Start It Right

Dear Restauranteurs,

Whither the starter salad?  Maybe it's a New England thing, but I'm having a problem finding a decently priced, properly portioned appetizer-sized salad when I go out to eat.  It's driving me crazy--I'm tired of spending a ton of extra dough just to get some veg in my meal!

This last Saturday was about the worst.  The Boy and I were in Portland--I went for roller derby, he came along, and it just so happened, we were able to meet up with a college friend of his, which was really nice.  She took us to a good local establishment with a nice beer menu.  The food menu also wasn't bad--bar food, with a bunch of salad options.

 I wanted fish & chips for an entree.  I know, I know--not the healthiest of choices, so why I'm complaining about salad may be a shock, but still.  I wanted a little bit of salad at the beginning of my meal.  No starter salads on the menu, so I ordered a house salad.  Cost me something like $6.99--and the Boy got one too.  On top of an entree.  And to top it off, the salad was huge--I really could've done with 1/3 to 1/2 of it (though the salad alone probably gave me my 5 servings of veg for the day, which was the only good part), but I didn't have the option.

Should I have asked if they could do a half-salad for half-price?  I'm not one to order off the menu.  I don't like to make life difficult for the staff, especially when the place is full.

Still, I've found it difficult to find a small salad on a menu.  I'm not talking the "substitute your fries for a salad" option.  I'm talking about 1 cup of greens, with maybe some carrots, a little red onion, and a cucumber slice---and those last two ingredients are icing on the cake.  Dressing on the side (and about half of what you'd typically give for a regular salad).  Charge me $3.25-$3.50.  It's not a huge portion, but it's one that helps me get a little bit of vegetables in with my menu.

If you're worried about food spoiling, start upselling.  Make it an attractive deal, creatively mention it when people order, and they may want to start with it.  What could it hurt?  Not my waistline, that's for sure.

Your pal,
Jill