I was staying in Hood River to (spring) ski at Mt. Hood Meadows. Last night I sat at the bar upstairs, drank two excellent ales ($4 a pint: one a Scottish style, the other with oats!), and had a bowl of the clam chowder ($4.75) and a serving of the shrimp gumbo ($9.50). The young lady barkeep was a good, hard worker who, I learned during some conversation, grew up in Hood River. The cream-style chowder with usual clams and potato chunks had a surprising, peppery zing to it. I followed that with the gumbo, nice and spicy, which was delivered by the lady who turned out to be the wife of the owner. When she commented, ""Good choice."" I asked, ""How come so much N'Awlins food on the menu? (I remember seeing a Po Boy offering, too.) Is the owner from there?"" She said no, he's from Texas and loved the spiciness of Tex Mex. This place was a nice surprise. I would happily return.
Pros: Some N'Awlins food by way of Tex Mex!
Cons: We don't have this place back home
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