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» small «
small circles of friends & family. small communities in big cities.
This is the essence of
s u s t a i n a b l e s m a l l p l a t e s local organic ingredients, artisan cheeses, eclectic wines, international cuisine
The Restaurant The Talk The Food The Wine The Bar The People Small Plates
The Restaurant What is The definitive "anti-Claim Jumper." A contemporary small plates restaurant using local, sustainable & organic ingredients to produce a creative international small plate cuisine. Featuring an extensive selection of artisan wines, imported beers, aperitifs, ports & non-alcoholic beverages. Weekly changing menus, monthly ethnic themes, tasting menus & artisan cheeses reflect our mission. What do we mean by small plates? Well, we mean that our plates are small. The actual physical dishes may vary in size, but the portions are designed to provide a good taste for two or three guests. Dishes may be modified to provide proper portions for the number of guests present. How do you order? It depends. Some guests may order a multitude of small plates which the kitchen will send them out as they are prepared. Others may follow the traditional small plate method, and order a few dishes at a time, until they are ready to consider Trace's housemade sweets. How many plates is appropriate? Again, it depends. We estimate that it takes between 2 and 4 small plates to constitute a full meal, depending on personal appetites. Our flatbreads are generally slightly larger & more filling than our small plates, the accoutrements half the size, and the nibbles quite small. Is Of course, we love children. Kids are "natural born nibblers." Our tables are covered with butcher paper, and crayons are available on request. Check out the menu for "Little Nibblers" on our menus page to get an idea of our children's offerings. What's with all the mummies? Don't worry, we don't serve ancient food, Egyptian or otherwise. Our owner is an Egyptophile with a degree in Ancient Egyptian Archaeology, and he doesn't feel at home without a few pieces of ancient art. But it kind of fits in with our eclectic, international decor, mirroring our eclectic, international food. Do we know what the color of the walls is called? Unfortunately, no. We picked out a color we liked from the wall at Home Depot, compared it to the carpet sample we liked, and now it's on our walls. But we like that it is warm & comforting, and that our guests enjoy the atmosphere. Live music? The Deb Cash Trio plays here the second Sunday of each month, playing several sets, starting around 6:00P.M. Deb's award-winning original jazz is the perfect backdrop to our international cuisine. What's this about belly dancing? Our good friend Khalilah (also known as Karen Lechner) has been a regular performer here for much of the time we've been open. In 2008, Khalilah took an extended hiatus from Nibblers and returns occasionally when we celebrate middle eastern cuisines. Thank you so much for everything, Khalilah!!
The Talk
was named as the runner-up to the top five restaurants which opened in the Bay Area in 2005, by the Contra Costa Times (on 12/30/05). Congratulations to Adagio, Olivia, Sea Salt, Zuppa & Pizzaiola for their success & recognition.
Here are links to some of the press
What's in season Barbara Kobsar writes a wonderful article on apples and includes 4 recipes from Nibblers Edible East Bay Harvest 2008 Quality rose Daniel comments on the new trends in dry rose in the CC Times from 2/01/06 All over the map An extensive review by Jonathan Kaufman in the East Bay Express from 11/02/05 Small plates restaurant with a stylish vibe Our review in Diablo Magazine August 2005 Issue Hip addition to the neighborhood A small caption of our SF Chronicle review from 9/28/05 Eclectic small plates Our full SF Chronicle review from 9/28/05 Eclectic small plates (photo) The photo accompanying our SF Chronicle review from 9/28/05 Intriguing, international and just plain "in" A caption of our CC Times review(look under East Bay/California) from 7/13/05 (free cc times online registration may be required) Grilled prawns Check out #91 in Diablo Magazine's 101 Best Bites of the East Bay November 2005 Spunky small plates Small plates discussion(may no longer be an active link) on Diablo Magazine's Online Dining Guide Serious but fun wine tasting Wine list discussion in Black Diamond Living Magazine the text of our Rossmoor News review(our first!) on 6/22/05
And links to some online blogs & guest commentary about NIBBLERS. Real food in Pleasant Hill Blog on Chowhound.com 8/19/05 original & exciting cuisine guest review on superpages.com 12/10/05 Excellent spot for a night out guest review on world66.com as well as our response 2/08/06 a great place for foodies guest review on tripadvisor.com 12/9/06 Can you say Nibble! another guest review on tripadvisor.com 3/16/06 finally a place to eat here our first mention on the Amuse Bouche Musings blog 6/11/05 more local pleasure another mention on the Amuse Bouche Musings blog 8/18/05 I think I may be in love this Amuse Bouche Musings blogger is a huge fan 9/30/05 our kind of place a fantastic blog on CulinaryCuriosity, thanks Dolores! 8/18/05
The Food
Is NIBBLERS Eatery & Wine Bar a fusion restaurant? No, we are an contemporary small plates restaurant, focused on international cuisine. Fusion cookery involves blending elements of different cuisines in a single dish. We do this occasionally, but we primarily serve our own presentations of dishes rooted in traditional cuisines from around the world.
