Famous EATS

Have you ever wondered what famous people’s favorite foods are?

Chef T does, and, his curiosity and love of cooking set off a whole lot of research, recipe development, & some colorful culinary words in order to put together a list of past and present movie stars, artists, writers, singers, coaches, athletes, activist, & political personalities and their favorite foods.

Each week Chef T will feature a favorite dish from Famous People and feature it as our special of the week along with a little history about the Chosen Person.

Follow our culinary Famous Eats journey and eat like you’re famous

We originally decided to start with Marilyn Monroe, but she had raw eggs in warm milk for breakfast!

Eek! No thank you. SO we changed gears, and to kick off the 1st Famous Eats…drum roll please!

Famous EATS!

Vince Vaughn

Vincent Anthony Vaughn, born March 28, 1970, is an American actor. He is known for starring as a leading man in numerous comedy films during the late 1990s and 2000s. He was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award and a Saturn Award.

Vince Vaughn was a tough one because he loves every kind of food, but we did run across one very interesting thing… a bagel breakfast sandwich called the Vince Vaughn Bagel Breakfast Sandwich. We had to do it because we love Vince Vaughn and his new series Bad Monkey. Can we say addicted and so very cute and if you’re not watching you should?! Anyway, this dish starts with a perfectly steamed, good-sized EVERYTHING BAGEL because they are the BEST! The Small version has yellow and white English cheddar cheeses melted into our scrambled farm fresh eggs, YUM, then it is topped with a generous amount of our Applewood Smoked Bacon and, here comes the double whammy for all you meat lovers, Canadian Bacon; you can add mayo if you prefer or our wonderful smashed potatoes as a side. However you want this everything bagel sandwich, it is simple, but, oh so so, so, so GOOD (just like Vince Vaughn)!

Come eat like a movie star… Vince Vaughn… this is a good one folks!

Live Large, Eat Small

$14.95

9/11/2024 – 9/15/2024

Previous Famous EATS!

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Kate Paltrow, born September 27, 1972, is an American actress and businesswoman. The daughter of filmmaker Bruce Paltrow and actress Blythe Danner, she established herself as a leading lady appearing in mainly mid-budget and period films during the 1990s and early 2000s, before transitioning to blockbusters and franchises. Her accolades include an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Who doesn’t love a good frittata? Vogue asked Gwyneth Paltrow to share one of her favorite foods and she chose what she calls her Boyfriend Frittata and it is a good one… filled with caramelized onions, crispy turkey bacon, chopped, so you get a little with every bite, wilted spinach, potatoes and the perfect amount of seasonings mixed with farm fresh eggs, placed into a a baby cast iron frying pan then oven-baked and served with a side of dressed salad.

Boyfriend Frittata got its playful name from Gwyneth making this dish on the weekends for then boyfriend, now husband, Brad Falchuk. Healthy and Tastalicious! What more can you ask for?

Live Large, Eat Small

$14.95

9/4/2024 – 9/8/2024

Kate Winslet

Kate Elizabeth Winslet, born 5 October 1975, is an English actress. Known for her roles as headstrong and complicated women in independent films, particularly period dramas, she has received numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, five BAFTA Awards and five Golden Globe Awards. Time magazine named Winslet one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2009 and 2021. She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 2012.

Recently, Kate Winslet, a vegetarian, in case you did not know, took a break from Hollywood and headed for Cork where she took a cookery course. What was her favorite meal from the course, you wonder, well… it was Thai Cauliflower Curry with Jasmine Rice. Small’s versionof this fabulous dish begins with roasting the cauliflower in house-made Thai spice mix while sautéing yellow, red and orange sweet peppers and bok choi in a red Thai curry paste then combining all these fragrant veggies into a pot along with some creamy coconut milk and allowing it to slow simmer until all of the spices meld together creating Curry Heaven for your palate, served in a big bowl with a helping of lime infused jasmine rice and garlicky naan on the side. This delicately balanced dish is vegan, vegetarian, dairy-free, and AMAZING!

Kate, describing her thoughts about food, said “Food is one of the sexiest, most glorious pleasures that can possibly be had. I happen to love preparing it, I love eating it, I love sharing it.” And, Small Café feels the same way about sharing all of our foodie creations with all of our lovely café guests too! Let’s eat like the beautiful and accomplished Kate Winslet this week.

Live Large, Eat Small

$14.95

8/28/2024 – 9/1/2024

Guy Fieri

Guy Ramsay Fieri, born January 22, 1968, is an American restaurateur, author, and an Emmy Award winning television presenter. He co-owned three now defunct restaurants in California. He licenses his name to restaurants in cities all over the world, and is known for hosting various television series on the Food Network. In 2010, The New York Times reported that Fieri had become the "face of the network", bringing an "element of rowdy, mass-market culture to American food television" and that his "prime-time shows attract more male viewers than any others on the network".

