Bread Served in Restaurants

[claire797]

Didnt have time to read all the posts but saw one that said they hate it when bread isnt served immediately.

At cooking school we are learning not to serve bread before people order, as it hinders the appetite.

Really has nothing to do with warm or cold bread but addresses the other issue of it not always being served right as you sit down.

Great! Now they're saying that I can't control myself with the bread basket?

Okay. So maybe I don't get it the minute I sit down. That's fine with me. However, it should come before the meal. Preferably, with the salad course.

[tommy]

Okay.  So maybe I don't get it the minute I sit down.  That's fine with me.  However, it should come before the meal.  Preferably, with the salad course.

what salad course!?!?!

this, i think, is one of the reasons that there aren't any hard in fast rules about when/how/if bread should be served.

i'm still standing by one of my initial points which remains: why serve bread at all???? give me an amuse, get me a glass of sparkling wine, and i've get the perfect start to a meal.

[Jinmyo]

I tend towards salads, soups, and bread at the end of a meal.

[claire797]

I tend towards salads, soups, and bread at the end of a meal.

I tend towards desserts, coffee, and the check at the end of a meal.

[Fat Guy]

Why serve bread at all? Because bread is good!

I'd say don't serve bread if it isn't going to be good. If it's good, serve it.

[macrosan]

What were you drinking when you read it?         

It was something called a Flaming Orange Gully .... with extra Glenlivet and Slivivitz. Was that a mistake ?

[jciel]

KarenS was onto something, but failed to mention the most obvious of reasons for serving room temperature bread. Economics. Bread, while inexpensive, is nevertheless money. If I serve warm bread, you, as the patron will eat to your hearts content, and find yourself unable to eat that Osso Bucco I spent all day preparing, and instead may opt for the micro-green salad. Cold bread lingers in the stomach, giving the illusion that one has eaten more than one has;consequently, I sell you on the soup, salad, entree, and dessert. Oh yea, and a double Drambuie to boot. Seriously, it is all about what patrons will order, and from my experience, room temperature bread translates into sales; warm bread translates into parking violations. Just my $0.02 and I really,really like warm bread at home!

[Jinmyo]

I tend towards salads, soups, and bread at the end of a meal.

I tend towards desserts, coffee, and the check at the end of a meal.

Yes, but I don't do desserts. Don't serve them. Don't eat them. And I like to present lighter dishes near the end of a meal with bread (usually as crostini) to accompany cheeses.

[yvonne johnson]

...I'm surprised how little support we're seeing here for warm bread and in particular warm rolls. I'm sorry people, but warm rolls almost always taste better. Is anybody actually denying this?

The best dnner rolls are Balthazar's, I think. Very crispy on outside, and chewy, but not too much, on inside, maybe a trace of sourdough. No way would I want them warm.

Focaccia, unless hyper fresh, is better warm.  

[tommy]

Why serve bread at all? Because bread is good!

but lots of foodstuffs are good. i don't expect them all at the beginning of my meal. or the end for that matter. again, it's probably a separate thread, but i'm just questioning why the free and tasty bread is still served at the beginning of meals, cold or warm.

[gknl]

What were you drinking when you read it?        

It was something called a Flaming Orange Gully .... with extra Glenlivet and Slivivitz. Was that a mistake ?

No way! You had more fun than I did.