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| Big Love for Small Plates on the Menu |
Whether the menu lists them as small
plates, bites, snacks, starters or sides to share there’s healthy enthusiasm
for dishes designed for do-it-yourself dining.
After years of coping with enormous restaurant servings, calorie
counters are thrilled with the opportunity to savor smaller portions.
Atlanta
native and novelist Patti Callahan Henry who walks daily for fitness and to
unscramble plot lines says, “I do love the ‘small plates’ section because then I can get two of
them.”
Registered dietitian Toby Amidor
likes the trend toward tinier too, “I always feel frustrated with places that don't offer small,
tasty food so this is the perfect answer for me!”
Not having to commit to one entrée for dinner appeals to
diners in search of a variety of flavor experiences. Patricia Tinsley, an Atlanta marketing
professional, likes the small plate offerings at The Spence, “I never order
entrees there so there’s more to linger over and make (wine) pairings with.”
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| Richard Blais is big on small plates at The Spence |
Small Wonders
Little servings don’t necessarily
mean less work for the chef. The dim-sum
style of service at Gun Show stars a parade of chef Kevin Gillespie’s small
scale creations with large impact including plates of smoked pork belly with
cornbread and marinated butterbeans and North Carolina trout with corn mousseline
and shrimp salad. The good thing is you don’t have to decide which to have; you
can order both and keep going.
Atlanta lifestyle author and
consultant Kimberly Kennedy, says “I’m a fan of variety over the predictable
meat and three. Each small dish is like art to be appreciated on its own
merits.”
Millennials Morph the
Menu
So what’s driving the trend away
from the traditional trio of appetizer, entrée and dessert? Marketing experts
say it’s the desire to lure in the millennial generation, representing twenty
seven percent of the US population. Between 18 and 34 years old this slice of
the populace pie has a high propensity for dining out.
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| Let's Share! |
A report from the Center
for Culinary Development says Baby Boomers known as the “me generation” have
nothing on millenials because this younger crowd demands customization and
flexibility.
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| Desserts are smaller too. Hey, get your own! |
Katie Chapman, 22, (my daughter) observes, “Baby boomers grew up
when dining out was mostly a special occasion.
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| Katie ( center ) bonding with buds and bubbles. |
If someone orders his or her own
dinner, it’s awkward to ask ‘Can I have a bite of your steak?’ We eat out as a
way to socialize and have conversation and small plates open up the table for
sharing.”
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| No big deal if you're late for dinner of small plates. |
Nina Hemphill Reeder, lifestyle editor for Upscale Magazine says she
likes the flexibility of the grazing style menu, “Friends can come late and
leave early and eat without throwing off the balance of a multi-course sit down
meal.”
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| Tuna tartare for two or more......... |
The report also notes millenials
favor fitness and understand more about healthy foods and ingredients than
their parents or grandparents. Bring on
the quinoa, kale and hummus.
Downside of
downsizing
The lobster mac’n cheese may come
in a small ramekin but you’re still looking at a 500-calorie splurge. Atlanta
dietitian Marisa Moore, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
says pick a variety of foods to balance your meal, “The good news is that there are often a number of vegetable dishes available
from hardy greens and roasted vegetables to simple salads.”
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| Can't beat sharing the beet salad. |
Amidor
says, “Although the plates are small, several put together make a meal. Choose
two to three small plates tops and spread the love by sharing with the table.”
And
good luck figuring out how to split the bill.
