Ethnic-style foods served as appetizers are more than just a novel trend. Chefs continue to explore global cuisines for inspiration and small, tapas-style dishes are a great way to test their customers' resolve to sample the unfamiliar. Lure them with entry-level appetizers, reducing risks for chef and customer alike. At Rustica in Belmont, Mass., Chef John Murphy serves a Mediterranean bill of fare. A good portion of the restaurant's customers construct a meal with a variety of appetizers.
Endless opportunities exist for such worldly nibbles.
Italy offers bruschetta and crostini, small bread rounds that accept a multitude of topping possibilities. The south of France sends olive tapenade, a relish of olives, tomatoes, garlic and olive oil. Asia contributes a variety of spring rolls, dumplings and ribs. N.Y. Mez is Greek for appetizer. Inspiration comes from Provence, but also from Greece and Spain.