Your favourite starter?

NickK · 25 May 2011 at 20:33

My favourite starter is Balsamic Vinegar & Olive Oil with Freshly cooked rustic bread.

However this is much abused by restaurants unfortunately - crappy Balsamic Vinegar and even watered down with malt vinegar too!

I had a bottle of balsamic ages ago, that really blew me away. Unfortunately thanks to an accident and penny saving recently, the manufacturer was lost in time - every bottle since then tasted pale, tasted malted vinegar and coarse.

Until now..

Fattorie Giacobazzi Aged Balsamic Vinegar of Modena.
(Aceto Balsamico de Modena IGP)
Thanks to it's maturation in wooden casks, it is complex with a really smooth sweet and sour taste. (no malt vinegar taste at all!)

Only down side.. 250ml will set you back £15.

I'm off to get another slice of bread from the still hot freshly cooked loaf

oli collett · 25 May 2011 at 20:34

I do hope you don't mean with the balsamic vinegar together with the olive oil!

And that's not a starter, that's a snack before the starter!

NickK · 25 May 2011 at 20:40

oli collett said:
I do hope you don't mean with the balsamic vinegar together with the olive oil!

And that's not a starter, that's a snack before the starter!

"I'm the customer.. and just keep bringing the bread out!"

This is good enough not to require olive oil but having a second dip of oil just adds something to it (and not having the oil floating on top!).

I know.. but to me this is as good as the italian octopus with lemon I had in Rome for a starter.

Cosimo · 25 May 2011 at 20:47

oli collett said:
I do hope you don't mean with the balsamic vinegar together with the olive oil!

And that's not a starter, that's a snack before the starter!

A snack to have at home and not in a restaurant.

Randomface74 · 25 May 2011 at 20:53

I always get the soup

Muban · 25 May 2011 at 20:59

Chicken and venison parfait with oatcakes and sweet onion.

J1234 · 25 May 2011 at 21:04

What an odd question. I couldn't possibly choose one favourite starter. It entirely depends on what I feel like, what I'm drinking and what cuisine it is.

NickK · 25 May 2011 at 21:16

Justin said:
What an odd question. I couldn't possibly choose one favourite starter. It entirely depends on what I feel like, what I'm drinking and what cuisine it is.

Surely you must have one that stood out in your mind?

Raymond Lin · 25 May 2011 at 21:20

oli collett said:
I do hope you don't mean with the balsamic vinegar together with the olive oil!

And that's not a starter, that's a snack before the starter!

The man's got a point. A good restaurant will bring you these pretty much after you order and before your starter arrives.

I even even to one where I had some lovely tomatoe soup with bread before the starter came! It turn into a 5 course meal if you count the coffee after the dessert.

oli collett · 25 May 2011 at 21:30

Raymond Lin said:
The man's got a point. A good restaurant will bring you these pretty much after you order and before your starter arrives.

I even even to one where I had some lovely tomatoe soup with bread before the starter came! It turn into a 5 course meal if you count the coffee after the dessert.

At Noma you get half a dozen or so different snacks, brought out by each chef who invented it one by one, before they bring the first course and bread

Really, everyone must go there!

NickK · 25 May 2011 at 21:49

oli collett said:
At Noma you get half a dozen or so different snacks, brought out by each chef who invented it one by one, before they bring the first course and bread

Really, everyone must go there!

In Turkey they always provided bread, cucumber & tomato to freshen you up without charge.

In Dublin, the local account team too me to a Michelin starred restaurant - each course had a small 'creation' about this size of a shot glass between them.

Xelene · 26 May 2011 at 17:29

Something rich, chicken livers perhaps.

Jegethy · 26 May 2011 at 20:52

I like something simple for a starter. Garlic Breaded Mushrooms with a sour cream dip is probably my favourite, mainly due to my love of garlic.

mangobreeder · 26 May 2011 at 21:13

dont get me started on Olives at restaurants, talk about a rip off

-BA- · 26 May 2011 at 22:36

Love garlic mushrooms, shellfish, crispy calamari, a nice zingy salad and, like the OP, you can't beat fresh crusty bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Jingo... · 26 May 2011 at 23:19

I love starters to share- simple platters of italian meats, mixed dressed leaves, cheeses, nibbles - little tastes of all sorts to share between two or more! Good social eating

Glaucus · 27 May 2011 at 00:03

Justin said:
What an odd question. I couldn't possibly choose one favourite starter. It entirely depends on what I feel like, what I'm drinking and what cuisine it is.

This.
How can you pick..

So many tasty and vastly different things.

Tummy · 27 May 2011 at 00:40

Justin said:
What an odd question. I couldn't possibly choose one favourite starter. It entirely depends on what I feel like, what I'm drinking and what cuisine it is.

Azza · 27 May 2011 at 01:12

Soup of the day.

Disco Boy · 27 May 2011 at 07:16

It depends what the restaurant is, at French or British I like something rich like game or pate usually.

I don't understand why people order soups at restaurants. Soups are really filling and can never be exceptional, they are a winter warmer, not restaurant cuisine.