While Armory Square offers a slew of upscale dining experiences for local and student communities, one of the biggest concerns when dining downtown is the high cost. At Small Plates, though, you will get a good deal without compromising the quality of food.

The first thing I noticed upon walking into the restaurant was the relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. The space, which used to house PJ’s Pub & Grill, has been renovated and now has a spacious, modern dining floor. With a graffiti-like mural hanging on a wall, metal seats and wooden tables, the restaurant looks like a cool spot to chill with friends for lunch or go out for drinks and, of course, small plates of cuisine.

The restaurant, which has one other location in Detroit, Mich., received its name from the small plates used to serve meals — very similar to tapas. Instead of one large meal, you order several dishes and share the appetizer-sized portions. For lunch, the service suggests three to four dishes for two people, each ranging in price from $6 to $13. You can order the dishes all at once, or while you eat, but they come out in no particular order. When the kitchen has it ready, that’s when it comes to your table.

We ordered the Baja style fish tacos as a starter. Hailing from the West Coast, I thought this restaurant had a lot to live up to. And they nailed it. Our seared marinated tilapia, with mango cucumber jalapeno salsa, cilantro and key lime sour cream tacos were served in a zigzag taco contraption. The sour cream, which was drizzled over the top, complimented the sweet salsa very well. With hefty portions of flaky fish, one taco was a perfect serving.

Next, came the lotus flower tuna. On top of the crispy, fried wonton, seared sesame crusted tuna was layered over a mango avocado salad with wasabi aioli and miso vinaigrette. Though a little hard to eat without making a mess, the flavors worked well together to create an intensified taste. The avocado was a little lost in the dish, yet was appreciated when found. The fresh sprouts sprinkled on top also added a fresh touch to the plate.

To complete the meal, our deconstructed Caesar salad was served last. Two wedges of Romaine lettuce were topped with herb-flavored croutons, shaved Parmesan cheese and a creamy Caesar dressing. A small portion of anchovies sat along the side. The portion was a decent size for two but would have been a tad small if sharing with more. As a typical salad, there was nothing that made this dish stand out — but it was delicious.

By the end of the meal, I felt full but was not about to enter a food coma.

Each dish was served with a lovely presentation, proving the restaurant’s attention to detail. I wanted to devour each portion before it was even set on the table.

But the superb service was what made the experience. Constantly checking up on us, our waiter was knowledgeable about the plates on the menu. His suggestions seemed genuine, and I appreciated his attentiveness. He even brought out another Diet Coke before I finished my first, predicting I would ask for another — which I probably would have. He never made us feel rushed, and busboys came around asking if we were OK every once in a while, too.

With only a few people in the restaurant during lunchtime, it was evident the restaurant has had a slow start. Yet business is picking up with a dinner waitlist on the weekends, according to the waiter. As word gets out and regulars keep coming back, I predict this place will be the up and coming place to dine in Armory. So head over there now before the waitlist gets too long.

Published on September 22, 2013 at 11:44 pm

Contact Nicole: nlfisher@syr.edu