Small Plates Restaurant — Restaurant in Viti Levu

Looking for a taste of what the locals eat, we left our resort to try Small Plates. It’s an atmospheric cottage set close to a busy intersection in the nightclub strip in Nadi. Tables are spread around the front garden under bright red lanterns and festoon lighting. The menu is broadly Cantonese with a few European offerings that we discovered more-or-less by accident, like the walu steak finished in chilli butter sauce (FJ$22). In this dish, two pieces of Spanish mackerel are battered and deep-fried and served with coleslaw under a very loosely spicy orange sauce.

The restaurant name indicates the plate size, with dish prices according low. Chasers, which loosely translate to bar snacks, give you a small serve of the dish designed to be eaten with a drink. Lamb chaser (FJ$16) was so tender it reminded me of Mongolian lamb, though it had very little chilli heat and a distinct taste of tomato sauce. Chilli braised eggplant (FJ$12) put the local produce to good use, with soft hunks of skinless eggplant in another very loosely spicy sauce. Lemon chicken (FJ$17) was quite different to the Aussie-Chinese dish, the chicken arriving unbattered as a lemon-accented stir-fry with crisp carrot, onions and juicy zucchini. A combination fried rice (FJ$17) was well-handled. Service was warm and friendly, BYO was allowed, but the flavours disappointed on promised chilli and the zing I was looking for after weeks of...

Small Plates is a hidden gem among the hustle and bustle of Martintar.

The food is incredible - it strikes that balance of tasting like home cooked/comfort food and pure deliciousness. Each flavour complements the other so well, all perfectly cooked (try the salt and pepper eggplant, it literally melts in your mouth). Prices are very reasonable too for the quantity and quality of food.

My favourite part though was the atmosphere and vibes. Just wow… the garden and bungalow setting is amazing. The lighting is intimate. The tunes slap. Time slows down in this garden paradise. It’s the cherry on top of a wonderful experience.

The staff are so friendly and warm. You can tell it’s genuine Fijian kindness and hospitality from them. Big ups / vinaka to the owner and staff, for cultivating a gem of a restaurant. Can’t...

We had dinner the night before we left Nadi. Found it on the list of restaurants in Nadi and chose it because it had most stars. It was early on Sunday night. We reserved a table but it wasn't full.The waiter was very friendly. The service was great and the food was delicious. Best Chinese food we had in Fiji and we'd been to three Chinese restaurants. Thankfully everything was not deep fried with a sauce added. The price was very reasonable and my favourite was the won ton soup and the chicken with shitake mushrooms and the chilli eggplant. Not too hot. Yum! Definitely go there again.Opposite Capricorn Hotel next to A seafood Chinese restaurant amongst trees. Needs better signage. Nice...