A couple of things people may not know about Guy Fieri is his mom is from North Carolina so he grew up eating grits and he is not a big breakfast guy…WHAT?! However, when he does eat breakfast one of his go-tos is grits and ham. Voila… our chef added the Small twist to this southern classic and a food star was born…Grit Cakes with Honey Hickory Smoked Ham! REAL grits lovingly blended with milk, cheese, bacon and chives and cooled so they can be patted into cakes, dressed up with a mixture of Panko, herbs, and little bit more cheese then pan fried to the delightfully crunchy on the outside and creamy cheesiness on the inside Grit Cakes paired with a side of the house-made Honey Hickory Smoked Ham to FLABBERGAST YOUR TASTE BUDS!!

Don’t miss this one, as Guy would say, “It's got whiz bang wow in there!” Come and eat like Guy Fieri, celebrity chef!

Live Large, Eat Small

$16.95

8/21/2024 – 8/25/2024

Carrie Underwood

Carrie Marie Underwood, born March 10, 1983, is an American singer. She rose to prominence after winning the fourth season of American Idol in 2005. Underwood's single "Inside Your Heaven" made her the first country artist to debut atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart and the only solo country artist in the 2000s to have a number-one song on the Hot 100. Her debut album, Some Hearts (2005), was bolstered by the successful crossover singles "Jesus, Take the Wheel" and "Before He Cheats", becoming the best-selling solo female debut album in country music history. She won three Grammy Awards for the album, including Best New Artist. The next studio album, Carnival Ride (2007) had one of the biggest opening weeks of all time by a female artist and won two Grammy Awards. Her third studio album, Play On (2009), produced the single "Cowboy Casanova", which had one of the biggest single-week upward movements on the Hot 100.

Carrie Underwood is 100% vegetarian and about 80% vegan. She makes concessions on the holidays for cheese and any time for Doritos. One of her go to meals is Spinach Quesadillas with Fresh Salsa so we decided to “Let Jesus Take the Wheel” and give this dish a whirl by sautéing green onions, garden tomatoes with cumin, garlic and a splash of lemon juice then throwing in some spinach till it wilts and finally mixing in Monterey Jack cheese and some ricotta till it becomes and melty and gooey then we fold this savory concoction into a warmed flour tortilla add some of Chef T’s house-made salsa with peppers right out of our garden and grill it till the tortilla is crispy on the outside. Once on the plate, it gets a little sour cream, green onions, avocado and cilantro garnish and is served with a side of “Cowboy Casanova” Avocado Black Bean Salad!

Hang on to your hat because this scrump-dilly-ishous meal will take your taste buds on a “Carnival Ride” For Sure!! Come on in and eat like Carrie Underwood!

Live Large, Eat Small

$14.95

8/7/2024 – 8/11/2024

Chrissy Teigan

Christine Diane Teigen (born November 30, 1985) is an American model and television personality. She made her professional modeling debut in the annual Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2010 and appeared on the 50th-anniversary cover alongside Nina Agdal and Lily Aldridge in 2014. She formerly appeared as a panelist on the syndicated daytime talk show FABLife (2015–2016). She co-hosted the musical competition series Lip Sync Battle (2015–2019) with LL Cool J and was a judge on the comedy competition series Bring the Funny (2019). Teigen has also authored three cookbooks.

Chrissy Teigen shares one of her favorite recipes for breakfast in the Happy Foodie. It just so happens to be a hash, and, we KNOW how much our guests LOVE when we have hash! This week it is Cheesy, Mildly Spicy Breakfast Hash made with red potatoes, onion, sweet peppers and jalapenos, straight from our garden at the café, all sautéed with garlic and a little olive oil then whole dish gets hit with smoked paprika and melted cheddar cheese to knock it up a notch! Top all of that taste bud bliss with the egg style of your choice and, if you prefer, a side of one of the many hot sauces from our hot sauce wall (some are house-made by chef). Vegan and vegetarian unless you do not want it to be; you can always add bacon, turkey or pork sausage.

You say POTATO and I say POTAHTO, any way you say it, let’s have the HASH!

Live Large, Eat Small

$13.50

7/31/2024 – 8/4/2024

Anna Wintour

Dame Anna Wintour (born 3 November 1949) is a British and American media executive, who has been serving as editor-in-chief of Vogue since 1988. Wintour has also served as Global Chief Content Officer of Condé Nast since 2020, where she oversees all Condé Nast publications worldwide, and concurrently serves as Artistic Director. Wintour is also Global Editorial Director of Vogue. With her trademark pageboy bob haircut and dark sunglasses, Wintour is regarded as the most powerful woman in publishing, and has become an important figure in the fashion world, serving as the lead chairperson of the annual haute couture Met Gala global fashion spectacle in Manhattan since the 1990s. Wintour is praised for her skill in identifying emerging fashion trends, but has been criticized for her reportedly aloof and demanding personality.

The iconic Anna Wintour is said to have the same lunch everyday Caprese Salad with Steak. This week we wanted to bring you something light and cool, given the warm weather, and this dish fits to a T. Garden tomatoes (not store bought and never refrigerated), delicate and delightfully milky mozzarella cheese layered on a bed mixed greens with aromatic basil leaves and finely cut, flash-seared ribbons of steak are also an element of this culinary editorial, then comes the house-made, tangy with a tad of sweet, balsamic reduction marrying all the flavors and creating a show-stopper of a taste bud experience.

