Crafty Pairings

Nova Eatery + Fargo Brewing Company

When the kitchen of a James Beard-nominated chef merges with an award-winning brewery, date night takes a captivating and crafty turn. This month, we grazed on a gastronomic journey amid the fermentation tanks at the Nova Eatery + Fargo Brewing Company Beer Pairing Dinner in downtown Fargo. With four impeccably paired courses, Chef Ryan Nitschke and Sous Chef Andrew Dohn poured on the love, winning us over with an artful twist on what Chef Ryan affectionately refers to as “backyard BBQ meets church basement.” Rest assured, whatever flavors of nostalgia come to mind, Nova’s neighborhood favorites conjure up the complexity of something far more brewtiful.   

By Tracy Nicholson | Photography by Morgan Allora, Studio Freshly

Local restaurateur Nikki Ness Berglund and her business partner, Executive Chef Ryan Nitschke, consistently curate unexpected depth in both familiar Midwestern and global cuisine, from Luna Fargo to Sol Ave. Kitchen, Luna Market, Mångata Wine & Raw Bar, Unicorn Park Fine Foodery, Nova Eatery, and their newest Asian-inspired venture, House of Noods+Buns in Drekker’s Brewhalla. This unpretentious duo brings the culinary prowess of New York City hot spots, yet departs from the traditional formality of fine dining.

From left Nova Eatery’s Katie Becker, Andrew Dohn, Case Dillon, Ryan Nitschke, Nikki Ness Berglund, and Beth Moses

Berglund and Nitschke don’t care what you wear to dinner, they’re only interested in your appetite for creative cuisine, a concept that welcomes everyone to the table.

“We’ve been collaborating with Fargo Brewing Company (FBC) since we first opened our doors at Luna. In fact, I think it would be safe to say that they were one of the first breweries we ever partnered with for a beer dinner,” said Berglund. “We’ve hosted dinners everywhere with their team, including a particularly memorable one at the Coteau des Prairies Lodge in Havana, ND. This just feels like a full circle type event and we can’t wait to do more.”

Since FBC’s founding in 2010, local co-founders Aaron Hill and Jared Hardy have been on a mission to unite the community through the art and culture of craft beer, led by Head Brewer Sean Dunnigan, Production Manager Paul Cote, and team. While FBC and its Hospitality Director, Nick Traynor Quamme frequently team up with Nitschke and Berglund, the brewery also collaborates with local artists and musicians, establishing a connective space stronger than beer alone. The state’s longest-running brewery is responsible for hundreds of craft beers, including the signature “Haze Craze,” a gold medal winner for the “Best of Craft Beer Award,” the infamous “Fargo WoodChipper, and fan favorite, lemon radler “Kenny’s Lemonade.”

From left Fargo Brewing Company’s Sean Dunnigan, Jared Hardy, Nick Traynor Quamme, Aaron Hill, Abigail Burgum, and Jade Nielsen

“Fargo Brewing Company isn’t only about crafting classic, quality beers,” said FBC’s Abby Burgum. “We also strive to brew moments. From simple to large celebrations, we want to be a part of those stories and memories. For us it’s more than just quality beer, it’s also a desire to bring community together.”

Sip & Savor Menu

Alongside the well-crafted pairings of Fargo Brewing Company, this dinner had us at first bite of BBQ bologna burnt ends with potato chip gremolata. We captured our foodie photos while vowing to remain professional, and then unprofessionally savored and sipped our way through every course, from the fried chicken with frog eye salad and Wildberry Sour Ale to the beer-braised beef short ribs with duck fat sweet potatoes. Eventually, when we dove into the chili and chocolate lava cake, naturally paired with a chili and cinnamon-infused stout, our hearts overflowed.  

"Nova Eater is backyard BBQ meets church basement – North Dakota cuisine if we ever really had one. It's elevated, unpretentious comfort food – food to be taken seriously without taking ourselves too seriously. You could pair it with a wine but rather wash it down with a beer."

