The Local Dish: Fishing around at Kainos Coffee

By Charles Childs/CCCNews Foodie

The weeks following the New Year festivities have always been a confusing period.

Do I follow through with my New Year’s resolution to lose 10 pounds or do I love all the pounds I have?

I lose track of the time of day, and I still feel hungover from all the ‘Yule Tide Cheer’. During this chilling time, I need something to bring sustenance to my life that is not a block of cheese while reminiscing on the holiday that has just passed.

When I strolled into Kainos it was cold and miserable outside. I was kindly greeted by staff while I was perusing the menu. Everything about Kainos is what a boomer would call ‘hip’ and what a millennial would call “lit”. The lovely baked goods in the display case caught my eye while I was paying at the front counter. The peppermint mocha scone was sitting tall and festive in the display case begging for my attention.

Kainos peppermint mocha scone. The textures vary from a pleasingly crusty outside to a fluffy inside.

They plated the scone and I chose to sit in a window seat next to some healthy tropical plants.

This scone has chocolate ribbons that can be seen throughout as you tear it open. This makes for a very appetizing bite that is complemented by the cooling peppermint glaze atop this scone. The textures vary from a pleasingly crusty outside to a fluffy inside. I suspect that this is because they keep their butter cold and cut the scones when the dough is in a circle, giving them maximum height and fluffiness. The combinations of textures are why Kainos scones are so pleasing to eat no matter the flavor.

After I concluded munching on the scone, I was craving something a little more filling. However, I did not need to look at the menu because I knew there was only one item that could satisfy my craving: trout toast.

It starts with crusty homemade sourdough bread and is then topped with a healthy spread of cream cheese, smoked trout, salty capers, sprigs of fresh dill, and it comes with a side of arugula and a lemon wedge. The picture does not lie; this dish is more like a piece of art rather than a piece of toast.

Artful plate of Trout Toast at Kainos

As you take your first bite of the trout toast there is a parade of flavors that complement each other. The smoked trout has a buttery and smoky flavor that reminds me of summer days on the lake. The trout is complemented by salty capers and fresh dill that takes the aromatics of this dish to the next level. A squeeze of lemon atop of this dish is necessary as it provides a welcomed source of acid that makes my mouth water just thinking about it. The homemade sourdough bread is tasked with carrying all the decadent ingredients.

This trout toast is perfect for a light lunch or a great hearty snack. Or heck, I have even had trout toast for breakfast before. That is the beauty of it, fit for any occasion.

It is delicate and somewhat conventional harking back to the Danish smørrebørd that is an open-face sandwich with deli meats or fish.

There is a variety of delicacies offered at Kainos. They have wood-fired pizza, a full coffee bar, baked goods (both sweet and savory), handmade crafts, coffee beans, and more. I will be going back to Kainos, and I will try to taste something else besides the trout toast. But you may have to pry it out of my cold fishy fingers first.

Kainos is located at 418 E 2 nd Street #2412 in The Dalles, Oregon. They are open from Tuesday through Sunday.

Cheers!

From ‘hip’ to ‘lit’, Kainos Coffee is serving a multi-generational crowd with ageless flavors to set your mouth to singing.