One of Ms. Wintour’s famous quotes is “If you can’t be better than your competition, then just dress better”. What we WISH she said is “If you can’t be better than your competition, then just EAT better by trying my favorite meal at Small”. Wouldn’t that be great! Come and eat like one of the most powerful figures in fashion.

Live Large, Eat Small

$17.50

7/10/2024 - 7/10/2024

Danny Trejo

Daniel Trejo (born May 16, 1944) is an American actor. Born in Los Angeles, Trejo's film career began in 1985, when he landed a role in Runaway Train (1985). The first film in which he was given a proper credited role was as Art Sanella in Death Wish 4: The Crackdown (1987). He went on to star in a multitude of other films, many of which were small parts as inmates, gangsters, or other criminals, appearing in Desperado, Heat (both in 1995), From Dusk till Dawn (1996), Con Air (1997), The Replacement Killers (1998), Reindeer Games (2000), and Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), among others.

Tough guy/bad boy, actor Danny Trejo, owner of Trejo Tacos is famous for saying, “I used to rob restaurants. Today I own eight of them.” He started his restaurants with some of his all time favorite recipes his most popular fav is the barbacoa taco. We have taken this recipe and added the SMALL twist and turned it into the Barbacoa Breakfast Burrito because there is more to love in a burrito. Chuck Roast was marinated in a myriad of spices including all the favorites garlic, chipotle peppers, cumin plus some Coca Cola. Yep, Coke gives this recipe some Zip-a-Doo-Dah, then it is roasted slow and low for 8 hours, shredded and placed into a flour tortilla with Fresh Farm Scrambled Eggs and Cheese, rolled, readying this burrito to be topped with House-Made Salsa using some of the tomatoes, cucumbers, and jalapenos right out of our café garden. Chef’s own Roja and Cilantro Avacado Sauces decorate the top along with a dollop of Sour Cream.

This Barbacoa Breakfast Burrito is a gift for your palate!

Live Large, Eat Small

$15.95

7/32024 - 7/7/2024

Blac Chyna

Angela Renée White (born May 11, 1988), commonly known as Blac Chyna, is an American model, television personality, rapper and socialite. She originally rose to prominence in 2010 as the stunt double for Nicki Minaj in the music video for the song "Monster" by Kanye West. She gained wider media attention after being name-dropped in the song "Miss Me" by Drake the same year, leading to a number of magazine appearances, including pieces in Dimepiece, Straight Stuntin and Black Men's Magazine. In 2014, she launched her own makeup brand, "Lashed by Blac Chyna", and a beauty salon in Encino, Los Angeles. She has since made a number of media appearances, including in her own reality television shows, Rob & Chyna and The Real Blac Chyna.

According to sheknows article about Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian, her boyfriend, he has spent $13,000 at P.F. Chang’s to satisfy Chyna’s baby bump cravings and these cravings included Lettuce Wraps! We have them this week and our chicken is stir fried in sesame oil with some julienned red and orange sweet peppers, a smidge of red cabbage for that nice crunch factor and all the savory Asian flavors including ginger, onions and garlic. This gluten free delicacy is then laid into a tender butter cup lettuce leaf on a bed of rice noodles and bathed in our very own, top secret lettuce wrap sauce which really “Set It Off” just like the theme song from their reality show Rob and Chyna.

All you have to do is wrap it up and savor each and every bite!! Look at you eating like a celebrity!

Live Large, Eat Small

$15.95

6/26/2024 - 6/30/2024

Steve Jobs

Steven Paul Jobs (February 24, 1955 – October 5, 2011) was an American businessman, inventor, and investor best known for co-founding the technology giant Apple Inc. Jobs was also the founder of NeXT and chairman and majority shareholder of Pixar. He was a pioneer of the personal computer revolution of the 1970s and 1980s.

Young Steve Jobs was a fruitarian for a year while cultivating apples at a hippie commune, after that, he became a vegan, a diet he followed for the rest of his life… except for Japanese food. He loved all things sushi, so, for this week’s little piece of magic, we have hand rolled California Rolls, with a SMALL twist, made with imitation crab, sushi rice, freshly diced cucumber and avocado all wrapped in thin Nori sheets then the magic touch is added, our mildly spicy mayo based Secret Sushi Sauce is zigzagged across the top along with Nori Komi furikake sprinkles creating a little piece of art for your taste buds. Served with wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger on the side.

One of Steve Jobs’ famous quotes is “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren't used to an environment where excellence is expected” and this is the rule of our kitchen every day, every week and year after year because our guests deserve the best! Come in and eat like a famous inventor/innovator!

Live Large, Eat Small

$15.95

6/19/2024 - 6/23/2024

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock KBE (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980) was an English film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the history of cinema. In a career spanning six decades, he directed over 50 feature films, many of which are still widely watched and studied today. Known as the "Master of Suspense", Hitchcock became as well known as any of his actors thanks to his many interviews, his cameo appearances in most of his films, and his hosting and producing the television anthology Alfred Hitchcock Presents (1955–65). His films garnered 46 Academy Award nominations, including six wins, although he never won the award for Best Director, despite five nominations.

Alfred Hitchcock was an interesting fella for sure, he suffered from ovophobia, a fear of eggs, but his favorite food was, here it comes….ahh…the suspense…
Quiche Lorraine!

