Our foodie Charles Childs takes us on a wild culinary ride as they adventured down Riverside Trail and were captured by the sounds, sights and smells of the Bargeway Pub. Like Homer, distracted by the siren call, Charles did not return home without getting their hands around some incredible dishes and delightful hazy distractions.

I heard that Hot Point is a favorite Chinese restaurant in The Dalles for many and that their portions are generous. So, I could not help myself from getting to the bottom of this mystery and investigating what made Hot Point so good. Consider me a food detective. The Nancy Drew of Egg foo.

It starts with crusty homemade sourdough bread and then it is topped with a healthy spread of cream cheese, smoked trout, salty capers, sprigs of fresh dill, with a side of arugula and a lemon wedge. It ends with OMG!

I dipped my rolls into creamy peanut sauce with a bit of the provided chili oil on top for some heat. This makes for the most wonderful bit. The peanut butter provides fat to the dish that compliments the vegetables in the roll. The Thai basil has the most wonderful aromatic smell. It makes you wonder where Montira’s garden is located in the restaurant.

The fried chicken sandwich was towering over my plate. This sandwich had jaw-dropping fluffy buns that had a formidable squish that is indicative of freshly made bread. It instantly transported me to my grandmother’s house eating hot buttered rolls.

This sauce was not spicy but it created a sweet tangy backdrop that balanced the flavor of many toppings. The caramelized onions play off the tanginess of the barbeque sauce creating more depth of flavor when eaten with salty cured meats such as ham and bacon. The Local Dish Food bits bites and tips on finding those tasty hidden gems By Charles Childs/ CCCNews Foodie