find Pesco online at pescohr.com and in person in the Windance parking lot (​108 OR-35).

The spring menu focuses on sharable plates like deviled eggs, fries, charcuterie, and farro salad. Other mains include things like mushroom risotto and spring seafood stew.  Find them in person at 390 Wa Na Pa St, Cascade Locks or online at gorgesbeer.com

Local Rhoots is a meal delivery service using locally sourced ingredients wherever possible, creating jobs within the community and delivering in reusable packaging. Their motto is "we feed humans whole food that tastes awesome!" Learn more at localrhoots.com. 

This winter, SōthKitchen held pop-ups at 64oz taphouse. Now, the owners have finished the build out of their food truck, secured their permits, and passed their inspections. The only thing left to do is open the window and start serving food, which they will do on Friday, April 1 at Mt. Hood Winery. Here's what we know about the truck: 

"Gourmet sandwiches with a touch of Italian and Filipino flavors and cuisine," -- Owner, Michelle Soth

The truck will be parked at Mt. Hood Winery, for the most part. They have mentioned being open to catering, as well. Address: ​2882 Van Horn Dr, Hood River, OR

For now, the hours will be 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. Friday-Sunday. That may change in the future. 

Michelle and Joshua Soth are co-owners of the food truck.
Joshua has been an Executive level Chef for the past 15 years but has been in the industry for nearly 28 years. He's never worked in a food truck before but having his own has always been a dream. He was born in a South Suburb of Chicago. Joshua is an avid kayaker and whitewater rafter and spent some time as a sea kayak guide on Orcas Island, WA. He also trained in the whitewater of the White Salmon River where his love for the Columbia River Gorge began.

Michelle: You may know Michelle from her work as a yoga instructor at Brimstone Boulders. She was born in  was born and raised in Chicago, as well. She’s a first generation Filipino-American. The memories of family gatherings and meals at her Lola's home are the inspiration to Michelle’s style of cooking today. She’s an avid baker and has a strong passion for making delectable sweets and breads.

SōthKitchen is a family business. Joshua and Michelle's daughter, Bella, lends her expertise to the business. Bella handles all of the design work for the business. She helps with prep and loves making ​lumpia (Filipino egg rolls). 

Soth (rhymes with both) is their last name. You'll find a long history of posts under #sothkitchen on instagram: it's the tag they've used to share their food adventures, both at home and on the trail, for the past few years. 

Kids menu available. Pay by card or with cash. Vegetarian options available. 

Want more info? Want to check for an updated menu or hours? Find SōthKitchen online at ​sothkitchen.net or on Instagram @sothkitchen

Late this winter, a new food truck opened in the parking lot of Windance Board Shop. The name is PESCO and it's run by Elizabeth Pesco. 

​The theme? Handmade Italian food. We're talking the kind that's made by a chef that lived in Italy for several years. And don't get us started on the fried rice balls that take the owner two and a half hours to make each morning. They're carefully packed with slow-simmered meat sauce, veggies, and cheese. ​

You may know Elizabeth from her work as a chef at several restaurants around town. Before opening PESCO, Elizabeth learned her skills in some of the most well-known kitchens in town. Elizabeth is a talented chef with a passion for food. She works tirelessly and patiently to perfect each recipe she makes and puts a ridiculous amount of effort into everything she does. With her experience as a chef and her knowledge of Italy, she has brought a new take on Italian to Hood River, providing something completely different than what we currently have. Think:  seasonal, light, packed full of flavor,  fresh, local, and handmade -- just like you would find it in Italy. 

Elizabeth rotates her menu each month. This month, she's focusing on Sicily with items like Spaghetti con Pesto di Pistachhio (fresh spaghetti with a pistachio pesto) and panelle (Sicilian chickpea fritter served with lemon aioli). In the past, she took us to Florence (fresh pappardelle with tomato sauce; spinach and ricotta dumplings; Tuscan soup; and more) and Rome. 

Moving forward, she'll continue to change the menu each month, reflecting the seasonality of our local ingredients here in the Gorge. Check for a new menu each month on her website and Instagram page. 

