1000 x 90

Come Meet a Few Hot Spots for the Second Annual Small Plate Crawl; Simplicity at Mast Farm Inn and Joy Bistro

by Madison V. Fisler

Aug. 21, 2013. Now in its second year, the Small Plate Crawl, hosted by Boone Independent Restaurants, will give folks of the High Country an opportunity to taste a little something from all of their favorite restaurants, and maybe a few they haven’t discovered yet.

Each day this week, we will be profiling a few of the restaurants that are participating, in order to give customers a chance to be introduced to their new favorite restaurants before their big date.

diningSimplicity at the Mast Farm Inn focuses on simplicity with delicious, organic fine dining. Using the freshest natural ingredients, like free range eggs, fresh produce from their own garden and pasture-raised meats. 

Located in beautiful, scenic Historic Valle Crucis in Banner Elk, Simplicity focuses on preparing one set four-or-more-course menu per day using the very best ingredients available. 

For the Small Plate Crawl, Executive Chef Andrew Long of Simplicity will be offering eight small plates to sample. The small dishes, much like their regular fare, will be focused on the freshest ingredients available prepared with the upmost care.

On the menu for the Small Plate Crawl, Simplicity will offer delicious options like roasted sweet potato bisque, shaved torchon de fois gras, crispy confit of pheasant leg, Mamou Mast chocolate cake and much more. Alongside these tantalizing options are long drinks like white lightning sour, honey moon cherry, cat’s moonshadow julep and so many more. 

For more information about Simplicity at the Mast Farm Inn, click here.

shapeimage_1The Joy Bistro, located in Boone, is owned and run by husband and wife team Chef Melissa Joy Claude and Gary Claude. Their normal menu offers delicious selections that are always fresh and thoughtfully prepared. For the Small Plate Crawl, they are devoting their entire menu to small plates so that the crawlers will have an abundance of new things to try.

“We are using several new recipes that aren’t on our current menu,” said Chef Melissa Joy Claude.

“We are featuring several different proteins like fish, beef and pork and are trying to use as much local fare as we can. As a chef, the Small Plate Crawl is a lot of fun because I can take new products to create new things and have others enjoy it.”

The menu for the Small Plate Crawl includes many exciting options like locally made ravioli, wild caught Alaskan halibut, Heritage Farm pork tenderloin, local peach salad, shrimp and grits, apple and pine nut cobbler and so much more.

Perfect for college kids on a budget, savvy restaurant lovers who want a little taste of everything, or someone just looking for an excuse to hit all the best spots in town, the Small Plate Crawl has something for everyone. 

The event will go on rain or shine, so come hungry and remember to bring your passport. To be eligible for the prize drawings, you must have 5 completed passport validations to show that you have been to five restaurants during the crawl. Including a restaurant outside of Boone and Blowing Rock in your count of five completed restaurants will double your chances of winning a prize in the drawing. 

New participating restaurants will be added up until the week of the crawl, so keep checking back to see if your favorite has been added, or maybe a restaurant that you’ve always wanted to sink your teeth into. 

For more information, click here, or stay tuned for more information about the restaurants and what they will offer during this year’s second annual Small Plate Crawl.