We are serving this traditional dish of creamy eggs blended with both classic and smoked Gruyere cheeses, our crumbled applewood smoked bacon, and a few pinches of nutmeg featuring a matinee of cayenne pepper all baked in our especially yummy cornmeal crust which keeps this dish gluten-free. To celebrate Hitchcock’s quirky sense of humor, (he once hosted a dinner party that featured all blue food) a clover of smashed and crisped blue potatoes with a touch of sour cream and green onion will make a guest appearance. Pair this anticipated repast with the lovely drink that Sir Hitchcock helped popularize…a Mimosa.

Hitchcock once said “To make a good movie you need 3 things the script, the script, the script.”To be a great restaurant you need tasty & consistent food, staff that are happy and love the guests and a pleasant atmosphere…oh wait! Small has it all!!

Live Large, Eat Small

$12.95

6/12/2024 - 6/16/2024

Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson (April 13, 1743 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. Following the American Revolutionary War and prior to becoming president in 1801, Jefferson was the nation's first U.S. secretary of state under George Washington and then the nation's second vice president under John Adams. Jefferson was a leading proponent of democracy, republicanism, and individual rights, and produced formative documents and decisions at the state, national, and international levels. His writings and advocacy for human rights, including freedom of thought, speech, and religion, served as substantial inspirations to the American Revolution and subsequent Revolutionary War in which the Thirteen Colonies succeeded in breaking from British America and establishing the United States as a sovereign nation.

Among all of Thomas Jefferson’s accomplishments as one of the Founding Fathers, he was also quite the foodie, a wine connoisseur and had a very discerning palate. We know this because one of his favorite foods was French Fries which he learned about in France, and, thank goodness, introduced this American treasure to the United States of America. What are French fries without a burger, though? This week we are celebrating Jefferson’s love of French Fries that are seasoned and fried to the crunchy perfection we all know and love, and created by the queen of making them delicious, AB is in the kitchen, folks!. They come along side a breakfast burger that is a 50-50 mix of pork and beef seasoned with onion powder, garlic, salt. pepper, smoked paprika and a dash of red pepper. This lovely taste of art is placed on a sandwich-sized English muffin slathered with a bit of garlic aioli, topped with lettuce, fresh cucumber salsa, our applewood-smoked bacon, an over medium farm fresh egg and a melty portion of Munster cheese.

All men may be created equal, but not all restaurants are created equal, wink, wink.

Live Large, Eat Small

$17.95

6/5/2024 - 6/9/2024

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Joanna Aniston (born February 11, 1969) is an American actress. She rose to international fame for her role as Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends from 1994 to 2004, which earned her Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild awards. Since her career progressed in the 1990s, Aniston has consistently ranked among the world's highest-paid actresses, as of 2023.

Jennifer Aniston’s go-to high protein breakfast is avocado toast with an egg, so this week we are featuring a Pinwheel of Avocado Toast made with La Farm ciabatta bread slices, smeared with cream cheese and smashed avocado seasoned with onion, garlic, a touch of red pepper flakes, poppy and sesame seeds, then more sliced avocado and served with our locally sourced egg, in the style of your choice, placed right in the center, and, for the finale, a lavish sprinkling of the all time favorite Everything Bagel Seasoning.

Come relish in the same high protein, trendy avocado toast breakfast that the stylish, svelte Rachel Green, oops, I mean, Jennifer Aniston enjoys as her flavorsome, healthy, go-to breakfast.

$14.95

5/29/2024 - 6/2/2024

Chris Hemsworth

Christopher Hemsworth (born 11 August 1983) is an Australian actor. He rose to prominence playing Kim Hyde in the Australian television series Home and Away (2004–2007) before beginning a film career in Hollywood. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), Hemsworth starred as Thor in the 2011 film of the same name and reprised the role in several films, including in Thor: Love and Thunder (2022), which established him among the world's highest-paid actors.

Chris Hemsworth loves omelettes so much he eats three of them for breakfast according to Buisness Insider. Since he is an omelette loving Aussie, this week we are having an Aussie Omelette and there are many folks out there that are going to give this one a Thunderous Thumbs Up! It is a divine mixture of mushrooms, sweet bell pepper, onion, tomato, and SHRIMP sautéed in olive oil and seasoned just so with salt, pepper, curry, and fresh pressed garlic then all of these lovely, fragrant ingredients are folded into an omelette with melted cheddar cheese.

This week Small Café invites you to come and eat like a god…the the god of thunder, Thor!

$16.95

5/22/2024 - 5/26/2024

Mark Wahlberg

Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born in Boston Massachusettes June 5, 1971), formerly known by his stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor. His work as a leading man spans the comedy, drama, and action genres. He has received multiple accolades, including a BAFTA Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, nine Primetime Emmy Awards, and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. He gained notoriety as a member of the hip hop group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch in the 1990s, with whom he released the albums Music for the People (1991) and You Gotta Believe (1992). Wahlberg made his screen debut in Renaissance Man (1994) and had his first starring role in Fear (1996). He received critical praise for his performance as porn actor Dirk Diggler in Boogie Nights (1997).