Why can't I find that fondue I loved so much last time I was here? Our menu changes every week or so, to take advantage of the best seasonally available ingredients.
Isn't it complicated to change the menu that often? Yes, but we could never cover the breadth of international cultures within one menu. This also allows us to take advantage of seasonality, and the Bay Area's phenomenal local produce. Our food is really flavorful, but it is expensive for small portions. We understand. We select our food(and beverages) for flavor & quality, not specifically for price. It is true that seasonal produce is often more affordable than out of season foodstuffs, and this helps. But our insistance on organic produce & dairy products, impeccably fresh seafood, wild salmon, naturally fed beef, etc...; along with laborious preparations, ensures that our food is never going to be cheap. We try to present the best prices we can on our small plates,knowing we will never be able to make money on our food items; we must also sell beverages to pay rent. We do believe, however, that Pleasant Hill needs and deserves an upscale restaurant of this type, and we feel that a restaurant is only as good as the quality of the ingredients it uses. How do we decide on the items for our menus? We try to keep our menu varied in terms of : region(Asian, French, Italian, Latin, etc...) ingredients(seafood, poultry, red meat, vegetables, etc...) form(soup, salad, brochette, pasta, stuffed, en croute or wrapped in fillo, etc...) cooking method (grilled, fried, baked/roasted, braised, sauteed, poached, seared, etc...) temperature(hot, cold, ambient, or a combination) weight(airy, delicate, light, moderate, rich, unctuous, indulgent) We also focus on produce & seafood in the peak of their seasons, preferably locally grown or caught. Do we make our own desserts ? Yes, most of them. Fiorello's, in San Rafael, produces the most intensely flavorful sorbets & the richest, creamiest gelatos we've tasted, even the ones we had in Italy. Trace makes just about everything else in house.
What did we do to that spinach? We deep fried it . Our signature plate set was originally an experiment. We wanted something green to set off the beef satay on our opening menu. But the wilted greens or braised spinach we tried just didn't have the right look, and weren't especially palatable with the satay and it's peanut chili sauce. It occured to Daniel that basil leaves are occasionally fried to set them as a garnish, and he always loves to fry sage leaves in butter to give a special kick to certain savory dishes, especially those with winter squash & nutmeg. Why not try it with spinach leaves? A little playing around and... Eureka! We've struck pay dirt! Our guests liked the satay, but they loved the spinach! So on every menu since, those delicate glistening green leaves have been holding one dish or another. So, what are you going to try it with next week?
