| It's probably no surprise to most people these | | | | However, many of the same items that are |
| days that with some creativity, gourmet | | | | served from the cart can also be ordered if |
| appetizers can be a full meal whether served at a | | | | you're ordering an entree from the menu though |
| formal dinner party or at a restaurant. Some | | | | you may want to select fewer dim sum items in |
| regard gourmet appetizers as the highlight of a | | | | this case. |
| meal. Also, they're usually served in more informal | | | | Another very popular appetizer that is often |
| settings. Let's look at a couple of instances where | | | | eaten in lieu of a full meal is sushi. Like dim sum, |
| your palate and stomach might get as much | | | | pieces of sushi are another example of bite sized |
| satisfaction from appetizers than a full course | | | | morsels that can be eaten in many varieties |
| meal. | | | | rather than a full course meal. Sushi has been |
| One example, which has actually been very | | | | traditionally served in Japanese restaurants |
| popular in the United States for many years is | | | | although in recent years, sushi bars (i.e. that serve |
| dim sum at a Chinese restaurant. Dim sum is | | | | only sushi and beverages) have become very |
| basically just that - a gourmet appetizer. There is | | | | popular. The ingredients of these gourmet |
| a wide variety to select from. In lieu of ordering a | | | | appetizers include prawns and raw tuna wrapped |
| full meal, a server comes around with a pushcart | | | | around rice balls and then dipped in soy sauce and |
| containing a wide variety of appetizers that you | | | | horse radish to perk up the flavor of the morsel. |
| can select from. Typically, dim sum includes pork | | | | At a sushi bar, you can typically order sushi rolls |
| buns, pot stickers, egg rolls, and various types of | | | | that are sliced up into bite sized pieces and |
| dumplings that may include shrimp or pork. Some | | | | individual pieces for as much as you can eat (and |
| of these gourmet appetizers can be fried or | | | | afford to spend!). Tea is also the preferred |
| steamed. There is also the option of ordering rice | | | | beverage when eating sushi. As with dim sum, |
| to accompany the appetizers. It is common to | | | | you can order sushi as a gourmet appetizer |
| drink tea when eating dim sum. | | | | preceding a full course meal if eating in a Japanese |
| Generally, dim sum is eaten during lunch or brunch | | | | restaurant. |
| rather than eating a main course from a menu. | | | | |