It happens all the time: We go to a nice restaurant and begin our meal with an appetizer that is simply amazing.
And then the rest of the meal fails to live up to it.
Maybe chefs try harder with appetizers. Maybe appetizers are where restaurants feel free to experiment with new ideas. Maybe restaurants concentrate on appetizers because they bring in more profit, relative to cost, than entrées.
Or maybe appetizers just catch us diners unaware. They are usually the first thing we eat at a restaurant, so we are impressed by how good they are. While the other dishes may be just as well-crafted, they don’t hit us with that same element of surprise.
Personally, I think appetizers are just better than entrées. It’s a simple, irrefutable fact, like breakfast is better than dinner.
To test my theory, I made five appetizers that span the spectrum from hors d’oeuvre to first course. And I was right. They are better than entrées.
The first one actually could be served in larger portions as a main course, but the restaurant where I first encountered it — the legendary The Frog and the Redneck in Richmond, Virginia — made it an appetizer. It’s all a matter of perspective.
