Food
If you’re going to play hard in the Gorge, you’re going to have to eat. There are plenty of choices here, from the standard bacon cheeseburger (done perfectly) to an ephemeral plate of sauteed chanterelles. You could wander aimlessly from restaurant to restaurant, never leaving a 3-block radius downtown, or you could try one of the local secrets.
Most towns are filled with hack cooks (I’m a line hack, so I know), but Hood River is home to several Culinary Institute of America grads, among other talented chefs. Their education gives them the skills to cook food that would be at home in any big city restaurant. These guys may not have the Michelin stars of bragging rights, but they’re crafting meals you won’t soon forget.
Having said all that, it takes a long time to do a bunch of restaurant reviews. The problem is mostly finding the time to burn off all the extra calories. So, be patient. Eventually the reviews will all be up.