According to YAHOO!life Mark Wahlberg’s first meal of the day consist of five eggs, a pork chop, wild smoked salmon, greek yogurt, berries and a green juice. Talk about getting in your protein and eating A LOT of food! We had to single out one of his food choices and now we are bringing it to you. Out of the long food list we went with…. the Pork Chop marinated in buttermilk, garlic and honey then dredged through our own mixture of Italian bread crumbs and fried until crispy, crunchy, and golden brown cradled on a house-made cheddar chive biscuit smeared with Chef’s dijonaise and served with a side of Apple Crumble, a step up from Wahlburgers’ apple crisp…. Psst! Our’s is better.

Wowza! That is a YUMMY meal and a dessert all on one plate!
Come get your Marky Mark on!!

$17.95

5/15/2024 - 5/19/2024

Napoleon I

Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French emperor and military commander who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led successful campaigns during the Revolutionary Wars. He was the leader of the French Republic as First Consul from 1799 to 1804, then of the French Empire as Emperor of the French from 1804 until 1814, and briefly again in 1815. His political and cultural legacy endures as a celebrated and controversial leader. He initiated many enduring reforms, but has been criticized for his authoritarian rule. He is considered one of the greatest military commanders in history and his wars and campaigns are still studied at military schools worldwide.

This recipe is a pretty fancy one with lots of meaty parts. It is said that Napoleon had this dish after he won the Battle of Marengo and his chef sent men throughout the town to rustle up whatever they could find and they came back with some chickens, eggs, crayfish, and crusty bread along with wild mushrooms, onions and garlic they foraged, and from these ingredients Chicken Marengo was born and it was Napoleon’s favorite dish. With this knowledge, Chef T went to work to create a beautiful concerto of this dish that has tender chicken sautéed in onions, butter and olive till brown then slowly finished off in a tomatoes, onions, and garlic sauce. Once plated, a little extra sauciness is added along with a poached egg, and tiny shrimp go right on top. Toast points are on the side for dipping.

Beautiful Recipe. Beautiful Presentation. Beautiful Tasting. And…a memorable, unique dish for your Beautiful Mom to eat like royalty for Mother’s Day.

$18.50

5/8/2024 - 5/12/2024

Jane Austen

Jane Austen 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment upon the British aristocracy at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage for the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic security. Her works are a critique of the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism Her clever use of social commentary, realism and biting irony have earned her acclaim among critics and scholars. The more famous anonymously published novels include Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1816), were a modest success but brought her little fame in her lifetime. Can we say high school English class?

Jane Austen’s favourite Cheese and Egg Toastie was one of the recipes published in Martha Lloyd’s “household book”, while she lived with the Austen family, giving an authentic flavour of the writer’s life. Our version starts out with La Farm’s signature sourdough bread that is buttered and topped with a creamy concoction of Massey Creek Farm eggs blended with white and yellow English cheddar cheese, of course, stone ground mustard and a pinch of dry mustard, salt and pepper then pressed in a toastie press until the bread is golden and crunchy and paired with a side of of Small’s signature smashed potatoes. This combination of tastes is absolutely pleasant, once you try it, you will completely understand this novelist’s affinity for the bold toastie she dearly loved eating.

“It is a truth universally acknowledged” that this toastie will make you dream about having another one, and you will be eating like the famous novelist, Jane Austen!

$14.95

5/1/2024 - 5/5/2024

Emma Watson

Emma Charlotte Duerre Watson (born 15 April 1990) is an English actress. Known for her roles in both blockbusters and independent films, she has received a selection of accolades, including a Young Artist Award and three MTV Movie Awards. Watson has been ranked among the world's highest-paid actresses by Forbes and Vanity Fair, and was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2015. As a child, she rose to stardom after landing her first professional acting role as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter film series, having previously acted only in school plays.

Emma Watson openly admits her passionate affection for Mexican food and one of her favorite things to eat for breakfast is a Breakfast Burrito. Having learned this, Chef T set out create a beautifully balanced breakfast burrito infused with some culinary magic with perfectly scrambled eggs, chorizo (can be made without for the veggies out there), fresh cut avocado, house made cucumber pico de gallo, sriracha seasoned pan fried potatoes all wrapped up in a flour tortilla and plated on a bed of creamy queso sauce and house made roja sauce.

All of this is, of course, cooked over Hermione’s magical fire from her spell known as “Bluebell Flames” which makes this dish even more special. So, not only can eat like a movie star, but also like a “Muggleborn”.

$15.95

4/24/2024-4/28/2024

Frank Sinatra

Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the most popular entertainers of the mid-20th century. Sinatra is among the world's best-selling music artists, with an estimated 150 million record sales globally.

Frank Sinatra’s favorite restaurant in NYC was an Italian place called Pasty’s where he could enter through a private doorway and have dinner in a private room that was always reserved for him. There he would enjoy one of his favorite meals, Stuffed Artichoke, which is filled with breadcrumbs browned in olive oil with a plethora of fragrant, flavorful herbs, a generous amount of finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese and baked till tender. Served with a side of red wine vinegar dipping sauce.

This dish is not only a delight to the palette and the sense of smell, but also to the eyes; it is beautiful and comes out looking like a lovely flower. Come in, and “get a kick out of” eating like a famous crooner!

