Family-style dinners -- with or without the family

Elaine Paoloni | epaoloni@am-ny.com

2:24 PM EST, January 9, 2008

Eating out with the family -- or a bunch of friends: La Mela, in Little Italy; Sylvia's, in Harlem

While you might want to take a break from your family after the holidays, family-style dining can still be lots of fun. Whether it's big bowls of pasta to pass around, appetizer-like dishes to share or endless salad bar selections to choose from, restaurants that cater to serving groups help keep up the convivial feel of the night. So grab some friends -- or family, if you dare -- and dig in at one of these places:

Sylvia's Fill up your table with three entrees, such as the house specialty barbecue ribs, Southern fried chicken or country fried fish, and three sides -- don't miss the collard greens and turnips seasoned with smoked turkey. When it comes to dessert, good luck choosing just one of three -- sweet potato pie, peach cobbler or banana pudding; you'll want them all. Soda, iced tea, lemonade, and coffee or tea are also included. (328 Lenox Ave.; 212-996-0660; Parties of 10 or more, $29.13 per person; kids 10 and under, $19.18 each)

La Mela With a motto like "sit down, eat and shut up," you'll really feel like you're among family. Get beyond the loud kitsch and Little Italy tourists; there's a tasty family-style menu waiting, which includes mozzarella and tomatoes, mixed hot antipasti, mixed pasta, mixed meats/seafood and a variety of desserts. On Friday and Saturday nights, the menu is served until 3 a.m. (167 Mulberry St.; 212-431-9493; $34 per person without drinks; $68.44 per person with soda, wine and beer)

Uncle Nick's Greek meze lend themselves to family dining, so start with a round of cold or hot appetizers to share, or a combination of both with the inopikilia, which includes octopus, sausage, meatballs, dips, pita bread, olives, feta cheese, peppers, tomatoes and cucumbers. Then move onto oversized, charcoal-grilled kebabs that are easy to divvy up, or some traditional favorites such as moussaka and pastitsio. You won't walk away hungry. (747 Ninth Ave.; 212-245-7992; Appetizers, $4.95-$17.95; entrees, $12.95-$24)

Churrascaria Plataforma Visit the sprawling salad bar at this typical Brazilian churrascaria for a first course of assorted vegetables, meats, cheeses and soups. Then return to your table where waiters stop by with large skewers of meat and fish and carve cuts right onto your plate till your heart's content. Sides such as mashed potatoes, rice, beans, polenta, plantains, farofa (cassava meal) and pão de queijo (cheesy bread puffs) are delivered family-style to your table to round out the meal -- and your stomach. (316 W. 49th St.; 212-245-0505; $54.95 per person; kids 6-10, $19.95 each; kids 5 and under, FREE)

Ruby Foo's Ruby Foo's sampler and oversized dishes are great for sharing. The dim sum sampler includes two shrimp dumplings, two vegetable dumplings, two green curry pork dumplings and two sweet-and-sour chicken pot stickers. The roll assortment offers a crunchy Florida roll, a filet mignon Dynamite roll, a miso-glazed Chilean sea bass roll and a smoked, spicy salmon lollipop. For a more intimate dinner, try the roasted Peking duck for two. To make the sharing easier, request a table with a Lazy Susan at the Times Square location. (1626 Broadway, 212-489-5600; 2182 Broadway, 212-724-6700; Platters and main plates, $16-$42)

Ilili This Mediterranean newcomer with a heavy Lebanese influence invites diners to enjoy a communal dining experience. A mix of meze is available through sharing menus (petite and vegetarian varieties) that serve three to five people. There's also the meze royale, offering one of each of the Lebanese meze on the menu, which serves five to seven people. Larger plates from the grill are also available, including an indulgent $56 Wagyu beef kebab. (236 Fifth Ave.; 212-683-2929; Meze, $8-$20; entrees, $14-$56)