HOOD RIVER — “I’ve always loved soup,” said Cauldron Cafe owner and operator, Kimberly Gibson, “ever since I was a little kid. And as I got older, I realized I could make my own and it’s better than the stuff in the can!” After running the food truck Kimberly’s Cafe in The Dalles for a little over a year, Gibson moved into a permanent location in Hood River on Cascade Avenue in February. Ever since she has been beautifying her location, setting up her space, and feeding the masses with her soups.
Her flexible menu offers new and interesting soups, each week. “[I make] just whatever floats my boat at the moment, or customers are like ‘Hey, do you ever make this kind of soup?’ and then I’ll be like ‘Okay, sure!’ Even if I’ve never made it before, I’ll just make it.”
Since most of her recipes are products of her imagination and experience, sometimes delegation can be difficult, but with support from her family and crew, “we have a pretty good team.”
Born and raised in the Gorge, Gibson is focused on using her new location to create a space for community connection and fun. “I’d like to be able to host more events here … like themed movie nights with a dinner. We just want to get a fun place for people to be able to come.”
As the first tourist season of their new location approaches, Gibson said she was “nervous and excited,” and that she was looking to add a couple more summery type things, like more salads and cold sandwiches “because my menu is pretty hearty comfort food” — perfect for the colder months, but maybe a little heavy in the summer.
Gibson has lots of ideas for the future, “I want to do some dinner specials … I would like to get out beer and wine license over the next couple of months, I want to beautify the outside of my building so that people realize we’re here and that we’re open … get more seating outside and cover the area out there.”
Swing by the Cauldron Cafe at 1810 Cascade Ave. They are open Friday through Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and offer many gluten free and vegetarian options for their soups, bowls, sandwiches and burritos — biscuits and gravy too!
For more information, and to see specials, visit their website at cauldroncafe.weebly.com, or their social media @the_cauldron.cafe.
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