Small plates

[chorosch]

Not a new concept, but one that seems to be fashionable these days. I've always been ambivalent about this type of dining. On one hand, you get to try a lot of different things. On the other, I tend to always leave a bit hungry, since (in New York at least,) each item tends to be a little more expensive than I would like, and not wanting to order $40 worth of food, I never quite get enough.

One of the best meals I ever had was at a tapas bar in Barcelona. There was no ordering, just rounds of small plates sent out by the chefs. Since we were obviously foreigners, they started us off easy, but once they realized we were willing to try anything, they got more aggressive. It was a truly memorable meal, full of foods I had never tried before, and not super expensive either. Really fun, especially in a group.

So - is there anywhere in NYC that offers a satisfying menu of small plates? I'm not expecting to replicate the Barcelona experience, but I've been routinely disappointed by the places I've tried, especially recently. What are your feelings about this kind of eating? I feel like too often the options are mini-entrees, and priced accordingly.