$16.95

4/17/2024-4/21/2024

Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Miller Hemingway; July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961) was an American novelist, short-story writer and journalist. Best known for an economical, understated style that significantly influenced later 20th-century writers, he is often romanticized for his adventurous lifestyle, and outspoken and blunt public image. Most of Hemingway's works were published between the mid-1920s and mid-1950s. His writings have become classics of American literature; he was awarded the 1954 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Hemingway woke up at 5:30 am to write and enjoy his breakfast with a passel of six-toed felines also known as Hemingway Cats. His passion for food spilled over into his writing as he described the meals that his characters ate. His favorite breakfast was pretty fancy, distinguished, and only Small Café has it…a Truffle Omelette with Canadian Bacon which Chef T has recreated for all of our Small Café guests to enjoy. Three eggs whisked, infused with cream, black truffle, fine herbs, and tipped into a heated pan of butter and a spot of truffle oil, filled with Parmesan cheese, cooked so the egg is still soft in the center, plated and swirled with crème fraiche and garnished with fine herbs and fresh black truffle slices, served with 2 slices of Canadian bacon on the side.

After returning home from WWI and his first time seeing the world which inspired all of the “zest that feeds life”, Hemingway told his sister, Marcelline, "Don't be afraid to taste all the other things that aren't here in Oak Park. This life is all right, but there's a whole big world out there full of people who really feel things. They live and love and die with all their feelings. Taste everything, Sis."

$16.95

04/10/2024-04/14/2024

Simon & Garfunkel

Simon & Garfunkel were an American folk rock duo consisting of singer-songwriter Paul Simon and singer Art Garfunkel. One of the best-selling music acts of the 1960s, their most famous recordings include three US number ones: "The Sound of Silence" (1965) and the two Record of the Year Grammy winners "Mrs. Robinson" (1968) and "Bridge over Troubled Water" (1970).

Inspired by Roberta Ashley’s 1967 “Singers & Swingers in the Kitchen: The Scene Makers Cookbook Dozens of Nutty Turned On Easy-To-Prepare Recipes From The Grooviest Gourmets Happening” for informal get-togethers with their friends, Simon and Garfunkel adapted an old-time New York favorite, Potato Pancakes. These potato pancake triplets will amuse your taste buds and make your full belly sing their praises. Russet potatoes are oven baked and mixed with all of Chef T’s little secrets like cheddar cheese, sour cream and a few other little surprise ingredients and then pan-fried till they develop that crisp coating on the outside, then they are plated and served with a dollop of sour cream and chives.

Coo, coo, ca-choo, Mrs. Roberson (and Small Café connoisseurs), you will love these more than you know!!

$13.95

04/03/2024 – 04/07/2024

Coach Jimmy V

James Thomas Anthony Valvano (March 10, 1946 – April 28, 1993), nicknamed Jimmy V, was an American college basketball player, coach, and broadcaster.

Valvano had a successful coaching career with multiple schools, culminating at NC State. While the head coach at NC State, his team won the 1983 NCAA Division I men's basketball title against improbable odds. Valvano is remembered for his ecstatic celebration after winning the national championship game against the heavily favored Houston Cougars and for an inspirational, memorable speech delivered at the 1993 ESPY Awards while terminally ill with cancer. Valvano implored the audience to laugh, think, and cry each day.

Coach Jimmy V had so many favorite foods he wrote his own cookbook called Jim Valvano’s Guide to Great Eating, so for this week’s Famous Eats it’s…

Jimmy V’s BBQ Brisket baked in a low temp oven for 6 hours with lemon, onion and house made BBQ sauce, then sliced and stacked on a Kaiser bun and topped with mushrooms and red onions caramelized in butter, brown sugar, soy sauce and balsamic vinegar to create a sandwich gushing with flavor!!

$16.95

03/27/2024 – 03/31/2024

Tim Duncan

Timothy Theodore Duncan was born April 25, 1976 and raised on Saint Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Duncan initially aspired to be a competitive swimmer, but took up basketball at 14 after Hurricane Hugo destroyed the island's only Olympic-sized pool. He is an American former professional basketball player. He spent his entire 19-year career with the San Antonio Spurs in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed "the Big Fundamental", he is widely regarded as the greatest power forward of all time and one of the greatest players in NBA history, and was a central contributor to the franchise's success during the 2000s and 2010s. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020 and named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021.

We are appropriately celebrating Tim Duncan’s fame during March Madness and what better way than with a dish native to his hometown Caribbean Fish Fritters. These flaky white fish fritters are pan fried in a gluten free batter that is seasoned with onion, bell pepper, tomato, garlic, and various fresh herbs. It is served with Cou Cou (pronounced koo koo), a traditional side dish loved by the locals throughout the Caribbean, made with finely ground cornmeal, onions, garlic, fresh thyme and thinly sliced okra and a made-from-scratch Mango Pineapple Hot Sauce.

“Cheese on bread!” (aka WOW! In Caribbean speak) Come try something appetizingly different.

