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Before nouvelle cuisine and tapas came along, family-style dining-sharing from large platters of food-was how we ate everywhere, from cheap pasta joints to pricey steakhouses. Now it’s back, and unlike small-plate grazing dishes, which never seem to translate into a small bill, large sharing dishes "definitely give you more bang for your buck," says Ryan Gauthier, executive chef at Vancouver’s Italian Kitchen. "And with platters, you get to try lots of different things." Some foods-roasts and braises, pasta and risotto, cheese and charcuterie-are prepared in large portions, so why not serve them that way, too?
Besides, big-plates dining is more social. "It lends itself to a more intimate eating experience," says Talia Syrie, chef-owner of Winnipeg’s The Tallest Poppy. "When you’re at your grandmother’s place, she doesn’t individually plate the food." Belly up and enjoy the heaping portions at these restaurants.
Café Brio Owner Greg Hays knows just how to dish up Vancouver Island’s bounty and keep guests coming back for more at his charming Victoria restaurant (944 Fort St., Victoria, 250-383-0009, cafe-brio
.com). Plenty come for the "family meal," a $40-per-person feast of a half-dozen of the ever-changing platters from chef Laurie Munn, from seasonal salad to braised sablefish to roast saddle of rabbit.
Fuel Restaurant Don’t let the stripped-down simplicity of Fuel’s dining room fool you; executive chef Robert Belcham takes a voluptuously old-school approach to local, organic and free-range meat (1944 W 4th Ave., Vancouver, 604-288-7905, fuelrestaurant.ca). That means some of the best dishes on the menu are designed for sharing, like the luscious rack of Sloping Hills pork belly confit ($39 per person) or the Alberta prime côte de boeuf for two, lavished with chef’s accompaniments ($125).
Italian Kitchen The vibe in these Milanese-modern restaurants is all see-and-be-seen, but the hearty fare suggests a mamma-in-the-kitchen approach to dining-a very stylish mamma. (1037 Alberni St., Vancouver, 604-687-2858; Trattoria Italian Kitchen, 1850 W 4th Ave., Vancouver, 604-732-1441; theitaliankitchen.ca). Gigantic platters overflow with tender grilled meats, succulent seafood, flavourful pasta and antipasti like eggplant Parmesan, osso buco croquettes and Kobe meatballs ($12 to $31 per person).
Tribune Restaurant & Bar At Calgary’s elegantly retro Tribune (118 8th Ave. SW, Calgary, 403-269-3160,
tribsteakhouse.ca), executive chef Andrew Keen has revived traditional "forgotten fare," starting with the house roasts. The 36-ounce organic bison Porterhouse steak ($98) is plenty of protein for a couple of hearty appetites to share, while the DriView Farms leg of lamb with apple-mint chutney will easily serve four to six ($150). The pièce de résistance is the crispy-yet-succulent duck "à la presse" (for two or more), which comes with a traditional numbered tag, just like in Paris ($76).
Farm At this eclectic cheese and charcuterie tasting kitchen (1006 17th Ave. SW, Calgary, 403-245-2276, farm-restaurant.com), guests gather around the custom-designed harvest table to order boards of cheese or cured meats (one piece $5.50, three pieces $15, five pieces $25), which come with condiments and bread on plates that, proprietor Janice Beaton says, "are built for sharing." Try the pairings of wine, beer and sherry.
Skinny Legs and Cowgirls (9008 Jasper Ave., Edmonton, 780-423-4107, skinny
legsandcowgirls.com) is named for two of author Tom Robbins’ books and is flavoured with chef-owner Susan Kellock’s experiences working with legendary chefs John Bishop and Wolfgang Puck. The menu is designed for sharing among two to four people, from the grilled Caesar salad with wild boar bacon ($22) to the signature mixed grill ($45 per person) and "papas con leche," Alberta baby potatoes sautéed with onions, peanuts, chilies, cream and feta cheese ($20).
The Tallest Poppy This quirky breakfast/lunch/brunch spot is housed in a former dive (Red Road Lodge, 631 Main St., Winnipeg, 204-957-1708, thetallestpoppy.com). Each Sunday, chef-owner and organic food devotee Talia Syrie serves home-style brunch. Each table receives platters of the day’s specials: perhaps fruit, housemade cereal, baked goodies, latkes, breakfast meats and savoury egg dishes like a Winnipeg-style Benedict with smoked goldeye ($15 per person). wl
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