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Food is a very visual experience, from admiring a frothy pink cocktail to ogling a perfectly rolled piece of sushi. That’s why restaurants are dipping their toes into the Pinterest waters. Hot social media properties have come and gone, but few have made any headway against the 800-pound gorillas of Facebook and Twitter.

An appetizer is supposed to whet the appetite for the rest of the meal, but these days, these first courses are serving as much more than “starters.” Restaurant customers are making whole meals out of downsized dishes, and many menus are dedicated entirely to tapas, small plates and shareable apps.

MexiCali Burrito Co., a, family-owned taqueria in Kendall Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts, was already well into catering when it signed up with Boston start-up Phoodeez (pronounced food-ies) to boost its corporate reach.