$15.95

03/20/2024 – 03/24/2024

COACH K

Michael William Krzyzewski (born February 13, 1947), nicknamed "Coach K", is an American former college basketball coach. He served as the head coach at Duke University from 1980 to 2022, during which he led the Blue Devils to five national titles, 13 Final Fours (the most of any coach in men's basketball), 15 ACC tournament championships, and 13 ACC regular season titles. Krzyzewski is widely regarded as one of the greatest college basketball coaches of all time.

According to wralSPORTSfan Coach K’s favorite meal is pasta paired with a nice glass of wine. Makes sense, he is a wine aficionado. So, for all of you pasta lovers we have prepared Coach K’s Breakfast Pasta which is pasta tossed a delicate blend of eggs, garlic sautéed in a splash of vino, parmesan, applewood smoked bacon (may be served with or without the bacon), freshly ground black pepper and served in a cast iron skillet with an oven baked garlic buttery bagel on the side. (Coach K also has a thing for bagels ;-)

AND…if you would like wine with this pasta, we have some lovely ones for you.

$14.95

03/13/2024 - 03/17/2024

Roy Williams

Roy Allen Williams (born August 1, 1950) is an American retired college basketball coach who served as the men's head coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels for 18 seasons and the Kansas Jayhawks for 15 seasons. He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.

It’s that time of year…March Madness! We are celebrating a local basketball icon’s favorite food Mimosa Fried Chicken with Sriracha Coleslaw on a BIG Gluten-Free Biscuit. The chicken is marinated in a plethora of spices blended into a orange juice base and then breaded with GF flour and fried to create a crunchy, crisp coating on the outside locking in all the juiciness of tender chicken on the inside, then it is placed on a BIG GF Biscuit that has been smeared with house made sweet potato butter and laden with our version of Sriracha Coleslaw.

This combo of sweet, savory, slightly spicy, crunchy and juicy is a SLAM DUNK of a meal!

$17.95

3/6/2024 – 3/10/2024

James Hewmings

James Hemings (1765–1801) was the first American to train as a chef in France.

Hemings, born into slavery, was selected by Jefferson to accompany him to Paris when he was appointed as Minister to France. There, Hemings was trained and worked in Paris for 5 years to be a French chef and even ran his own kitchen in French; independently, he took lessons to learn how to speak the French language. Hemings is credited with bringing many French cooking styles to colonial America and developing new recipes inspired by French cuisine. This includes crème brulée and meringues, but most famously, Hemings is credited with introducing macaroni and cheese to America.

Although, in this case, the food is more famous than the man, we thought it important to recognize this culinary genius. After all, what would America be without our beloved Macaroni and Cheese?

This is a historical recipe and the macaroni noodles are made from scratch with semolina flour right in our Small kitchen then they were gently simmered in milk and a little water to uptake that creamy texture, layered with a cheddar/parmesan cheese mix in individual cast iron pans, and baked in the oven until the cheese becomes velvety on the inside and has that bit of crunch on the top. Since it said that James Hemings’ kitchen in America was considered ½ French and ½ American, we have paired it with a side of Virginia ham just as he would have done.

This macaroni and cheese goes above and beyond your taste buds expectations. You’ll catch yourself savoring every morsel of this culinary delight especially when enjoyed with the savory flavors of the Virginia ham. (May be served with or without the ham according to your dietary needs)

$14.95

2/28/2024 – 4/3/2024

Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman (born Araminta Ross, c. March 1822 – March 10, 1913) was an American abolitionist and social activist.

Known as the “Moses of her people,” Harriet Tubman lived a storied life as a slave, then escapee turned liberator as a “conductor" on the Underground Railroad. Adding to her impressive list of accomplishments, Tubman was the first African American woman to serve in the Union Army during the Civil War as a nurse, spy and cook. A little known fact about Tubman is that in order to fund her freedom efforts, she was a professional cook. As the daughter of a cook, Tubman learned the skills that would help her keep countless mouths on The Underground Railroad fed. In her later years, Tubman was an activist in the movement for women's suffrage and provided the first housing for the elderly.

Harriet Tubman was known for her cornbread made with salt pork recipe, but according to FOODBEAST’s Favorite Foods of Famous Civil Rights Leaders, she also loved “Chicken, Wildberries, Hardtack Biscuits, Root Beer, Pie, and Gingerbread”.

This resulted in Chef T putting together a Small twist on some of her favorite foods to create the Pulled Root Beer Chicken Sandwich which is slow cooked for about 6 hours in house made Root Beer Barbeque Sauce to soak in the notes of sassafras, vanilla bean, and all of those other delightful flavors found in traditional root beer. Once the chicken is soft, juicy and easily falls apart, it is pulled and piled high on a Kaiser roll with made from scratch colorful coleslaw that has a gentle spiciness and all kinds of savories.

The result of the combination of the coleslaw and the root beer barbeque sauce equals pure culinary magic that you will not find any other place!

$15.95

2/21/2024-2/25/2024

Malcolm X

Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little, later el-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz; May 19, 1925 – February 21, 1965) was an American Muslim minister and human rights activist who was a prominent figure during the civil rights movement. A spokesman for the Nation of Islam (NOI) until 1964, he was a vocal advocate for Black empowerment and the promotion of Islam within the Black community.

Malcolm X once said, “I loved especially to grow peas. I was proud when we had them on our table.” Black-eyed peas are a soul food staple and to honor Malcolm X’s love of growing them when he was a kid, this week’s special is Hoppin John.

