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Photo by: Amy Mikler

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Sayonara, nuts and pretzels. With casual small plates a growing trend, chefs around the state are whipping up dishes perfect for eating at the bar, with the mixologist’s latest libation, of course.

• In Palm Beach, chef Clay Conley admits he loves to eat at the bar. So his new Buccan restau- rant (buccanpalmbeach.com) has a comfortable enough bar, with red walls and soft blue lighting, for guests to dine there as well. Friday night is jammin’ as sweetbread-mushroom spring rolls and hot dog paninis with sauerkraut, Gruyere cheese and chili are gobbled up by the bar crowd. Sip a Buccan tea cocktail — vodka, black tea, cranberry, basil and agave nectar — while you enjoy these plates.
• At Gigi (giginow.com) in Miami’s Midtown neighborhood, chef Jeff McInnis (a Top Chef contestant) serves his Asian-inspired buns, dumplings, noodles and barbecue small-plate-
  style at an industrial-looking bar where urbanites congregate. The snack menu includes crispy chicken skin served with an Asian romesco sauce for dipping, a perfect bar nibble to enjoy before delving into the tandoori chicken bun. The artisan sake Dewazakura, with a melon overtone, pairs nicely with the Asian flavors.
• Hell’s Kitchen survivor chef Paula DaSilva shows off her talent in the menu at 1500 Degrees (1500degreesmiami.com), a sophisticated steakhouse in Miami Beach’s Eden Roc Hotel. Nibble on shishito peppers with salt and lime at the half-moon bar, or try the pork belly tacos with house-made, kicked-up kimchi. Both go well with Cigar City Jai Alai, a Tampa-brewed India pale ale.
• The star item on the menu at the sexy piano lounge at Michael’s on East (michaelsoneast.com) in Sarasota is the Ajax truffle fries — a basket of can’t-resist hot, crisp potatoes tossed in truffle oil right out of the fryer, then dusted with a sprinkling of fine Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Eat them while nursing a Vesper, a vintage cocktail named for a James Bond love interest. It blends vodka, gin and Lillet French aperitif wine and is garnished with a thin lemon peel.

Poll Question: Do you like to eat at the bar? Tell us what you think by casting your vote!