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Danny Palumbo's fake restaurant Abbrev's mocks pretentious foodie culture

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  • Abbrev's is the brainchild of Danny Palumbo, from Austin, Texas
  • While the restaurant itself is fake, Mr Palumbo spent weeks working on the website, which details the venue's 'contrived' menu choices

By Charlie Lankston For Dailymail.com

Published: 18:03 EST, 5 February 2015 | Updated: 18:24 EST, 5 February 2015

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A comedian has taken a hilarious stand against pompous foodies and the 'contrived' cuisine that is found at so many top restaurants by 'opening' a fake eatery which serves a select menu of minuscule portions which are small enough to fit on a knife blade.

Danny Palumbo, from Austin, Texas, and his brother Anthony came up with the concept for minimalist restaurant Abbrev's - which is short for abbreviated - after growing tired of seeing so many food critics singing the praises of a pretentious and over-the-top dish known as a 'deconstructed BLT'.

'It was pork belly, romaine lettuce and grilled heirloom tomato on a plate - separately,' Danny told ABC News. 'I was like, "Well, this is ridiculous and contrived" so we started talking about doing awful, pretentious things with food.'

Hope you're hungry! Abbrev's menu includes a number of minuscule meals, like this steak and potato dish which is served on the blade of a knife

Hope you're hungry! Abbrev's menu includes a number of minuscule meals, like this steak and potato dish which is served on the blade of a knife

For your eyes, only: Mostly Garnish is listed on the menu as being intended strictly for 'observation'

For your eyes, only: Mostly Garnish is listed on the menu as being intended strictly for 'observation'

Funny guy: Danny Palumbo founded the 'restaurant' alongside his brother Anthony

Funny guy: Danny Palumbo founded the 'restaurant' alongside his brother Anthony

Thus, the concept of Abbrev's - a restaurant specializing in serving up pretentious portions of ridiculous finger food - was born.

And while the restaurant itself is entirely fake, Danny invested a great deal of time and energy into its website, ensuring that it would appear to the uninitiated as an entirely legitimate eatery - so much so that it is rumored more than one food fan has actually tried to track down the non-existent venue in the hopes of enjoying one of its signature micro-meals.

The menu lists a selection of weird and wonderful signature dishes, including Mostly Garnish, which is clearly labeled as being for 'observation only', meat n mash, a bite size steak and potato dish served on the blade of a knife and f.g. tacs - tacos which are are prepared on a toothpick.

And if you're feeling to full to even think about taking on one of those dishes, never fear - Abbrev's also boasts an 'Even Less' section to its menu, which features dishes such as micro micro green salad, Tun N' Foie, which is so small it must be viewed under a magnifying glass, and charcüt, a selection of near-invisible cold meat cuts.

Tiny tacos: This Mexican-inspired dish is served on a toothpick

Carb overload: The restaurant also offers a petite ravioli and meatball dish

Carb overload: The restaurant also offers a petite ravioli and meatball dish

Only the best: While the portions may be small, the restaurant promises the quality of its ingredients cannot be outdone

Only the best: While the portions may be small, the restaurant promises the quality of its ingredients cannot be outdone

Danny insists that all of the ingredients used in the menu images are the real deal and admits he went to extraordinary lengths in order to achieve the highest level of authenticity.

'I made foie gras tacos,' he said. 'And maybe we could have used something that looked like foie, but I was like, "No it's gotta be foie". Commit to the idea.'

He added that he spent a total of $300 preparing the Abbrev's site, including paying for someone to draw on fake tattoos to his skin for his 'chef's' profile picture.

'Abbrev's is another one of our heavily financed concept restaurants,' the brothers explain on the website.

'At Abbrev's, we serve abbreviated versions of food. Each dish is less than a bite, not even a morsel.

'A minimal nourishment restaurant with a focus on leaving you still hungry - the hope is to create an entirely new dining experience where the "eater" is only somewhat satisfied but thoroughly intrigued.'

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