There’s a little bit of everything in this week’s Thursday Tidbits — smoky comfort food, fresh spring produce, standout desserts, patio-season wines... Whether you’re craving slow-smoked stroganoff, Greek street food fresh off the grill, or a warm bread pudding paired with barrel-aged beer, the Gorge is serving up plenty of reasons to head out this week.

Tonight’s Specials + Fresh Finds

Apple Valley BBQ’s Thursday pasta night has become a local favorite for good reason, and this week’s special sounds especially comforting: Smoked Prime Rib Stroganoff starting at 5 pm. (Parkdale)

Meanwhile in downtown Hood River, Celilo Restaurant has grilled New York strip steak with herb-roasted gold potatoes, grilled asparagus, and chimichurri on the menu.

LDT Wines is now open seven days a week from 12–8 pm, making it even easier to stop in for a tasting, or visit during Happy Hour, Sunday through Friday from 3–6 pm. (White Salmon)

Over at Remedy Café, the fresh-pressed juices and smoothies are flowing — from the tropical “Aloha” to the green-packed “Green Island” and the aptly named “Follow Your Bliss.” And if you know, you know: their iced chai remains one of the Gorge’s most-loved hidden gems. (Hood River)

Seasonal Pastries + Spring Produce

Pine Street Bakery has debuted a new seasonal Cruffin flavor: Strawberry Rhubarb & Cream. The croissant-muffin hybrid is rolled in strawberry sugar, filled with strawberry rhubarb compote cream, and topped with mascarpone whipped cream. (Hood River)

Analemma Wines is leaning beautifully into late spring flavors with dishes built around local ingredients and Gorge growers, featuring tacos with locally made tortillas, Sandoz Farm pork, Olympia Provisions chorizo, romesco sauce, and a radish and turnip slaw from Saur Farmer. (Vegetarian option available.)

Plus, their Spanish Toast layers Pomodoraccio tomato spread, Haylift Garden broccolini, Saur Farmer turnip greens with garlic and chili, grated manchego, and grilled White Salmon Baking focaccia. (Mosier)

Dessert Pairings

At Full Sail Brewing Co., the pairing everyone should probably know about right now is the Barrel Aged Barleywine Ale alongside warm Orange Creamsicle Bread Pudding.

The barleywine was aged for a full year in Jacob Williams Winery Syrah and Cab Franc barrels, creating notes of blackberry jam, cherry pie, and cracked black pepper — all balanced against citrus cream sauce and Tillamook vanilla ice cream on the bread pudding.

Very much worth sharing… or not.

Celilo's Grilled New York Strip

Full Sail Brewing's Ale & Dessert Pairing

Remedy's Pressed Juice

Pop-Ups + One Last Chance

There’s still one more day to stop by Bran and Ash’s new storefront at 112 7th Street in Hood River to pick up their Walnut Sourdough. They’ll be open from 10 am–2 pm tomorrow (Friday).

The Cousins Maine Lobster Truck will be at Hood Crest Winery this Friday as well, noon to 4 pm. Join them for live music outside on their new stage.

Looking ahead to the weekend, Pavlaki Souvlaki will pop up at Clyzm Wines in downtown White Salmon on Saturday, May 30 from 5–7 pm. Expect gyros loaded with charcoal-fired pork souvla and Cypriot-style sheftalies (pork and lamb meatballs) straight off the foukou grill, plus portokalopita for dessert — a syrupy Greek orange phyllo cake.

A Look Ahead

Mark your calendars now: Mike’s Ice Cream is turning 40! To celebrate, they’ll offer $2 scoops during the Mike’s / Ruddy Duck / Hood River Common House Block Party on June 12th beginning at 5 pm.

The celebration also marks:

20 years of The Ruddy Duck (with deals from 10 am–6 pm)
5 years of Hood River Common House (with music beginning at 7 pm)

A pretty great excuse to spend an evening in downtown Hood River.

Thursday Tidbits