Plate by Dzintra

Dzintra, who was a finalist for "The Next Food Network Star" reality show, and her family moved back to the United States nearly five years ago and chose Austin to be their home.

"We had all the country to choose from. We didn't want to go to any big cities like New York, Chicago or San Francisco because food had already been done there. Everything that is new is out there," Dzintra said. "I saw [this area], and it looked like the south of France with the rolling hills. It was beautiful."

Dzintra opened Plate nearly two years ago, but originally as a culinary center offering cooking classes and private events adding dinner service in 2011.

"When we moved here I didn't know anyone, and if you want to be in the food culture you have to get to know your community," Dzintra said. "If you've been on a reality show you can do pretty much anything."

Dzintra opened Plate to showcase the European style of dining to Austin, a more laid-back, no-rush dining experience, she said.

"We are a little bit quirky and eclectic, like most of Austin," Dzintra said. "It's not like your typical place; it's kind of like a little boutique restaurant."

The quirky feel is what sets the restaurant apart, Dzintra said. With a self-described "Cheers" feel, where customers come in multiple times a week and everyone knows everyone else, the restaurant is like a family, she said.

Currently the menu at Plate changes every week, but may change to monthly because of the challenges a weekly menu presents, Dzintra said.

"When you start to get a lot of turnover [with food] and [an increased] volume [of customers] it gets ridiculous," Dzintra said. "Now we are trying to narrow it in. I think [we will change the menu] monthly. The idea is not to get anyone bored—the customers and us included—so we don't have to cook the same thing every time."

It is the size of the restaurant that allows Dzintra the flexibility to hear suggestions from customers and even take requests for menu items, she said.

"We had reservations from a couple the other night [who] wanted a specific dish, so we were able to put it on [the menu]," said Allen Eudy, general manager of Plate and Dzintra's husband.

The restaurant prides itself on being small enough to adapt to its environment and doesn't see that changing.

"We may open another Plate with a different kind of look to it," Dzintra said.

A second location could serve as the main restaurant while keeping the current restaurant as more of a culinary center, Eudy said. Regardless, Dzintra plans on keeping things small.

"That's part of our charm," she said.

Plate by Dzintra only uses fresh, unprocessed ingredients with everything made from scratch. The restaurant strives to purchase as much local food as possible, but flies in fresh fish from Hawaii.

Appetizer

New England Lobster Slider — Savory lobster tail meat is sauteed in a lemon beurre blank, served with a dash of pesto aioli and fresh, sliced tomato on lightly grilled slider buns. $13

Main course

New York Strip Oscar — Prime New York strip is pan roasted with sea salt and pepper, topped with sweet deep sea Hawaiian crab and hollandaise, and served with lightly sauteed baby asparagus. $31

Dessert

Peachy Banana Bread Pudding — Decadent and moist bread pudding is topped with buttery almond streusel and finished with a drizzle of Meyers rum creme anglaise. $8

Plate by Dzintra

12717 Shops Parkway, Ste. 100, Austin, 358-4776, www.platebydzintra.com, @platebydzintra