Mini-Me Instead of Super-Size?
Special to Road Trips for Foodies
While there are those who eagerly jump at the opportunity to “Super-Size Me,” these chefs have instead decided to scale down and focus on the mini versions of their all-time favorite dishes.
Who wants to wait in line for a beefy burger, when satisfying a hankerin’ for robust flavors needn’t increase the waistline? Sweet or savory, these mini items allow you to indulge while ensuring a bitchin’ bikini bod—just in time for summer.
There’s no shortage of zing in New Orleans, Louisiana, this summer: Ralph Brennan Restaurant Group’s Michael Gottlieb at Red Fish Grill, New Orleans, Louisiana, delivers plenty with mini Crawfish Sliders served alongside fresh-off-the-boat Crab Claws. An unconventional dessert of Red Beans and Rice Pudding with mini Honey Butter Cornbread Muffins will satisfy your craving for Creole, and kick any ordinary chocolate cake’s “bootay.”
Stop in for some of Great Aunt Patty’s cookin’ style at Bayou Bakery, Arlington, Virginia, where chef David Guas serves up fresh mini Market Fruit Pies— crisp on the outside and oozy filling within. These single serving pies may be strawberry, may be peach — whatever chef finds in the crate.
Chef Chris Jakubiec of Plume at The Jefferson, Washington, D.C., enhances Tea Time with deliciously delicate mini Cinnamon Rolls — infused with sweet cinnamon goodness, inevitably satisfying summer’s sweet and spicy cravings.
You can take the boy outta’ NOLA but you can’t take NOLA outta’ the boy. This summer, chef Lee Richardson of Ashley’s at the Capital Hotel brings a Louisiana favorite to Little Rock, Arkansas, infusing fresh Ground Beef with Cajun spices to create a deep fried, deliciously crumbly, mini Natchitoches Meat Pie.
At PS7 in Washington, D.C., the mini Pull Apart Pork Sticky Buns optimally balance sweet and savory to create the best of both worlds. Chef Peter Smith marries a light and fluffy flavorful bun with slow cooked, soulfully prepared pork rillettes. For a treat on the sweeter side, indulge in Lil’ Sumpin’, cute compilation of delicious pint size desserts: Dreamsicle; Caramel Popcorn dipped in Chocolate; and Key Lime Pie bites are among the extensive selection.
A trip to the bar at PassionFish restaurant in Reston, Virginia, will have you “sippin’ and a slidin’” with your three choices of mini sliders by chef Chris Clime: Lobster Rolls, Crabcake Sandwiches, and Cheeseburgers. Each topped with a carefully crafted choice of condiments, these snacks are anything but small in flavor.
The veggie man strikes again, bringing mini-versions of seasonal selections fresh from the garden. Clifton Inn’s very own chef Tucker Yoder satisfies his vegan fan base by proving great taste comes in small packages in Charlottesville, Virginia.
(Photo courtesy of simoneink, llc)
