Shareable Appetizers to Try at Tartan: From Crab Cakes to Shrimp Cocktail and Beyond
There is a school of thought among seasoned diners that the true measure of any restaurant isn’t found in its entrées — it’s discovered in the very first thing that lands on your table. At Tartan, the appetizer menu reads like a confident declaration: we know exactly who we are. Whether you arrive hungry for something briny and cold or craving something golden and rich from the kitchen, Tartan’s starters make a compelling case for lingering over the front of the menu long after most tables have moved on.
The Stars of the Starter Menu
1. Chesapeake Crab Cakes — Signature
If there is a single dish that anchors Tartan’s reputation among regulars, it is almost certainly the crab cakes. These are not the breadcrumb-heavy, filler-padded versions that crowd lesser menus — they are dense, golden discs built around generous lumps of sweet blue crab, bound with just enough binder to hold the shape without smothering the flavor. The exterior crust achieves that elusive texture: crisp enough to shatter at the first pressure of a fork, giving way to a moist, herbaceous interior that carries the unmistakable sweetness of fresh-caught shellfish.
They arrive paired with a house-made remoulade that walks the line between tangy and smoky, with a mustard backbone and a whisper of Old Bay that anchors the whole plate in a proud Mid-Atlantic culinary tradition. The portion is generous — two substantial cakes — and the presentation is clean without feeling clinical. Shared between two, this is a perfect opening act. Ordered solo, it is a quiet act of self-indulgence that no one at the table will judge.
Best paired with: Crisp Chardonnay Texture profile: Crisp exterior, plush and moist center Portion size: Two cakes — ideal for two
2. Classic Shrimp Cocktail — Timeless
The shrimp cocktail is one of those rare dishes that seems almost too simple — and that simplicity is precisely the trap. Any kitchen can boil shrimp and serve it cold. Very few can make you feel like you’ve never had a shrimp cocktail before. Tartan achieves this by sourcing well — the shrimp are large, snappy, and sweetly oceanic — and by chilling them at the exact moment they pass from translucent to perfectly opaque, which is a considerably harder technical achievement than it sounds.
The cocktail sauce is assertive without being aggressive: bright tomato, genuine horseradish heat that blooms slowly rather than spiking immediately, and a squeeze of lemon that ties everything together. Each shrimp is draped over a rim of crushed ice with a lemon wedge that doubles as garnish and seasoning tool. It’s the kind of dish that signals to everyone else at the table that someone there knows exactly what they’re doing.
Best paired with: Dry Rosé or Sauvignon Blanc Heat level: Moderate — a building, slow warmth Serving style: Chilled elegantly over crushed ice
“At Tartan, the first course isn’t a waiting room for the entrée — it’s the moment the meal earns your full attention.”
3. Seasonal Seared Scallops with Pea Purée
A quieter triumph than the crowd-pleasers above, the seared scallops demonstrate what Tartan’s kitchen does when it decides to show off. Each scallop arrives with a mahogany sear on one face — the kind that requires an extremely hot, dry pan and the confidence not to move it — and rests on a vibrantly green pea purée that is simultaneously earthy and bright. The contrast of textures — the yielding tenderness of the scallop against the silky purée — is the kind of thing that makes you pause mid-bite and set your fork down for a moment.
A scattering of micro herbs, a thin drizzle of preserved lemon oil, and a few crispy shallots add enough complexity to reward close attention without overwhelming the delicate shellfish underneath. Order this when you want the table to lean in and actually talk about what they’re eating.
Best paired with: White Burgundy Flavor notes: Sweet, citrus-kissed, earthy Ideal for: Intimate dinners for two
4. Crispy Calamari with Aioli — A Crowd Favorite
Not every appetizer needs to be a revelation. Some just need to be very, very good at what they are. Tartan’s calamari is a masterclass in the unpretentious: rings and tentacles, lightly seasoned in a well-spiced flour dredge, fried quickly in clean oil until golden and airy, with barely a moment of grease to show for it. They land on the table crispy enough to stay that way through a full stretch of conversation — a minor miracle for anyone who has waited too long over limp calamari at a lesser establishment.
The accompanying aioli is bright with garlic and lifted with fresh lemon — the kind of sauce that makes you consider whether the calamari is simply a vehicle for more aioli. A sprinkle of fresh parsley and delicate slices of pepperoncini bring a mild kick of heat along with a vibrant pop of color. This is the dish you order for the table and everyone quietly thanks you for it.
Best paired with: Cold Lager or Pinot Grigio Texture profile: Light, airy, remarkably grease-free Portion size: Ideal for 3 to 4 to share
5. Charcuterie & Artisan Cheese Board — Chef’s Curated Selection
For tables that enjoy grazing while the night unfolds, the charcuterie and cheese board at Tartan is curated with genuine intentionality. The rotating selection typically features two or three cheeses — a sharp aged cheddar alongside something softer and bloomy — accompanied by thin-sliced cured meats, house-made pickles, whole-grain mustard, seasonal fruit, honeycomb, and a generous supply of crackers and sliced bread.
What distinguishes this board from the generic version found on menus everywhere is the calibration: nothing is too assertive, nothing is redundant, and every element has a pairing partner somewhere else on the plank. It rewards exploration. Work methodically, combine freely, and let the conversation stretch long enough to finish every last trace of honeycomb.
Best paired with: Cabernet, Port, or a robust Craft Beer Ideal for: Groups of four or more Note: The cheese selection rotates — ask your server what’s on that evening
How to Order Smarter at Tartan
Arrive five minutes early and use the time at the bar to scan the specials — Tartan often runs seasonal starters not listed on the main printed menu. For a table of four, the crab cakes and shrimp cocktail together cover all the oceanic ground you need; add the calamari if anyone at the table is still undecided. The seared scallops are best ordered as a standalone for two — they’re a conversation piece, not a background dish. If the table orders the charcuterie board, ask your server for extra mustard — the house portion is good, but more is always better. Above all, don’t rush. The starters here are worth the full experience. Slow down, share widely, and let the kitchen earn its keep before the mains even arrive.
Start Here. Stay a While.
Tartan’s appetizer menu isn’t a preamble — it’s a promise. Whether you come for the ritual comfort of shrimp cocktail, the confident craft behind those crab cakes, or something you’ve never tried before, the first course here deserves your full, unhurried attention. Order generously, share freely, and let the meal begin exactly the way it means to go on.
About Tartan of Redlands
Some restaurants open their doors and spend years chasing an identity. Tartan of Redlands walked through its doors on April 15, 1964, already knowing exactly what it was — and six decades later, it still does.
The restaurant was born from the shared vision of three brothers: Velmer, Al, and Art Ctoteau, who believed that good food didn’t need to be complicated and that great hospitality didn’t need to be formal. What it needed was consistency, warmth, and a genuine investment in the people who walked through the door. That founding philosophy — unpretentious, community-minded, and deeply committed to quality — took root in Redlands and never left.
Ownership has passed through trusted hands over the years, each steward adding their own chapter without erasing what came before. Larry Westin became part of the Tartan story alongside the Ctoteau family, helping to carry the restaurant’s values through a formative stretch of its history. Following his passing in 2003, his son, Larry Westin Jr., stepped forward. stepped into that role and guided the restaurant forward for more than a decade. In 2015, Jeff and Lisa Salamon became the latest keepers of the Tartan tradition — and by every measure, the legacy is in good hands.
