Tapas—also called “small plates”—are an increasingly popular dining choice. The moniker “tapas” once referred to a variety of appetizers in Spanish cuisine to be enjoyed with a glass of sherry. The term has since evolved to include an entire style of eating: smaller-portioned dishes that are ideal with cocktails and meant for sharing. The concept isn’t country-specific, nor is it new: Chinese cuisine has dim sum—a seemingly endless parade of dumplings and savory buns—and the Middle Eastern kitchen boasts a host of mezze, such as dips, salads and olives that make fine pre-meal grazing. The American counterpart may be the vaunted happy hour menu: highly seasoned, shareable fare intended to offset alcohol consumption and foster lively conversation.
No matter what you call it, the gist of the experience is social interaction and culinary exploration while busting neither gullet nor wallet. Here are eight great local eateries where you can sample and share.
DIM SUM LUNCH
PF Chang’s
Dim sum is a classic small-plate dining ritual, and PF Chang’s offers a nifty lunchtime version— your choice of two different kinds of dumplings plus soup. The hot and sour soup with silken tofu, chewy mushrooms and ground pork: an altogether thick, sweet and slightly vinegary elixir. The lemongrass chicken dumpling was delicately skinned and loosely packed with coarsely chopped meat, garlic, lemongrass and green onion. The pork dumpling was akin to biting into a sausage: garlicky and porky, dripping with juice. The unusual edamame (soy bean) dumplings were tight little orbs of a gingery green purée, nutty and protein-rich. The dumplings come with a simple sweet soy sauce. $7.45. 2700 Southdale Cir; 952.926.1713; pfchangs.com
HAPPY HOUR
Cocina Del Barrio
Happy hour might be considered the American answer to tapas: food that is fun to share and goes with drinking. At Cocina del Barrio, the happy hour menu offers reduced-sized and -priced versions of menu favorites including a sampling of ceviche or simple carnitas tacos. Our favorite offering is the scratch-made red chile tamales, full of tender, slow-cooked locally raised pork, earthy masa (corn meal) and a salsa made from the mild and sweet red guajillo chiles. There are excellent drink deals here too: add a can of Tecate beer for $2 or a signature Barrio margarita for $5. Tamale, $4. Happy hour, 3–6 p.m. Monday-Friday. 5036 France Ave S; 952.920.1860; barriotequila.com/barrio_cocina.html
MEDITERRANEAN PLATE
Crave
Middle Eastern tapas are called mezze, and Crave serves a classic collection: garlicky, lemon-kissed chickpea hummus, salty olive tapenade and zippy piquillo pepper relish. These spreadables are paired with refreshingly crisp cucumbers and gorgeously golden puffed tandoori bread to facilitate an exotic mix-and-match adventure. $10.95. 3520 W. 70th St; 952.697.6000; craveamerica.com
FRENCH TAPAS
Salut Bar Américain
Even the French, self-appointed arbiters of fine cuisine, are hip to the tapas craze. Salut dedicates an entire menu section to “French tapas,” which includes savory nibbles such as warm rosemary olives and charcuterie, as well as classics such as steak tartare, escargots and frog’s legs. We fell for the decadent fallen gruyère soufflé, a light and airy sphere of eggs, herbs and cheese, topped with creamy béchamel kissed with nutmeg. French shaved truffled ham rides shotgun and a side of field greens laced with spiced sherry vinaigrette complete the tableau. The soufflé itself is surprisingly light; the accoutrements make it a decadent dish to pass around in a group. $8.95. 5034 France Av S; 952.929.3764 salutbaramericain.com
THAI BEEF LETTUCE WRAPS
Big Bowl Chinese and Thai
This appetizer is one of the restaurant’s most requested recipes and it doubles as a satisfying light meal for one, especially in warmer months. Tender sautéed marinated flank steak cubes mingle with crushed peanuts, diced celery, red bell pepper, cilantro leaves and grape tomatoes, all of which the diner may gather into frilly Bibb lettuce leaves. Each bite brings a kaleidoscope of contrasting flavors: fish sauce, lemongrass, dried shrimp, Thai chiles and kaffir lime leaves. Throw in a bite of crunchy fried rice noodles and dip the whole package in Big Bowl’s addictive Thai peanut sauce at will. $7.95; 3669 Galleria; 952.928.7888; bigbowl.com
LUMPIA
George and the Dragon Pub
This Filipino snack is to die for, but what is it doing in a pub? Owner Fred Navarro’s parents are from the Philippines so he knows that these stubby little cylinders are not only yummy but terrific with beer. Each little cigar is filled with a gingery mixture of carrot, onion and meat and then fried golden. They are reminiscent of an eggroll but delicately flaky and, unlike typical egg rolls, these little beauties won’t overstuff you. The hot and sweet dipping sauce is the perfect foil. $4.29. 813 W. 50th St., 612.208.1047; ganddpub.com
MOZZA TASTING
Mozza Mia
This “pizza pie and mozzarella bar” makes their eponymous mozza in house every day and you can try each kind in the mozza tasting. Start with the clean, pure-tasting Fiore di Latte (milk flower) and the unforgettable cream-filled Burrata. Then move onto the rest: Rollatini, a hand-rolled cheese filled with various delights such as prosciutto, sundried tomato, basil or any combination thereof, and the Italian Bufala, a light touch of smoke mingled with the distinctively earthy taste of buffalo milk. The fresh ricotta is as fluffy as a cloud and just as heavenly, almost dessert-like. The platter is drizzled with high-quality olive oil and served with fruit relish and wood-oven baked bread. Small sampling for 2–3 people, $15. 3910 W. 50th St.; 952.288.2882; mozzamia.com
DIY TAPAS
Whole Foods Market
The prepared foods section of Whole Foods market now has a “mix and match” feature so you can choose small portions of different dishes. You can tour the world in one go or stick to a single region, as we did. Our Middle Eastern medley: the falafel snack pack and a Moroccan sunrise salad. The falafels were each a bit bigger than bite-sized yet impressively sturdy and redolent with cumin. Accompaniments included pita bread triangles, sweet and citrusy sesame dressing and cucumber-sour cream tzatziki. The salad is a healthy whole grain “sunrise blend” (kamut, bulgur wheat, buckwheat groats, red rice and quinoa) studded with garbanzo beans, diced celery, dried apricots, currants, almonds, green olives. Curry powder, shallots, mint parsley rounded out this complex flavor bomb. Two for $6. 7401 France Ave. S.; 952.830.3500; wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/edina