Address: 108 HWY 35, HOOD RIVER, OR 97031
Hours: 11:30-sold out (typically some time between 6 and 9 p.m.). Instagram is a great way to track when she's sold out for the day, so if you're worried, pop over instagram.com/pescohr
Kid-friendly menu? Yes!
Payment options accepted: Cash, card, apple pay
Website and current menu: www.pescohr.com
Drinks: Yes!  

Ready for some weekly updates? 

1. Want to go out for St. Paddy's Day? There are tons of specials around town. Ferment is doing a turkey Rueben + Irish stew. Everybody's is cooking up Corned Beef and Cabbage as well as Shepard's pie, Bangers + Mash, and Irish soda bread. Kickstand will have venison Shepard's pie and drink specials. And Thunder Island has a crazy awesome looking St. Paddy's burger with corned beef, kraut, swiss, and 1000 island dressing. 
2. 6th Street Bistro is closed for the week, reopening 3/25.
3. Like booze and easter egg hunts? Packer Orchards will be hosting a "boozy glow in the dark Easter egg hunt" for those of you 21+.
4. It's Farm-to-Table dinner event season and Hood River Organic just announced that it will be hosting one on June 12. Find more details here.

Thank you, thank you, thank you! ​

Last Wednesday's, "Dine/Drink out for Ukraine" (organized by Hood River Eats and Solstice Pizza)  was more successful than I could have ever imagined.

Restaurants, breweries, wineries, taphouses, and coffee shops were packed all day. pFriem was on an hour wait; when we walked into 64 Oz (taphouse) near their normal closing time, the business was packed; and many of the business owners we talked to said business was above normal on Wednesday. 

Together, eaters and drinkers in the Gorge managed to raise $25,000 for the World Central Kitchen. That's incredible! 

What you didn't see was that behind the scenes this event was powered by servers, dishwashers, bussers, cooks, hostesses, managers, dough makers, and bartenders. A huge shout-out goes to them for their hard work on Wednesday. Many businesses are short-staffed these days, closing unexpectedly if a staff member calls in sick. The labor market in the Gorge is tight and difficult but every restaurant that committed to the fundraiser found a way to make it work Wednesday. A huge thanks to them and their staff. 

The easiest part of this fundraiser was getting restaurants to join the cause. It's unbelievable how supportive this community is. All it took was a few emails and phone calls to get 20 restaurants on board and from there the event snowballed. On Wednesday, 41 establishments pledged to donate a portion of proceeds to the World Central Kitchen. On Thursday, we heard from additional restaurants saying that they had been closed or short-staffed on Wednesday but were planning to donate proceeds from a different day. Then, over the weekend many wineries decided to donate a percent of their sales to the fundraiser. In the end, we had almost 50 participants. 

A huge shout out to everyone who donated online, ate out, worked, or helped us spread the word. Thank you all for making this event so successful. 

Want to find out more about the WCK? Click here. Want to donate? Head to this link. Funds go directly to WCK. If you would like your donation to go directly to the Ukraine, you can mention it in the comments box when you donate. 

10 Speed Coffee 
Local Rhoots
Broder Ost
Pine Street
New York City Sub Shop
Pfriem Family Brewers 
White Salmon Baking
Gorges Brewing Co. 
Celilo
Solstice Wood Fire Pizza
Gorge Wine Library
Volcanic Bottle Shoppe
Thunder Island Brewing Company 
Freebridge Brewing
Egg River Cafe
Evoke
64 Oz 
Sushi Okalani 
Stave and Stone 
Double Mountain Brewery 
Boda's Kitchen
Mugen Noodle 
Camp 1805
Crush Cider Cafe
Feast Market & Delicatessen
Bette's Place Restaurant
Ground Coffee
Doppio
Working Hands/Slopeswell Cider
Riverside
River Daze Cafe 
Pizza Leona 
Henni's Kitchen and Bar
PESCO  food truck (located in the lot next to Windance)
The Mesquitery
Mylan Wines 
Randonne Coffee (1104 1st Ave, Mosier, OR 97040)
Lilo's Hood River
China Gorge
Kickstand Coffee & Kitchen
Treebird Market
Everybody's Brewing 
Aniche Cellars 
Cor Cellars 
Domaine Pouillon
The Pines 1852
6th Street Grill