B.J. Stone of Stone’s Cove Kitbar in Herndon says grazing has become the norm for people who love to eat. “Smaller plates in a grazing environment allow people more choices for a broader experience.” Stone defines the small plate as smaller than an appetizer, larger than tapas. (Hence, his menu heading, “Appetapas.”) He even set up his restaurant to be conducive to the small plate experience. Tables surround a cooking station, manned by a “cheftender” who does everything from cooking and presentation to serving cocktails and wine. It’s sort of like eating in a friend’s kitchen, where the host whips up dishes and drinks in front of you and then hands you the finished results.
For the diner, cost is one incentive for the grazing experience. The price of a small plate—usually 30 to 50 percent cheaper than an entrée—allows diners to try something normally out of their budget range. “They’re getting a high-end product, but it’s affordable,” says Owen Lane, chef and co-owner of The Magpie in Richmond. His Corn Dog Lobster Tail (breaded, fried and served on a stick with coconut tomato and horseradish mango sauces) is a popular example, priced at just $15—a paltry sum when compared to the market price of a full lobster dinner. Granted, the average $10 to $12 price tag per plate can hamstring the lone grazer, but remember, like tapas, mezze, dim sum or piattini, small plates are meant for sharing; likewise, the tab.
While cost and the diversity of options make the small plate appealing, its hallmark is the extraordinary combinations of ingredients that you just don’t get when you order an entrée with sides. A good small plate offers “an ensemble of flavors,” says Stone. Sure, the Kitbar offers an economical steak dinner (seared Flat Iron marinated with roasted vegetables and Stone’s horseradish sauce for $13) and an equally conservatively-priced oven-roasted Wild Salmon Fillet (with asparagus, lemon butter and corn-smoked tomato salsa for $11). But as scrumptious as they sound, if you really want your dining experience to “pop,” Stone says, turn your attention to small plates. His Blue Crab Margarita Wraps are interesting, with avocado and red onion. But what makes them really sparkle? “Almonds with lime sugar,” he says. “It’s an explosion of flavors.” Likewise, the Kitbar’s Lobster Cones, for instance, feature Chipotle Lobster Salad with basil, guacamole and tomatoes in a (pop!) black sesame cone for $10.
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