Small in Size, Big on Flavour - 6 Restaurants for Small Plate Dining

Small plates is a type of dining that became popular in the United States after 2000 and has gone on to take the culinary world by the whisk.

When you are out with friends enjoying Friday night drinks, most of us just want to graze on several different plates that tantalise taste buds and harmonise with our cocktails.

Here are six venues that epitomise small-plate dining:

Immerse yourself in a fire grill experience like no other at Friends of Fire on Bourke Street in Docklands. Located in Marvel Stadium Square on the ground level, expect a stylised, modern vibe at this American-inspired Melbourne dining destination with copper piping, individual grill stations and geometric patterned flooring. 

 

Say howdy to small plates such as buffalo chicken wings, fermented chilli sauce, pickled celery and blue cheese dressing to start, or fried baby calamari, lemon ash and red sauce; move onto larger offerings like a Coney Island chilli dog with cheese, onion and jalapeño, or chow down on a Reuben sandwich with pastrami, sauerkraut, melted Swiss cheese and Russian dressing, on toasted rye bread.

Discover illuminated Japanese cuisine and get lost in flavour at Terasu on Sir Leslie Thiess Drive in Townsville. Located on the ground floor of the Ardo Hotel and with the bright lights of Tokyo as a muse, Terasu offers a lively take on casual Japanese dining that packs a punch, delivered in stylish surrounds with beautiful Coral Sea views from the balcony.

 

Sip a Tokyo Glow cocktail with sake, ginger liqueur, vodka, yuzu jelly and grape as you peruse a lunch menu plating up sushi, sashimi and nigiri choices, along with small plates like prawn dumplings with water chestnuts and ginger soy dressing and chicken karaage with Sichuan mayonnaise and yuzu; perhaps wrap your hands around a fried duck bao with pickled cucumber and hoisin, or devour Scotch fillet and wasabi butter ponzu.

Laid-back bakery and tapas bar, Baker and Farmer on Coronation Avenue in Pottsville offers a unique experience from breakfast to dinner. With a South American influence, settle in with a glass of wine, cocktail or craft beer in surrounds of white subway tiles, recycled timber and well-stocked bar to peruse an enticing menu sure to appease all appetites.

 

Stop in for tapas plates like mushroom and feta arancini with beetroot hummus and truffle oil, crispy skin pork belly with sticky ginger sauce and fresh shallots, or Korean chicken wings; those with heartier appetites opt for coconut and sumac crumbed whiting fillet tacos with mango chilli salsa, slaw, rocket and coriander mayo, or devour a chimichurri marinated steak sandwich with lettuce, tomato, caramelised onion, aioli and BBQ sauce, on Turkish bread.

Sharing tantalising Mediterranean flavours with the locals of Rouse Hill is Lusso Tapas restaurant, found on Market Lane in Rouse Hill Town Centre. A sleek and contemporary fit out in a palette of moody tones offers a suave ambience for enjoying invigorating cocktails, whether perched on a metal stool at a long running bar or sharing an intimate table for two beside shelves full of wine.

 

Inspired by the essence of international cuisines, Lusso Tapas provides a burst of vibrancy in every bite, whether snacking on small plates of seared scallops, crispy jamon, garlic aioli and chilli oil, or delving into succulent pork skewers served with spicy chimichurri dressing; perhaps chow down on pulled pork sliders on housemade brioche topped with coleslaw, or share a mixed grill platter of lamb, chicken and kofta skewers, with chips and salad.

Situated on the foreshore of beautiful Stansbury, Dalrymple Bar & Restaurant on Anzac Parade is an award-winning leader of the hotel and dining scene on the Yorke Peninsula. A menu of innovative pub grub and Modern Australian cuisine has locals and visitors returning time and again to dine in light and breezy surrounds of whitewashed walls adorned with vibrant abstract artwork, blond wood table settings and a covered alfresco area for balmy days.

 

Delve into small plates like a lobster slider with mixed leaves, spiced Kewpie and shallots, or beef tartare, capers, shallots, raw egg, wasabi kewpie and a sesame crisp; burger lovers can wrap their mouth around the Stansburger – Wagyu beef patty, American cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, beetroot relish aioli and house fries – or the crispy chicken with bacon, cheese, tomato, lettuce, chipotle aioli and house fries.

Indulge in a lively Mediterranean feast with friends and family at The Stables Restaurant on Ellesmere Place in Malmsbury. An ideal spot to enjoy the little things in life, relax with a glass of vino and let Gina and Kosta take care of you with delicious meals creating taste sensations with every bite. Start with tapas plates of garlic prawns with goats’ feta and tomato salsa, or scallops with champignons and spring onions in creamy white wine sauce with pita bread.

Pizza lovers are in heaven with the aroma escaping from the wood-fired oven, as they pick up a slice of offerings like Greek lamb with confit garlic, Spanish onions, tomatoes, Kalamata olive, goats’ feta, tzatziki and lemon; or twirl your fork around pasta plates of fettuccine marinara with Atlantic salmon, calamari, mussels, shrimp and prawns.