The Wine
What kind of wine does NIBBLERS Eatery & Wine Bar serve? Since our food is extensively international, we feel it is important for our wine selection to be as well. As different sorts of foods are enjoyed by different sorts of people, different sorts of wines are necessary to complement them. As different parts of the meal are approached, different varieties of wine become more appropriate. As we have said before, wine enhances more different varieties of food than any other beverage, but not every wine enhances every possible meal. We do our best to provide our guests with the choices and guidance to enjoy wines in all circumstances. Why aren't our wines more recognizable? Just as we try to present our guests with interesting, eclectic & unusual foods, so goes it with our wine program. Why should we stock wines which can be had anywhere, when we can introduce wonderfull, unique wines which enhance our guests sense of adventure. If you are not familiar with the wines we carry, please ask us to make a recommendation, or order a flight to taste a number of different wines. What is a "flight" in regards to wine? Wine flights, or tasting flights, are a remarkable tool to allow our guests to sample of number of wines, to consider their differences & similarities, without their having to order several full glasses of wine. Our wine flights are composed of three 2oz tastes, each about one-third of one glass. Some of them are grouped by style(ie.. sparkling, aromatic, etc...), some by appelation(Italian, California, etc...),and some by varietal(Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, etc...). We even have a mystery flight, which changes every day. How much do you trust us? Why don't you see a list of our wine flights? When our guests are seated, we hand them each a menu, with at least thirty food items on it, each with several listed ingredients. They also get our artisan cheese menu. Each table also receives our main beverage menu, which is eight pages long: - Beverages table of contents & wine stewards notes - N/A Libations 45 cold non-alcoholic choices like sodas, juices, nectars, blended lemonades, iced tea & water - Perfect Endings over 70 dessert wines, ports, madeiras, banyuls, vin santos, muscats, late-harvest wines, fruit wines, cordials & a dessert beer - Drinks & Things over 70 bibilous beverages such as beer, cider, sherry, wine cocktails, aperitif wines, sakes & soju cocktails - Fizz over 30 champagnes, cavas, proseccos, international sparkling wines and a variety of intriguing bubblys - White Wines over 45 white & rose wines featuring at least 20 by the glass options & 5 half bottle selections - Light & Medium Bodied Red Wines over 50 wines, primarily pinots, merlot, sangiovese & grenache blends, at least 15 by the glass options & several half bottles - Rich, Complex Red Wines over 60 wines, primarily cabernet, syrah, Bordeaux blends & big zinfandels, at least 10 by the glass options & several half bottles Finally, you get to our "Feature Beverage Menu," which focuses on house specialties & beverages we feel are particularly good for the season or the cuisine we are serving. The wine flights are listed on the back. We literally drown our guests with paperwork! Don't worry, the test is in the glass!
Do we know that all our Merlots aren't listed together? Yes. Instead of grouping wines by their component varietals, our red, white & sparkling lists are organized by style, in what is known as a "progressive wine list." In this format, wines are listed in descending order, depending on the weight or body of the wine. The white wine list begins with lighter, more aromatic wines, moves to juicier, fruit-driven wines & gradually gives way to richer, creamier wines which display notable characteristics of aging or oak treatment. The sparkling wines are more subjective, as all white sparklers may be described as fairly light, but the first wines are decidedly crisper & brighter, with the later wines bearing more complex flavors. The red wines are the easiest, as tannins and color are the greatest deciding factors. Lighter, fruitier wines, such as Pinot Noir, are first, followed by medium bodied wines wines which often exhibit a mouthfeel referred to as "suppleness." Wines based on Merlot are often in this category, as well as lighter Zinfandels and Syrahs. We move on to bigger, spicier reds with medium to firm tannins. Zinfandel, Syrah, Petite Sirah are the big names here, with some Cabernets. And finally, we list the richest, heaviest group of red wines, again with defined tannins, but as with the richer whites, these wines tend to show complexity from age & oak. Typical are full bodied Cabernet, Italian Amarone or wines based on the Nebbiolo grape, as well as some Shiraz. This menu format gives our guests a certain degree of information as to when a certain wine might be chosen in sequence within their meal, just as most menu differentiate cold or room temperature foods from those served warm or hot. Lighter wines should generally precede richer wines, white & sparkling wines should generally precede reds.
