Small Plates, Big Ambitions

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and unusual--including duck and venison year round, a lot of seafood, and rare fare like sweetbreads--while keeping traditional dishes hotel diners expect.

Graham's still has chops and filets but distinguishes itself with a huge array of small plates. We sampled not quite a third of the twenty-seven on Graham's dinner menu, and not one was a dud. Calamari steaks nearly the size of Post-it notes capture your fancy? How about savory-sweet pressed polenta cakes flanked by gorgonzola and fruit? Or broiled prosciutto-wrapped gnocchi floating in basil cream sauce? We're just getting started.

One reason the list is so long is that Graham's dinner menu has no "appetizer" section--the small plates include starters like shrimp cocktail, mushroom caps, bruschetta, and oysters. Others are mini entrees, including hearty fare like beef tips with mushrooms and onions, crab casserole, and pulled pork sliders.