lovely Nolita

On our last weekend in the city we went on another Foods of New York food tour.  On one of my first posts, I raved about the Greenwich Village tour.  Because of our stellar reviews, we each got to go on another tour for FREE!!  We signed up for the Nolita (North of Little Italy) tour and went on our last Saturday in the city.  We have been to this neighborhood many times over the summer and, as expected, we learned tons of new things from this tour.  A few fun facts before I start drooling over the food:

1. Nolita was the area of the city where Italian immigrants lived.  Sicilians occupied one street, Naples another and so one.  These streets never crossed.  You stayed on your street only, shopped on your street, went to school on your street and married from your street.  A man and woman marrying from different streets (say Mott and Elizabeth) was considered a mixed marriage.

2. Nolita has more cast iron facades than any other area in the country!

3. Thomas Edison had his workshop on Elizabeth St.  He tested many light bulbs there :) It is now a restaurant that honors the scientist - Public (which happens to serve Coconut pancakes...ohmygosh!)

4.  Many places in Nolita (and around the city) are designing their businesses to mimic what New York was like years ago.  Trying to keep things modern while looking original - I love it! 

5. Mob bosses were very prevalent in the area...eek!  John Gotti himself was arrested while sipping espresso in the back room of a Nolita restaurant.  

Now...the FOOD! The food was fantastic (no surprise!).  We tasted everything from cupcakes to carved meats to breakfast tacos from a taco truck.  The Food Tours are so eye opening and just awesome.  If we end up living in nyc next year (ahh!), I am going on every one they have.  They are just that good. 

Black out cake (a Brooklyn original) from Little Cupcake Bakeshop

Prosciutto and Arugula pizza.  We went back that night and I ordered another one - holy moly, it was good.  Fresh mozzarella, freshly carved prosciutto, cherry tomatoes, fresh parmesan, arugula.... 

My fingers couldn't wait - they needed that pizza!

I am not a big shrimp fan.  They seem like they would be so good and then they just taste all weird.  I want to like them - but I have never eaten one that I even liked...until now.  At Bread, this adorable black and white tiled restaurant that features local artists and delicious wine had made for us this shrimp panini.  OH, it was good!!! I have no idea how to describe it since I know nothing about shrimp.  However it was prepared had me searching my plate for every last morsel.  

Food truck breakfast taco and freshly squeezed watermelon water (not pictured because it was gulped down so fast!)

Homemade ricotta, olive oil, freshly ground pepper, cherry tomatoes, Amy's bread - cheers!

Now, for the piece de resistance.  My most beloved cocktail of the summer came to us by way of a secret door that led to a former speakeasy gin bar. Gin - eww.  I don't like gin! Well, just like I don't like shrimp, there is a way to trick my tastebuds and claim deliciousness!!  We learned about Madame Geneva (Geneva was the code name for gin during prohibition) and their gin cocktails on our food tour.  Naturally, we just had to go back :) 

This drink was a concoction of gin, ginger and other yummy things, with a huge spoonful of fresh blueberry preserves on top.  I stirred it into my drink, took a sip (or gulp) and got goosebumps.  Is it odd to love a drink??? Well, I do.  Next came it's sister - with strawberry jam. Good, but nothing compared to brother blueberry.  

Jam and Gin in front of me! 

We went to Emporio for dinner, ate more pizza and fresh made pasta, enjoyed a bottle of Lambrusco and these tasty bruschetta of cheese, honey and figs.

This all happened in one day - including a walk to Central Part where we watched mini sailboats float around a pond, ventured into the Met, bought a print from a street artist (who was questioned by police as we were standing there...we have no more details) and made one last stop into RL.  It was on this day that a piece of our hearts was grabbed and still remains in NYC.

And in case you are wondering, accidents do happen in the city.  I was starting to think the rules didn't apply....