Why can't you find any white Zinfandel on our wine list? Because we don't carry one. We have been accused of being wine snobs, but we are actually much more concerned about the quality of the wine than it's pedigree. Unfortunately, we have not found any producers who create a finely made, artisan white Zinfandel. We always have several blush wines by the glass, in addition to a rose flight. These wines are not sweet, however, as most white zinfandels tend to be. For those looking for a sweeter wine, we first recommend the Rancho Sisquoc, a very aromatic, fruity wine, or the Hans Lang Riesling Spatlese, a German white with a little late harvest juice. Next, we might suggest a kir or comisard, aperitif cocktails made by adding a raspberry cordial to white or red wine. Finally, we always try to recommend our house signature white wine sangria. This is made with a light Italian white wine & an even lighter slightly sweet domestic orange muscat. We add punch with a little white port, sweetness with our housemade non-alcoholic triple sec & Sprite, tang with fresh fruit juices, aromatics with a little ginger, star anise, mint & elderflower syrup, and finish with fresh fruit. Lightly sweet, bursting with fresh, bright fruit flavors. Don't we just have a house wine? No. Here's our problem with "house" wines. This term comes from restaurants in Europe, specifically France, Italy & Spain. In these intensive wine producing countries, most casual restaurants make their own wine. They are serving their guests their own housemade product, their "house" wine. These wines are often very young, and not terribly complex, but complement the food perfectly. American restaurants began using this term when they most likely only had one type of wine for sale. American consumers were not looking for intensively flavored, or varietally distinct, wines; as not many were available, let alone produced, at that time in the States. As the the American wine palate has matured, we have begun demanding more complex wines, often of some age. The American equivalent of the European "house" wine has become an ocean of bland, slightly sweet wines, which are not especially suitable for drinking with food. We do not agree with the response most restaurants have taken to this phenomenon, to mark the least expensive wine on the list the "house" wine. If we designate something a "house" or ""specialty of the house," like our sangrias or "Perfect Pear" martini, it is because we believe it to represent our own style. Our "house" wines would therefore be the wines we prefer to serve with our food, regardless of price. This would result in "house" wines over $10 a glass, which might bother some guests. So instead, we offer a great selection of all types of wine, at all price levels, so that guests may choose their wines for price or style, but be assured of the quality of all of our offerings.
The Bar
As a "wine bar," do we only serve wine? We call ourselves a wine bar to emphasize our focus on premium wines, and to encourage guests to stop by for just a nibble & a glass of wine. But we sell a wide array of beverages, from an extensive non-alcoholic selection, to beer, sake & soju cocktails. Do we serve hard liquor? No, we have a type 41 license, which entitles us to serve alcoholic products of the fermented type, namely beer & wine(sake too!), which fall below 50 proof(25%) Then how do we offer martinis, cosmopolitans, & the like? For reasons of their own, the California Alcoholic Beverage Control Board has classified soju as an agricultural product, instead of as a distilled product, which we are prohibited from serving. As it conveniently falls under our proof limit at 24%, we are able to use this spirit to produce mixed drinks, albeit milder than those made from vodka or whisky. What is soju, then? Related to the Japanese shochu ,, soju is a neutral distilled spirit from Korea, produced from rice, barley and/or sweet potatoes. We pour Ku Soju, a premium beverage made from sweet potatoes. It is creamy & smooth, with a distinct bite, similar to vodka after multiple distillations. What do we mean by "Madagascar Bourbon vanilla infused soju?" Bourbon vanilla beans are an expensive source of super premium vanilla grown on the island of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean. We soak whole & split vanilla pods in some of our soju, to intensify the creamy aspect of the soju, and lend a distinct flavor to some of our cocktails, like our signature "Perfect Pear." We use tangerine, lemon & lime zests to infuse other bottles of soju, to enhance citrus flavored cocktails like cosmos & lemon drops. And occasionally, we infuse our soju with spices & exotic fruits to produce seasonally flavored cocktails. Why don't you recognize many of these beers? Like our food, wine & decor, we have endeavored for an international flavor for our beer selection, with choices from seven different nations, eight if you count Oregon as a separate country. Our beers run the gamut from light German pilsner to domestic oatmeal stout, from an Australian pale ale to a a traditional Scotch ale, from an outstanding Bavarian hefeweizen to distinctive dark hefeweizen from Munich, from a classic Trappist dubel to a beautiful Belgian witbier, from a high quality import n/a to an Italian red lager, & from a coriander infused super premium selection to a luscious raspberry dessert beer. If we serve beers on draft, why don't you see any beer tap pulls? We were unable to run refrigerated beer lines from our walk-in box to the bar, so we installed the taps in the kitchen. Guess it's a good thing our chef isn't a beer drinker! Can we get our sake served hot? Our sake list is composed of premium junmai & ginjo style sakes, including one unfiltered(Nigori), one sparkling(Tekimaki), and one cedar box aged(Taru) sake. Not the inexpensive common sakes often served hot, but artisan beverages crafted to be served quite chilled. But for those who insist on heating their sake, we do carry a reasonably priced domestic sake, which we do offer steamed. We do recommend you try one of our sake flights to try some of our unusual sake styles. Is there really such a thing as "white wine sangria?" While sangria is generally thought of a a red wine punch, some areas of Spain have historically made a white wine version. We consider ours a house signature, due to it's unique recipe & refreshing character. Diablo Magazine agreed and produced a feature article on our sangria, complete with pictures & recipe. For another example of white sangria, check out Andalu, an excellent small plate restaurant in San Francisco.
