It is often said that bigger is better, but that’s certainly not the case when it comes to food. Call them what you may—tapas, mezes—but small plates deliver a powerful punch. Who wants to limit themselves to just one entrée? Order a series of small plates and you can sample a little bit of this and a little bit of that. And the cherry on top? They’re fun! Here’s where to share in the delicious diminutives across New Jersey.
The Ebbitt Room, Cape May
The exterior screams classic Cape May Victorian, but step inside The Virginia Hotel and its stylish restaurant, The Ebbitt Room, and you’ll find yourself light-years away from lace doilies and dark, heavy furniture. Instead, a contemporary seaside décor rules in the hotel’s public spaces and 24 private guest rooms. It’s a welcome respite from the town’s traditional look, and The Ebbitt Room echoes that sentiment with its refreshing take on classic design. “The restaurant is the embodiment of upscale casual,” according to Tara Rothberg, general manager.
Enjoy the main dining room with seating for 55, or take over the private dining room with space for 10-20. “It’s set like you’re going to someone’s house,” Rothberg adds. “We’ve also done corporate cocktail parties in the garden and welcome or farewell receptions in the two lounges, complete with a fireplace and sun porch and piano bar, respectively. We have even rented our guest cottages for events.”
Small plates are all the rage at The Ebbitt Room, where the kitchen turns out delectable treats such as falafel sliders with mint yogurt dressing, crabcake sliders, mini ceviche, tartare served in spoons and meat and artisanal cheese boards. “Our deviled eggs and calamari are our signature items,” Rothberg says. The menu changes based on the availability from the property’s Beach Plum Farm, just 1.5 miles away (groups can arrange for tours of the farm). “Many of our guests know what they want on their event menu because they’ve dined in our restaurant, but we really see what the guest wants,” Rothberg says. “We never say no.”
100 Steps Supper Club + Raw Bar, Cranford
No, you won’t need to climb 100 steps to access this restaurant. Instead, it refers to the space between this newly opened raw bar/supper club and A Toute Heure, the owner’s wildly popular sister restaurant. A Toute Heure is the quintessential French Country bistro, but 100 Steps has taken a different turn. “It’s a fun spot. It has a modern look with black subway tiles,” says Andrea Carbine, owner.
Like its sister spot, the menu is seasonally driven, but “oysters are a highlight,” she adds. The 65-seat restaurant spotlights a small plate New American menu with freshly sourced seafood, artisan charcuterie (from New Jersey!) and cheeses from Saxelby Cheesemongers in Brooklyn. Dig into gourmet snacks such as chorizo and beef meatballs, crispy fried crawfish tails with chile aioli, snapper crudo and scallop ceviche. 100 Steps has a convivial ambiance, and groups share in the spirit while enjoying a cordoned-off private area (buyouts are also available). “There is a very open, urban feel that caters well to walk-arounds and socializing,” Carbine says. “Instead of being stuck in a room, 100 Steps allows for a lot of mobility.”
Surf City, Jersey City
Set on the Jersey City waterfront, Surf City is a bar and restaurant that betrays its cosmopolitan address and instead feels decidedly Jersey shore. The large restaurant boasts three indoor bars, three outdoor bars, outdoor decks and even a gigantic sandbox with beach chairs and fire pits. “You’re in the marina in Jersey City and looking at the Statue of Liberty, but you have sand on your feet,” says Franco Robazetti, executive chef.
Robazetti, the product of an Italian father and Spanish mother, loves tapas-style small plates. “Small portions give people a chance to try different things,” he says. “Small portions invite you to socialize and even be romantic.” From lobster and shrimp sliders to calamari fries, shrimp potstickers and fried shrimp with chile sauce, Robazetti takes classic seaside cuisine and rightsizes the portions. “Bigger isn’t better,” he says. “Food has to not only be delicious; it has to be fun to eat.”
Left Bank Bistro, Lambertville
The charming Left Bank Bistro is tucked inside the cozy Lambertville House Hotel. The look, with mismatched coffee tables, club chairs and sofas, is equal parts French and funky. It’s a perfect match for the menu, where you can feast on delicious imported cheeses, snack on a delectable grilled cheese or nibble on a roasted beet salad with a glass of prosecco. Inside, it’s moody with a slightly offbeat library look, while nice days are perfect for nabbing a seat on the porch for a front row ticket to the people-watching along the bustling main street. Left Bank Bistro is operated by Michele Pulaski’s Dish Catering, which also supplies the hotel with room service and catering for its extensive meeting and social planning services.
