In a world of Flexpoints and carb counting, small plates are your friend. You like to think of them as a built-in control valve for your dining experience.

Of course, they can be deceptive. One or two are harmless enough. But before you know it, you've consumed eleven.

At Meson G, a new restaurant on Melrose, you can attempt to eat petite, but these small plates are as addictive as Ruffles (you know the line). Brought to you by husband and wife Tim and Liza Goodell (of the O.C.'s Aubergine, Troquet, Red Pearl Kitchen), Meson G makes the word tapas seem trite: When there's braised short ribs with brown-butter mashed potatoes or seared foie gras with quince-lime purée, who needs cheese? (Though there's lots of that, too.)

Housed in the former digs of Alex and Citrus, the spot's new incarnation is sure to gather foodies and fun seekers with its open kitchen and brown-and-Hermès-orange mod look. The cocktail lounge alone — with Barcelona chairs and a candle-glow wall — is worth the stop by, not to mention the great list of wines by the glass or the opportunity to taste from the full menu.

Though once you've indulged the full menu, you've lost the benefit of the whole small-plates thing.

Aw, screw it. Some goals were made to be broken.

Meson G, 6703 Melrose Avenue, at Citrus Avenue (323-525-1415).