Mastering the Art of Ordering at Small Plates Restaurants

The dining landscape has evolved, and with it, the menu format at many restaurants has shifted towards an array of small, shareable plates. Jaya Saxena, a correspondent at Eater.com and series editor of Best American Food and Travel Writing, dives into the intricacies of navigating this modern dining trend. While the concept of small plates offers a broad spectrum of flavors and dishes, it often leaves diners in a quandary over how many dishes to order to achieve a fulfilling meal without overindulging or undershooting their appetite.

Saxena suggests a simple yet effective strategy for ordering at such establishments: observe the portion sizes at surrounding tables and ask the server for their dish recommendation. The key, however, lies in ordering one dish fewer than the server’s suggestion. This approach not only helps in avoiding the common pitfall of ending up with an excessive amount of food but also ensures a more enjoyable and balanced dining experience.

Restaurants, with their welcoming servers and cozy ambience, aim to enhance guest satisfaction while subtly encouraging guests to explore a wider range of their menu offerings. This often involves recommending a number of dishes that, while seemingly reasonable, may actually exceed the diners’ capacity or desire, especially when the allure of desserts is considered.

Employing Saxena’s tactic has proven successful, resulting in a meal that is satisfying yet leaves room for that sweet ending, without the feeling of being overwhelmed. It requires diners to be resolute, sometimes against the server’s well-intentioned suggestions to order more.

As the dining out experience becomes increasingly complex, with varying service fees and operational hours, finding joy in the simplicity of a meal can seem like a task. Saxena’s insight into ordering at small plates restaurants offers a semblance of strategy to ensure that a night out remains a pleasurable and hassle-free experience, urging restaurants to simplify the dining journey for their guests.