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.