Although we are aware that Malcolm X did not eat pork after converting to the Muslim religion, Chef decided to stick with the more traditional version of this dish which does include pork, and, of course, a Small twist.

Small’s version of this savory mixture includes black-eyed peas slow cooked to perfection with sautéed onion, celery, green pepper, some fire-roasted tomatoes, and tender bits of bacon and ham morsels intermingled throughout. It is then lavished over a bed of fragrant saffron rice and finished with an egg style of your choice on top.

$12.95

2/14/2023 – 2/18/2023

Martin Luther King Jr.

Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Christian minister, activist, and political philosopher who was one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. A Black church leader and a son of early civil rights activist and minister Martin Luther King Sr., King advanced civil rights for people of color in the United States through the use of nonviolent resistance and nonviolent civil disobedience.

According to The Spruce Eats, Dr. King loved a few of the hallmark specialty recipes of the South with great reverence and grace. In no special order, he was known to enjoy, as frequently as possible, a generous serving of fried chicken, stewed greens, sweet potatoes, and for dessert, a slice or two of pecan pie.

After reading this, Chef T got busy creating the MLK Crispy Chicken Sandwich. The chicken is marinated in a yogurt and herbs with a few dashes of sriracha, breaded in a mix of flavorful herbs and breadcrumbs, dredged through a buttermilk egg mixture, breaded again and pan-fried until crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, then added to a buttery Kaiser roll with sautéed collard greens seasoned just right, finished with some swirls of house-made honey mustard and served with a side of kettle chips.

This sandwich has some of everything: some sweetness, some spiciness, and some crunchiness… its pure heavenly comfort in your mouth!!

$16.95

2/7/2024 - 2/11/2024

President George Washington

George Washington (February 22, 1732 – December 14, 1799) was one of the American Founding Fathers, military officer, politician and statesman who served as the first president of the United States from 1789 to 1797.

George Washington’s Morning Hoecakes (GF, DF, Ve, Vg) is a historical recipe with, of course, with a SMALL twist. According to GW’s niece, he loved this “temperate repast” of hoecakes, “swimming in butter and honey” along with hot tea. These crispy on the outside and soft on the inside cornmeal hoecakes are served in threes with your sweet choice of honey or maple syrup and Fairy Butter. Yes, Fairy Butter is also a historical recipe where the butter is infused with orange blossom water and it is quite lovely on the palette.

This one is for the History Books, folks! Come, eat like a Founding Father and a President!

$9.95

1/31/2024 – 2/4/2024

DIANA, PRINCESS OF WALES

Princess Diana or “Princess Di” (July 1st 1961 – August 31st 1997) Born Diana Frances Spencer she became a member of the British royal family as Prince Charles III first wife at the age of 20. She later had 2 sons, William and Harry. Her activism and glamour made her an international icon, and earned her enduring popularity worldwide.

Princess Di’s Eggs Suzette (GF, Veg.) The Small version is a twice baked potato, which is baked once, scooped out, and mashed with salt, pepper, butter, English cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chives; returned to its shell and then in the oven to crisp the potato skin and meld all of those delicious ingredients together. We serve it with a nest of spinach placed on top to nestle the egg, and then it all gets a lovely drizzling of our house made Hollandaise sauce, served with a side of bacon bits to top off, if you wish.

Now, that’s a Pip Pip Cheerio way to say “goodbye, hungry tummy”!

$13.95

1/24/2024 - 1/28/2024

BABE RUTH

George Herman “Babe” Ruth (February 6, 1895 – August 16, 1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. Nicknamed “the Great Bambino” and “the Sultan of Swat,” Babe Ruth said that for breakfast he had a pint of whiskey mixed with a pint of ginger ale in a pitcher of ice followed by a porterhouse steak, four fried eggs, fried potatoes, and a pot of coffee. Phew! That’s quite the heavy hitter’s breakfast!!

At Small Café, Chef T’s answer to recreating Babe Ruth’s favorite breakfast is The Great Bambino’s Steak and Potato Hash: A fine piece of 4oz NY Strip marinated in an Ayinger white beer-based blend of spices, red potatoes, sautéed tricolor peppers, onions, and 2 eggs, made your way, perched on top served with a side of Chef T’s own house-made steak sauce for dipping or drizzling. NOW, That’s a DINGER, Folks!!!

$19.50

1/17/2024 - 1/21/2024

TAYLOR SWIFT

Taylor Alison Swift, born December 13, 1989 is an American singer-songwriter. Her songwriting, artistry, and entrepreneurship have influenced the music industry and popular culture, and her life is a subject of widespread media coverage.

French Ham and Cheese Galette Complète: this dishy singer, Taylor swift, has quite the sophisticated pallet according to Bon Appetite.

The Galette is composed of delicately blackened Black Forest Ham, sliced paper thin and the intriguing sweetness and saltiness of Compte Cheese (a French semi-firm, unpasteurized, aged, milk cheese) nestled inside an earthy Buckwheat Crepe topped with a good smear of salted butter and your choice of our Massey Crek Farms egg style on top.

Fearless

$15.95

1/10/2024 – 1/14/2024