The People
Who comes up with all these unusual dishes? Daniel Clayton, our owner & Chef de Cuisine, with assistance from Trace Leighton, his life partner & Chef P âtissier. What does "Chef de Cuisine" mean? In brief: "chef" means chief, or head of the kitchen. "chef de cuisine or executive chef" is a chef who is responsible for the kitchen & menu. "working chef" is like an executive chef, but also works on the line in the kitchen. "sous chef" means assistant chef, he must have a working or executive chef to report to. "chef de pâtissier" is a chef who both designs & executes the pastry program. Where does Daniel get his background & food knowledge? Daniel grew up in the business of distributing specialty & imported foods to stores & restaurants. He developed a passion for cooking at a very early age, and managed the promotional program of a BBQ products company in Kansas City in his teens. In college, he managed a commercial kitchen in his student co-op, while working in a restaurant on the weekends. Later, he moved into waiting tables, bartending & banquet coordination, while expanding his knowledge of food through CIA Greystone & the DVC Hotel & Restaurant program. He was hired as an assistant manager @ Petar's in Lafayette, and shortly thereafter became the general manager. He then managed the dining room & wine program of Luna Ristorante, an award winning Italian restaurant in downtown Concord. After a stint as a restaurant consultant for American Hotels, he worked at Lark Creek Walnut Creek, an experience which reinvigorated his passion for fresh, seasonal, high quality foods, even if his first love is international cuisine, not "All American Fare." And after a sixteen month effort, he was delighted to open NIBBLERS as an outlet for his culinary ideas. So where did Trace come from? Trace has been in love with food her entire life. She has early memories of Julia Child on PBS dancing with chickens and making omelettes in a skillet (yes dad, a skillet) when she was six. She considers herself "life trained" and has the gift of a family tree filled with cooks and bakers. Her dear grandpa was a commercial baker and her gran an amazing cook. Between those two with some encouragement from mom and dad, she was making crepes and selling pies to the neighbors by the time she was 10. Since then she has hostessed, bartended, served, catered, and bussed in a variety of locations. Taking a hiatus from her love of food service, she raised her daughter and worked in the tech industry then left that world (before the 2000 crash she is thankful) to work with food service pros and other creative entrepreneurs as a strategic small business coach. In 2005 she came to join Daniel at ended up finding a home.
Small Plates Did we create this style of cuisine? While our restaurant's cuisine is distinct and of its own style, we are simply a new outlet for this healthy, enjoyable eating pattern. Contemporary American small plate cuisine has been growing for years,out of big city hubs which have long been home to ethnic small plate oriented restaurants. Is this small plate cuisine specifically rooted in a specific region's culinary traditions? Long before potato skins & buffalo wings became standard fare in American restaurants, "small plates" had become major culinary concepts in cultures across the globe. They are eaten with drinks, consumed to whet the appetite prior to a formal meal, or combined to form meals on their own, as we encourage here. Are there any other small plate restaurants in the area which you recommend? Of course. In Pleasant Hill, we highly recommend Matsu Sushi on Contra Costa Blvd(&Dublin), and we hear that Jo's Sushi at the intersection of Morello & Taylor is also a hit. In Walnut Creek, Va de Vi blazed the trail in international small plates in the Diablo Valley, while the the dim sum at Tin's Tea House is commendable. In the greater East Bay, be sure to check out Vik's Chaat, by 4th street in Berkeley, Mezze in the Grand Lake District of Oakland, & Cesar, next to Chez Panisse(& their newer location on Piedmont Ave in Oakland), which brought Spanish tapas to the East Bay. Also of note are the excellent French styled A Cote on College Ave & Fonda Solano which focuses on Latin flavors. In Larkspur, we highly recommend Bruce Hill's lightly Italian themed Picco, which really believes in local ingredients. There are scores of small plate places in the city, but we feel that the clear leaders are Cha Cha Cha for tapas, and Andalu in the Mission for contemporary small plates.
