What I learned from ordering Foodie Call 5 days in a row

Last week, my coworkers and I did something that no one has ever done before (not confirmed). We threw calorie counting to the wind and ordered Foodie Call five days in a row. Was it delicious? Mostly. Do we all need to go for a long run tonight? Probably. Did I learn a lot about where, what and how to order? See below:

(1) Aria

On Monday we started out strong by ordering from a fancy Italian eatery, Aria. Even though their dinner menu can give you a case of sticker shock (especially after three bottles of wine), their delivery lunch menu is much more reasonable.

What’s good:

Caramelized Gnocchi

Prosciutto di parma, pear and gorgonzola? Yeah buddy. Their menu says that you can only order the gnocchi for dinner, but don’t believe their lies. They have it available for lunch too.

Fettuccini Carbonara

This is my go-to order. It’s gloriously decadent and the cracked pepper on top gives the pasta a little kick. Their portions are so large that I almost always have leftovers for dinner. And that’s a big deal because I am in no way a light eater.

Grilled Shrimp Salad

Delivery shrimp is not easy to do well. But Aria managed to keep this shrimp salad fresh even though it went from their restaurant to our doorstep in 95-degree weather.

What you need to know:

Aria’s pizza is good. Their pasta is better.

The Heirloom Tomato Caprese is tasty but MINIATURE. (Banana for scale.) Don’t order this for your meal unless you just ate Thanksgiving dinner or are on a horribly restrictive diet.

Every Aria order comes with a large block of Italian bread and white bean bruschetta. Just be sparring with the white beans. They may taste good and look harmless, but if you eat too many I promise that they’ll make you (and your lower intestines) pay.

I’m not sure if it’s because of their location or their kitchen, but Aria always seems to get their orders to Foodie Call a little late. Make sure you order early and choose another restaurant if you’re in a time crunch.

(2) Cowbell

Tuesday we landed on one of the coolest burger spots in Uptown, Cowbell.

I want to start out by saying that I love Cowbell. Their burgers, soft pretzels and artisan cocktails are always top-notch and they continue to be my pre-game spot for Hornet’s games. But we quickly realized that even though Cowbell exceeds on location, when it comes to delivery they seem to drop the ball. (Bell?)

What’s lacking: 

The Kitchen Sink Salad

One eighth of a head of lettuce is not lunch. It’s not even an appetizer.

Bruiser Burger

Cowbell burgers are messy—that’s what makes them so delicious. But when you try to package them up and then relocate them, these burgers don’t hold up too well.

What you need to know:

If you absolutely have to order delivery from Cowbell, go with the Ronstadt Wrap. It’s basically a Mexican chicken salad wrapped up in a spinach tortilla. For a side, opt for Mac n Cheese or onion rings since they travel better than the French fries.

(3) Leroy Fox

Wednesday we were craving comfort food so obviously we went with Leroy Fox.

What’s good:

Hot Pretzels

If you don’t get soft pretzels from Leroy Fox every time you order you are seriously doing something wrong. Get the Kickin’ Queso for an extra $1. You won’t regret it.

Fried Chicken Salad

If you want to feign ordering healthy, get this “salad.” It’s covered in cheese, egg and, of course, Leroy Fox’s famous fried chicken.

The Favorite Chicken Sandwich

This sandwich tastes best dipped in the honey mustard sauce that Leroy Fox serves with the Hot Pretzels. The Green Bean Casserole is so good that I want to use a curse word to describe it but I know Ted would make me delete it.

1/4 South

You can’t go wrong ordering fried chicken from Leroy Fox. Their chicken is served with cornbread and your choice of side.

What you need to know:

The Zucchini Fries don’t travel well. Save these for when you’re on location.

If you peruse their website you’ll see photos of their salads. It APPEARS that they use iceberg lettuce. But, in reality, they use healthy dark green lettuce. This is fine, just not ideal for people who hate vegetables (me).

(4) Kabob Grill Dilworth

Thursday we wanted something different. We chose Kabob Grill Dilworth where I once went on a disastrous first date with a guy who wouldn’t stop talking about how expensive his car was.

What’s good:

Hummus (they spell it hommos)

Arguably the best hummus (hommos) in Charlotte. I’ve been known to buy it by the pint and eat it with a spoon like a bowl of soup.

The Vegetarian Combo

Get a little bit of everything. It has hummus, falafel, potatoes, and a lot of other good tasting items.

Lamb Kabob Wrap

I’m not sure what makes a lamb kabob wrap any different from a gyro but apparently it’s not the same thing.

What you need to know:

Kabob Grill’s pita isn’t as soft as Greek Isles’, but if you wrap it in a damp paper towel and nuke it in the microwave for a few seconds you’ll be good to go.

The Chicken Sauté is a freaking mess. They wrapped it in plastic wrap and the sauce still got everywhere. Save this dish to eat on location.

French fries have been known to not travel well and Kabob Grill’s fries are no exception. Go with the Potato Harra instead.

(5) Nan and Byron’s

Our final Foodie Call meal was from South End’s gem, Nan and Byron’s. Besides the part where they forgot to send one of our salads and instead sent an empty box (how does this happen?) the meal was a perfect Friday feast.

What’s good:

Large Cobb Salad with steak

Yeah, steak adds $8 to your order but they give you a lot of meat so it’s worth it. I’d order your steak medium since their medium rare is a little too moo-y for my taste.

Glazed Chicken Stir Fry

I wouldn’t normally recommend going to Nan and Byron’s for their stir fry, but this dish is huge and delicious.

Beet Burger with Mojito Fries

I would never order this meal. Beets freak me out. But when I saw my coworker eating this burger I thought that it looked surprisingly delicious. She confirmed that it indeed was.

What you need to know:

The Tomato Soup and grilled cheese sandwich is tasty, but don’t let their “side of a sandwich” fool you. Nan and Byron’s only gives you half of a grilled cheese (and a very small half at that). I’d order this as an appetizer only.

The best part of anyone’s meal this entire week was the Nan & Byron’s Pudding. Order one for everyone because you’re not going to want to share. Ask for extra of whatever that magical chocolate crunch is that they sprinkle on top.

Now it’s time for you to go make an informed Foodie Call order. And while you’re doing that, please try to forgive me for the number of times I used the word “delicious” in this article.