Necessity and the Small Plate

First, there was a fruit fly. And a glass of sherry. The fruit fly, having a thirst for something sweet, made a beeline for it (forgive the mixed metaphor). Determining that it was every bit as good as he had imagined, the fly told all of his friends. They flocked to try it.

Next, there was an Andalusian tavern owner whose guests also had a thirst for the lovely, sweet sherry, but who had to fight off the flies for the right to drink it. In fear of losing his paying customers to the freeloading flies, the host devised a way to protect the sherry. He covered each glass with a slice of bread. Problem solved – no more fruit flies.

The grateful guests adored the absence of the flies, loved the deliciously sweet sherry, but needed a little something to nibble on. All they had was the plain, dry bread. So, the innovative host plopped a few pieces of cured ham on top of the bread. And the guests returned night after night. Soon, other establishments, seeing the first guy’s success, began doing likewise. The original idea was tweaked and embellished, the “Joy of Cooking” cookbook says, and each tavern developed its own specialty. Soon, it became fashionable to move from tavern to tavern, drinking sherry and sampling the various tapas (Spanish for “topper”). And, ¡olé! A whole new way to dine was born and Plato was proved to be correct – necessity is the mother of invention.

Fast-forward to present-day Uptown Charlotte, where many restaurants are still being inventive. Although there isn’t a lot of sherry consumed here on an average night – and, with windows and air conditioning, fruit flies aren’t a huge issue – some necessities still require a tapas-like solution.

Necessity No. 1: What to eat. Say you and five friends are meeting for dinner. Two of you have a taste for something Asian and exotic. One of you wants something meaty. Two others are totally vegetarian. The last of you simply doesn’t know what she wants but she’s watching her figure anyway. This situation could result in either a knock-down, drag-out fistfight or in a stalemate that ends with a bowl of cereal and a beer back at the house.

Necessity No. 2: The “I wish I had what he’s having” syndrome. Be honest – you know what I’m talking about. You’ve studied the menu, considered the choices, consulted the waiter and, when all is said and done, the dish the guy to the left ordered always looks better.

Necessity No. 3: So many restaurants, so little time. Charlotte is blessed by a wealth of very fine restaurants, all of which have beautiful menus and exceptional wine lists. Life is short and waistlines grow. You need a way to experience all of it without looking like the Michelin Man.
Invention: The evolved tapa, better known as the small plate!

Small plates are a collection of hot or cold appetizers that make up a snack or a full-fledged meal. And, if the number of new restaurants in Uptown that serve tapas is any indication, their popularity is growing. What began as cured meat on a slice of bread has been, in truly American fashion, adapted to fit an ever-increasing range of cuisines. Some inventive chefs are even taking their most popular entrees, adjusting the size of the portions and serving them as small plates. The appetizer, or starter, is no longer the warmup act for the main performance. It has become a star in its own right.

Although you can find small-plate restaurants practically anywhere, they seem to thrive best in areas where the residents consider walking half the joy of living there – just like Uptown Charlotte. Strolling from place to place and enjoying the sights and sounds as day turns to evening creates an atmosphere all its own. And a walk between courses has the added advantage of working off a few calories before the next glass of wine and small plate.

An obvious question arises whenever the word “small” is used in relation to food. Will I go home hungry? Can a person with a normal appetite actually be satisfied by a tapas-style meal? There are theoretical answers to these questions, but who needs theories. We want facts. And so, with the aide of a few friends, I did some research. On two separate occasions, we ate our way through five small-plate restaurants, each with very different styles. And, like all good researchers, we kept notes:

Evening One/Stop One: The Wooden Vine

Location: 231 N. Tryon St.

First impression: Lives up to its name. Beautiful, handcrafted wood. Owner-designed, with arty interior. Warm and intimate. Street-side seating.

Waitstaff: Friendly. Knowledgeable. Suggested pairings for dishes.

Wine list: Intriguingly unusual, multinational collection.

Cuisine: Mediterranean.

Group choices: Bruschetta (excellent); five-item cheese and charcuterie board (hard to pick just five items!); pesto and goat cheese tartlet (creamy and delicious, with a puff pastry crust and components perfectly in proportion to one another).

Most unusual menu item: Dill Havarti veggie pizza.

Overall impression: The perfect beginning! Dishes were light, but satisfying. Appetite piqued for next stop.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

~ Sue Bartlett