Following is an extended discussion of international small plate concepts, & the specific aspects of each that we feel inspire
Tapas are probably the most prominent international small plate tradition in America at this time. They take their origins & name from the slices of bread, cheese or most especially jamon serrano which tavern keepers in Andalusia used to keep insects out of their customers sherry. Each region of Spain has now developed it's own traditional selection of tapas, with olives, almonds, seafood, tortilla(Spanish omelet) & the ubiquitous fried potatoes and ali-oli being found in tavernas all over Spain. Contemporary Spanish tapas are still paired with sherries; but also now with wines, sangrias & sidra, Galician hard apple cider. Modern Spaniards may spend several hours each day eating & drinking in tapas bars, and often substitute these small dishes for the afternoon or evening meals, while enjoying the company of friends. Here at NIBBLERS, we love this lifestyle, and while we don't preach eating dinner after 10:00 P.M., we do emphasize a combination of small plates making up the meal experience. And we complement our small plates with an extensive list of sherries, aperitifs from several countries & of course, our house signature sangrias. We'd like to become Pleasant Hill's place to sip, taste, nibble & gather with friends. Sushi is a traditional Japanese style of artistically presenting seasoned rice with vegetables and/or seafood, usually of surpassing quality and eaten raw. Diners choose individual types and preparations of sushi, oftentimes sharing, and accompanied by dumplings, tempura, pickles, or sashimi, just the raw fish. We are intrigued by the clean flavors & eye appeal of this culinary style, and hope to incorporate these elements into our own dishes, always appreciating the quality and freshness of the components. Our accompanying sake list is brief, but allows our guests to sample several highly varied examples of Japan's signature beverage. The Japanese also contribute their tea ceremonies to the pantheon of international small plate traditions. These elegant ceremonies focus on tempting but never satiating the palate, while allowing the participants to focus on the atmosphere and aromas. While our atmosphere will never be as calm & serene as a Japanese tea garden, we hope our sense of casual elegance gives our guests feelings of comfort & serenity, and allows them to focus on the intriguing flavors and aromas of our small plates. While the practice descends form traditional Chinese culture, dim sum has reached it's peak in the "chinatowns" of our own west coast. Guests generally sit at large tables, while waiters pass by with trays & carts filled with small portions of steamed dumplings, custard tarts, foil-wrapped chicken, tender vegetables, and various other items which guests select as they wish. The plates pile up, and guests normally pay by the number of plates in the pile. Everything is flavorful, and one is never left wanting more, as new selections are perpetually on offer. While here at NIBBLERS we prepare each dish to order one table at a time, we do encourage you to keep a copy of your menu, so that small plates can be ordered one, two, or three at a time. With the explosion of attention toward Greek culture over the past few years, through the Summer Olympics & "My Big, Fat, Greek Wedding," Greek food has become more common in the U.S.. Known as meze, Greek small plate tradition has been heavily influenced by the mezze of Turkey & the Near East, as the Ottomans controlled Greece for several centuries. Traditional meze items include mushrooms a la grecque & spanikopita, which have commonly been seen here for many years. But only recently have other meze specialties, such as taramasalata, become available. Greek meze tend to have sharp, intense flavors, using great quantities of lemon, garlic, oregano & spicy extra virgin olive oil. This suits their use as a culinary counterpart to ouzo, the strong anise-flavored brandy consumed before & after meals in Greece. While we are not permitted to serve ouzo, we certainly believe in intense flavor combinations, so as not to tire the palate with dull flavor tones. Mezze, the small plate tradition of Turkey, spread throughout North Africa and the Near East through the administration of the Ottoman Empire. While individual regions have their own specialties, due to climate & topography, the various mezze cuisines share certain elements. Rose & orange flower water, chickpeas, sesame & yogurt are common, and olive oil is used almost exclusively. Lamb & squab are common meat sources, while tomatoes, carrots & cucumbers are prevalent. The