Ask George: How important are appetizers in your dining preferences and how do they rank with desserts?

How important are appetizers in your dining preferences, and how do they rank with desserts?  —Dave L., St. Louis

I like this question because dining habits have changed over the past several decades, as have the format and content of restaurant menus. Many diners have strayed away from the three standards—appetizer, entrée, and dessert—preferring instead to share a series of small plates or larger shareables. Many younger diners are eager to “experience” different items, tastes, and textures, while many older diners continue their habits of eating less. I’m a hybrid of the two, tending to focus on what I call the “left side of the menu” and will split an entrée and maybe a dessert, if I end up ordering either. To me, appetizers are paramount. That’s the field where I graze. Several members of the dining team shared their opinions as well: 

Cheryl Baehr, SLM contributor: “Without a doubt, appetizers. I’m a savory kind of gal, but more importantly, the appetizer course represents the excitement for the meal that is about to happen. There’s a joy in the anticipation they embody, sort of like how Christmas Eve feels more special than Christmas Day. In that spirit, I’d take them over the main course, too.”

Lynn Venhaus, SLM contributor: “One of the most enjoyable aspects of dining with friends and family is sharing food and sampling dishes, and appetizers are a big part of that experience. Can’t decide on just one from a tempting list? Let’s split it! What are shishito peppers? Have you ever had bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with goat cheese? Fig jam on a flatbread? An appetizer can make the meal or be the meal, but it’s also often a prelude to an overall memorable evening. It’s fun to figure out who is getting what tapas to share and if someone says, “That one’s just for me.” It’s not only the conversation starter, but the ‘thing’ that diners recall most fondly from their order. It might be ingrained in us St. Louisans, even if it’s casual—that you order the ultimate sharable, toasted ravioli. But the eagerness to nibble on something new or taste a bite of a signature item is appealing. How many times have you heard, “They have the best….”? I think a restaurant’s appetizer list says a lot about how they want to present themselves in the culinary world. It’s a chance for a chef to show off range and flair with flavors. Often, a description of a ‘house-made’ sauce or condiment seals the deal. And I don’t care if it’s the reason I bring most of my entrée home. Unless they have an absolute killer homemade signature dessert, I don’t even glance at the sweets menu. But if the dessert tray presentation is five stars, then can I get it to go?”

Collin Preciado, SLM contributor: “As someone who rarely finishes an entrée, I try to avoid the appetizers. It usually increases the amount of food I waste and can add to a wince-inducing bill. Worse, it cuts into the buzz of my pre-meal pint. That doesn’t mean I can’t be tempted, though. If a place is bold enough to make their own toasted ravioli, then I have to see what they’re bringing to the table. The same goes for chicken wings with a unique house-made sauce. Any creative spin on a traditional favorite will be given some consideration, but if I’m looking at a list of generic items that you can get anywhere, that pre-dinner drink has me all to itself.”

Bill Burge, SLM contributor: “I’d skip dessert over appetizers, but I’d skip entrées over dessert. Assuming we’re talking about a nicer spot and appetizers lean ‘starters,’ I tend not to even order an entrée—or order one to share. I find the most interesting stuff to be the small plates, because people are more likely to take a chance on something of lower cost or some ingredient is so expensive, the only way to lure someone in is the small-portion price.”

Dave Lowry, SLM dining critic: “In general, I find appetizers to be the opening acts of dinner—and when’s the last time you raved about an opening act? When I go to see Bimbo Toolshed, do I really want to sit through Kerrigan’s Knees? Sure, the latter might have a few nice tunes, but my appetite’s already whetted for the former. I don’t go to eat unless I’m hungry, and I really don’t want to be given a taste and then have to wait for the literal main course. So I’d go for the dessert.”

Holly Fann, SLM contributor: “Reading a chef’s menu is like reading their diary. It tells the story of their history and influences. It reflects both their greatest strengths and can reveal the areas they feel less confident. Because of this, many believe that the menu they have placed in front of them is a direct and unadulterated reflection of the chef’s creative expression. It is not. A menu, more than anything, reflects a chef’s business acumen and their ability to retain autonomy and to tell their story while, hopefully, turning a profit and running an operation that allows their employees to thrive. Writing a menu is a lesson in restraint, compromise and adaptability. Starters, apps, small plates – this is the area where a chef has the most freedom of expression and it often is the portion of the menu with the most diverse and numerous offerings. For those reasons, apps will win out over dessert. However, If the restaurant has a pastry chef – a chef dedicated just to desserts who has their own voice, not simply a garde manger cook given the added responsibility of making sorbets, I want to taste the desserts that pastry chef has conceived and crafted. But holy rolling meatballs, I hope I never live to see a world in which I must make this choice. One non-negotiable: A digestif is the only way to end a good (or not so good) meal.”

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