COLUMBIA, MD — When diners walk into Urban Plates, the new restaurant open at The Mall in Columbia, they can choose to get in one of three lines. The first is for salads, another is for sandwiches and the last — the one for which the eatery is known — is for plates.

A plate comes with a protein and two sides, designed to be a complete meal. The made-from-scratch eatery offers fresh, sustainable ingredients and dishes made to order in a "market-style" experience, meaning patrons walk down the line and order their food, selecting elements, sauces and sides as they go. Hand-carved meats and fresh vegetables are on display, prepared by chefs in front of diners.

Popular proteins are the Chimichurri steak, herb-marinated free range chicken and oven-baked salmon with honey mustard sauce. Favorite sides among diners are roasted Brussels sprouts with turkey bacon, Harissa corn, sesame broccolini and more. All food is made from scratch, including desserts.

Urban Plates describes the experience as "culinary theater," with lights shining behind chefs onto the food as they engage with guests, serving hand-tossed salads, hand-carved entrees, sandwiches and customized bowls. Based in San Diego, California, Urban Plates put a twist on some of its classic recipes for its new East Coast location. For example, its popular roasted potatoes are seasoned with Old Bay.



There are also local beers, wines and juice-based drinks such as the watermelon-pineapple replenisher, a blend of watermelon, lime, pineapple, mint and basil.

Urban Plates, also known as UP, aims to create a fast-casual atmosphere with food that rises to the level of fine dining. Patch sampled many of the menu items, and it succeeded in its mission.

See the menu for Urban Plates in Columbia plus gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options. Located in the space where Champps Restaurant used to be, the new eatery has totally made over the space at The Mall in Columbia.