soft, aromatic elements of these foods are do in part to the lack of alcohol in the Arab diet. Mezze is generally accompanied by tea, juices or blended fruit drinks. NIBBLERS loves the mezze passion for dips, and we almost always have one on our menu. We are also proud to offer an extensive variety of non alcoholic beverage choices, from freshly squeezed juices and blended lemonades, to artisan iced teas & soft drinks, organic fair-trade coffee & espresso, and artesian spring water. Even the Italians are beginning to forget their merende, small savory dishes eaten between the main meals of the day. Many of these traditional savories have become formal antipasti, oftentimes served buffet style, or individually plated as an appetizer before a seated meal. In some areas, the concept has returned, and is called spuntino. In Venice, however, a culinary style known as cicchetti has developed, based primarily on the local seafood. Wine bars(enotecas) serve the local wines, such as Prosecco, a bright sparkling wine,or Pinot Grigio & Tocai, crisp, aromatic white wines, which are accompanied by innumerable small plates of seafood dishes. The bars are known to compete in terms of the quantity & quality of their cicchetti, which are often served as a filling for bread, the common link of almost all foods eaten as merende. This concern for freshness & locality is intact at where we strive to maintain a varied menu focused on the local producer & the seasons. Locally grown or caught produce or seafood are always preferable to foods picked green elsewhere, or shipped under extended refrigeration. Other nations and cultures also have vibrant small plate traditions. The French hors' d'oeuvres reflect the culinary focus and artistry of the entire nation, while their goute is closely related to the Italian merende. Mexicans eat bocadillos, small sandwiches, as an afternoon snack, botanas as nibbles with their tequila & antojitos as a lead in to their dinner. Vorspiese are small bite portions served alongside pretzels & cheese as an accompaniment to beer in Germany. The Indonesian rijstaffel tables, covered with a multitude of small dishes of food, so impressed the Dutch colonists that this is still a popular restaurant type in the Netherlands. Southeast Asian street food includes rice paper spring rolls, crispy fried imperial rolls, satays, pho & even sticks of sugar cane with fermented shrimp paste. Indian chaat boasts pakoras(fritters), samosas(dumplings), pappadums(lentil crackers), dosas(lentil crepes), idli(steamed rice cakes) and of course raita(yogurt salad). Even the English have High Tea, a ritualized part of genteel life featuring tea sandwiches & canapes.
would like to introduce you to this diversity of cultures & flavors in a cozy neighborhood setting. Come nibble with us!
Little bites, big pleasure at Nibblers in Pleasant Hill reproduced by permission from the Rossmoor News, June 22, 2005 review by Wilma Murray Many months ago I happened by an empty storefront a few doors down from Back Forty Texas Barbecue and spotted a notice that caught my eye, a restaurant named Nibblerswas moving in. Just the name, alone, was enticingenough to evoke curiosity and every time I passed the spot I watched for the opening. So, I didn't wait long to stop in once the business was up and running, and even in it's infant stages, this baby shows a lot of promise. "Nibblers" is one of those names that actually describes the restaurant well. Nibblers is a place for - well, nibblers, that being anyone who likes an assortment of dishes without overindulging in any. The small plates trend is nothing new, but this side of the Caldecott, there still aren't a lot of restaurants following it. It's a trend I favor, having always been partial to feasting on hors d'oeuvres more than entrees because you can tease the palate with more abundant flavors than one dish can usually accomodate. Every two weeks the menu will change, thereby keeping up with what's on the market. Here's what I had the opportunity to enjoy on a recent visit: To start off, we enjoyed a tiny mound of Spanish Marcona almonds($3.25), blanched almonds dotted with whole coriander seeds that gave them a peppery flare, and slivers of fresh mint to counterbalance.We skipped the pizzettas section - mini pizzas($7.25 to $7.75) with exotic topping combinations such as goat cheese with caramelized onions and Meyer lemon zest - and moved right into small plates. I recommend ordering at least six of these for every two persons if you're making a meal out of it. Each of these dishes has enough generally for a satisfactory number of bites for two people, maybe just a taste if you go up to three or four persons. Fresh