Feast Food Tour: Local Flavors of NoDa

While in Charlotte Labor Day weekend my sister and I went on a food tour. We toured the neighborhood known as North Davidson. It was a little different from the one I went on in Chicago. We covered a smaller area and had less food (I was still hungry after this tour), but more beverage and just as much history and culture. 

We met at Revolution Ale House where we had pizza and tried craft beers on tap. We were able to tour the kitchen and talk to chef. The pizza was thin crust and absolutely delicious. It is named for the neighborhood, NoDa, and has pulled pork and a balsamic sauce drizzled across the top that plays well with the pork and cheese flavors. They serve a wide selection of local and craft beers. 

Revolution Ale House

The second stop on our tour was The Bodega. This place is pretty secluded. If you don't know the neighborhood you'd probably never find it. Its a small convenient store with beer, wine, and other random goodies like yellow stone ground grits (yes I bought some). It has a deli counter and you can create your own sandwich. The owners are pretty cool people too! Look it up and stop in!

Heist Brewery

Heist Pizza

Heist Brewery seemed like a really cool place. Its a brewery turned restaurant. They make all the beer right there in the restaurant where you can also sit and enjoy artfully prepared foods. The pizza was an incredibly thin crust, crisped to perfection. We had one with duck, a veggie one with eggplant, and one with bacon, tomato, and green onion that tasted like a BLT. All were very good, even the duck which I usually don't eat because of the texture (too fatty). 

Heist is the brain child of a former scientist turned craft beer maker and his friend the chef and caterer. The owner (scientist) was very friendly and we were able to have a nice conversation. I wish we could have stayed longer. I can't wait to go back!

Salud

The next stop we met a man, his wife, and their toddler at Salud. They have a wide selection of local and craft beers. I tried a watermelon and jalapeno that they had on tap. Unfortunately, I tried the watermelon after the jalapeno so I couldn't really enjoy it, but the jalapeno was great. 

FuManChu Cupcakes

In the same space we met a tattooed older gentleman serving up cupcakes made with Guinness. All of his cupcakes are made with booze and definitely unique. You won't get a plain vanilla, chocolate, or red velvet cupcake with this guy. 

The second to last stop was Smelly Cat Cafe. I'm not a coffee drinker, but it's such a cute place. The decor is nice and there's actually plenty of small tables for lingering despite the small space. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable about the products and the beans are all roasted in house. While others in my food tour tried the Colombian coffee, I tried mango iced tea. They also had really delicious no bake treats! Stop in!

Smelly Cat Cafe

The last stop was Dolce Vita, a wine bar, where we tasted multiple wines. A few whites, a couple reds. I was also able to try a South African wine, which I can best describe as exotic. It tasted like safari. In a way that a spiced wassail tastes like the holidays. The flavor was so different from all the other wines I have tasted. I loved it!

Chicago: Tour de Food

I found a food tour on Tripadvisor before going to Chicago in April. I was there for a conference but I wanted to explore too because it was my first time in the Second City. The city is absolutely beautiful and I know why it has the name Second City; its like another New York City. It was windy of course and pretty cold for mid April but it has been cool all over the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic and the eastern seaboard. I was ready to buy a down coat and stay forever after only visit! So much culture and history. I can't wait to go back! Back to the tour . . .

Tastebud Tours was highly rated on Tripadvisor and I wanted bang for my buck. What better way to explore the city than with food? They had a good variety of tour options. I chose Flavors of Chicago which included Chicago style pizza (discussed in another post), Chicago style hot dogs, the most famous cheeseburger in Chicago, and so much more. I bought my ticket online; after taxes and fees the cost was $50. It's a walking tour so you don't feel overstuffed and gluttonous and it that lasted 3.5 hours. The tour guide was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Definitely worth the time and money! If you're in Chicago with no lunch plans take a Tastebud Tour.

L'Appetit

The first stop on our tour was Pizano's (read about my experience there, here). The second stop was the beautiful and historic Drake Hotel. It's a gloriously beautiful building that boasts one of the most beautiful restrooms in the world. Next we made our way to L'Appetit. A small but bustling bakery at the base of the John Hancock building. The tour included a rich fudge brownie (pictured above), but I'm not much of a chocolate eater so I bought an oatmeal cookie the size of my face and a red velvet cupcake. Both equally delicious.

Billy Goat Tavern

Cheezborger! Cheezborger! Cheezborger!

If you're looking for the In N Out or Five Guys experience you'll be sadly disappointed at Billy Goat Tavern. Very simple sandwich with meat, cheese and bread. You can top it with onions, pickles, ketchup or mustard. Make it a single, double, or triple. Add a Coke and Cheeps. That's it! I went to the original location. The food is average at best, but I'd go back just to hang out. The atmosphere is fun and the history is all over the walls.

Downtown Dogs

We went to Downtown Dogs right off The Magnificent Mile on Rush St. We enjoyed our hot dogs in Pippin's Tavern which has the same owner and is right next door. What makes up a Chicago dog? The Vienna beef hot dog, steamed poppy seed bun, neon relish, peppers, tomato slices, chopped onion, pickle, and mustard, NEVER ketchup! My first experience with a Chicago dog was perfect. I almost don't want them any other way now! I think the Vienna beef dog makes the difference.

Fannie May

Not much of a chocolate eater but the caramels are the best I've ever had. The artisan collection (shown to the right) is expertly crafted and coated with cocoa butter for a brilliant sheen. 

Heaven on Seven

The last stop on our tor was Heaven on Seven. We went to the Rush location. Their claim is "the best Lousiana cookin' outside of New Orleans." I sampled the jambalaya, which was good but nothing to write home about, and the gumbo. I could have eaten an entire pot of that gumbo and licked it clean. That's what they're famous for so I guess that's a good sign. Can't wait to get back to try some other items!