On the Road Again: Tasting Tours
Love munchin’, crunchin’, and slurpin'? One of the great pleasures when traveling, whether to the nearest big city or across continents, is sampling food and drink. This summer while I was out in the Pacific Northwest, I was reminded that signing up for tasting tours is a fun way to explore a destination.
Taste on 23rd, Portland, Oregon
In addition to meeting other visitors, good food tours offer knowledgeable guides to fill you in on each restaurant and the history of the neighborhood, city, or region. If you plan to visit Portland, Oregon, or Seattle, Washington, any time soon, here are a few ideas:
Portland
I can recommend two companies that I experienced while here. There are group walking and bus tour options, plus private tours can be arranged to suit your schedule. Our guides were excellent!
Forktown: Portland has all these wonderful little “villages” within city limits and Forktown offers programs in five of them. I chose the Alphabet District and NW 23rd Avenue Walking Tour on a steaming July day and we had a blast. We began at Kenny & Zuke’s Deli, where we washed down tasty Reuben sandwiches made with smoky pastrami and house-made rye bread with ice-cold Caldera IPAs. Other stops included a bakery, a food truck, the upscale Taste on 23rd restaurant (photo above), a distillery, and a fascinating shop filled with chocolates and finishing salts from all over the world.
Ecliptic Brewing, Portland, Oregon
Brewvana: I’m a novice when it comes to beer, having been drinking mostly wine and tequila throughout the years, but I’m learning. And I’m amazed at how sophisticated the craft brewing industry has become. Portland claims to have more craft breweries (63 at last count) than any place in the world. What is without doubt is that they are among the most inventive and creative in the field. I chose Brewvana’s Mississippin’ Walking Tour in North Portland, where we visited the digs of Ecliptic, StormBreaker, and Hopworks BikeBar. At each stop we were served a small bite to keep us energized and a nice flight of beers along with a guide to each. As with the Forktown tour, it was a chance to see what else the neighborhood has to offer as we walked from one stop to the next.
Seattle
Crab-stuffed prawns at Cutters, Seattle, Washington
I only had time for one food tour while in the city one afternoon and I chose Savor Seattle’s Gourmet Seattle Tour, which explored upscale comfort food during a progressive meal as we cruised the area near Pike Place Market. SavorSeattle offers about five different tours, including an early VIP tour of the market. I wish I’d had time for the Hip on the Hill option in the eclectic hipster Capitol Hill neighborhood—next time!
Back in Colorado, I realized I have not explored food tours right here in my home state. I’ll check on those in Boulder and Denver and get back to you soon! Do you have any suggestions? Have you taken any food tours while traveling or in your home area? If so, please share!# # #