triangles of asiago cheese($5.25) were served on one plate with a handfull of chunks of fruit and nut bread and a chutney-like blend of papaya and star anise. The sweet papaya enhanced the licorice overtones of the anise, working well along the earthy cheese. Another plate held triangles of warm pita bread and a generous dollop of baba ghanoush($5.25). The eggplant/tahini mix developed a unique bite from fresh hot peppers and had small bay leaves to add a fragrant adge. This plate was garnished by a house preserved Meyer lemon wedge - like a salty lemon pickle. One of my favorite plates was the salmon crostini($5.75), it's only downside being there wasn't nearly enough of this yummy morsel. Three triangles of ultra thin white toast each carried a wispy slice of cucumber topped with a spare slice of smoked salmon. Capers and a swirl of lemony cream completed the effect of the light and subtle flavors. On the bolder side was the fried calamari($6.25), thumb-nail sized tentacles and rings coated with crunchy panko breading and served with a compote of ruby red tropical fruits and hot chilies. The salsa tasted strongly of tamarind(But we've never used tamarind in any of our calamari preparations!) and was a pleasing complement to the seafood. Irregular cubes of three artisan sausages, each with distinct flavors, ($5.75) were sauteed with whole garlic cloves and presented around chopped leaves of romaine lettuce with roasted red bell pepper strips and a sprig of rosemary. Yellow mustard cream was drizzled all over. Finally we ordered beef satay($6.25). This comes with two skewers of slender and tender charcoaled beef dotted with chopped peanuts and soaked in a Thai peanut chili sauce. But the focus of attention on this plate was the bed of "fried spinach" on which the beef lay. I've never had anything quite like this - spinach the weight and texture of parchment that literally dissolved in the mouth. Wonderful. In the potential class of overkill, we went ahead and ordered one of the "larger" plates, a series of dishes billed as "slightly larger portions with more complex preparations." Our choice was Alaskan halibut($13.50), which was a rectangle of the fish arranged with coconut crusted rock shrimp, fresh bitter greens, and wedges of lemon cucumber and tomatilla. All this was held together with a rice wine vinaigrette. Of all the dishes, this was the only one that just didn't draw the oohs and aahs. Not that it was noticeably awry: it just didn't hold together with the same standard of quality that the others had. The halibut was very nice and moist, but the coconut aspect of the shrimp was too subtle and the whole dish (was) slightly overwhelmed by the vinaigrette. We finished off the meal with two of the seven offered desserts. I had a scoop of creamy, smoky green tea gelato that had a smattering of black sesame seeds and a rolled wafer alongside($4.75). My companion chose the fruits crudites($6.50), which I highly recommend as a gentle way to come down from a Nibblers high. The plate had a pretty array of fresh strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, slices of asian pear and nectarine, and cherries. A tiny dish of vanilla custard sauce, which was more like a soft caramel than custard, intensified the fruit flavors. The restaurant is small, simple & elegant, a long rectangle with small tables lined up against the golden-hued walls and an aisle in between. At the entrance side is a small wine bar, at which one can enjoy wine "flights" composed of several tastings for a modest price. The wine list is extensive and interesting and includes numerous aperitifs and "cocktails" made from soju, a distilled Korean liquor. Our waitress told us there is only one chef, and considering the care and artistic effort that goes into each dish, it is no wonder that the plates don't come out with extreme promptness. But, other than an unusually long lull before our check arrived, I didn't find any of the waiting to be uncomfortably long. This is the kind of restaurant where I could see popping in every few weeks to see what's new, or just dropping by to try out a different wine flight. It has a neighborhood feel, with cosmopolitan finish, and I believe it will do well. Therefore, it would be good to make reservations when you plan to visit. Thanks, Wilma!
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please visit our contact page for hours, reservations, and take-out information
chef de cuisine: daniel clayton chef pâtissier: trace leighton 1922 oak park blvd, pleasant hill ca 94523 reservations desk: (925)944-0402 fax: (925)944-0460 ask for substitutions as often as you'd like / ask for separate checks at your own risk |