-EXECUTIVE CHEF RYAN NITSCHKE, NOVA EATERY

DISTINGUISHED DINING, MIDWEST MODEST
Along with an esteemed nomination from James Beard Best Chef Midwest, Chef Ryan Nitschke has been the recipient of countless local and national awards, including two AAA Four Diamond Awards. With his 27 years of experience, he could work anywhere, but thankfully, he stays here, sharing his talent with everyone in the Fargo-Moorhead region.

Nikki Ness Berglund had been mastering the business of hospitality and wine for most of her adult life before opening Luna Fargo with her family in 2014. While her passion was piqued by fine dining and distinguished wine pairings, meeting Ryan was the catalyst to new dining experiences – growing from coworkers to a strong friendship and partnership. “Food and wine pairing has been a passion of mine forever, but once I met Ryan, I realized wine isn’t the only thing that has the ability to transform a dining experience,” said Berglund.

CHEF’S CHOICE
When it comes to creativity in the kitchen, Chef Ryan refers to his pairing menus as a “well-balanced dance of confidence in our abilities and a well-thought-out plan.”

“I always have a favorite course, whether I say it or not. It’s usually dessert, but in this case, I loved how the plate and flavors came together with the BBQ Bologna Burnt Ends,” said Nitschke. “The combination of the different vegetables of the brassicas was fun; pickled, roasted, fried, and fresh. The caramelized mustard BBQ on the bologna was perfect, along with the potato chip gremolata. It was sophisticated, funny, and delicious all at once.”

CRAVING COLLABORATION
While so many restaurants have succumbed to the challenges of maintaining adequate staffing, Nikki and Ryan continue to expand, now entering their 10th year of partnership with seven collaborative dining concepts.

“It’s been a mission of ours from day one to be different from all the things we disliked in our experiences in the industry and all the unhealthy and problematic practices,” said Nitschke. “We admittedly don’t know it all and we crave collaboration. We get bored easily, so we strive to keep things fresh, providing new and unique experiences. We also learn and grow from our team as much as we help them grow. Our staff is our family; it means a lot to us that others choose to create a livelihood with us. They see we care, and I think we’re really fun! I also love that everyone gets excited for Chef Andrew’s specials. Seeing him succeed and flourish makes me feel like I’ve done right by him and what we set out to do. At this point in my career, to be able to step back and witness his growth is the best feeling I could ever get; I’m very proud of him.”

“For people who enjoy this business and want to learn as much as they can, this is a great opportunity for growth and development,” added Berglund. “We cross-train across concepts and try to promote within as much as possible; we’ve been known to actually make up new positions when the right people come along. We also talk a lot about work-life balance, not as a buzzy word to get people to work for us, but as a real idea that is important to us as people with young families ourselves.”

FOLLOW THE FOOD
Kicking off their busiest year to date, Berglund and Nitschke have no plans to shut down the kitchen. While they continue to sell out wine and beer pairing dinners, on the horizon, Berglund has her sights set on hosting large Luna farm dinners out on her rural property. If you want a seat at their next table, follow the food!

Luna Fargo - South University, Fargo | @luna.fargo
Nova Eatery at Fargo Brewing Company, Fargo | @novaeateryfargo
Sol Ave. Kitchen neighboring Junkyard Brewing Company, Moorhead | @solavekitchen
Luna Market at Drekker’s Brewhalla, Fargo | @luna.fargomarket
Mångata Wine & Raw Bar at Drekker’s Brewhalla, Fargo | @mangatawinebar
Unicorn Park Fine Foodery at Drekker’s Brewhalla, Fargo | @unicornparkfargo
House of Noods+Buns at Drekker’s Brewhalla, Fargo | @houseofnoodsandbuns

BROWSE THE BREW
Fargo Brewing Company
610 North University Drive
Downtown Fargo
@fargobrewing