Appetizers: Chowdown Showdown

This week, our focus is on those delicious pre-dinner snacks responsible for leaving you with a stomach full of remorse by the time the entrée comes around. Based on Facebook suggestions from readers, we pitted the following three hors d'oeuvres against each other in a battle for culinary supremacy.

: Eggplant Marinara (Homewood)

This appetizer was absolutely fantastic. Coating food in marinara sauce can often be risky for a variety of reasons, but Balagio’s did it right. It worked excellently with the breaded eggplant and ricotta cheese. The well-seasoned ricotta added a lot to the flavor profile — there was no blandness to it. What really impressed me, however, was the wonderfully firm and chewy texture of the breaded eggplant. It was very good overall.

: Oysters Rockefeller (Chicago Heights)

It’s hard to go wrong with what is essentially really fancy spinach dip. That said, Carlo’s takes this above and beyond. There’s not much to it: oyster, spinach in a cream sauce and bacon. The result is salty, savory decadence with a surprisingly agreeable texture. I would wager that, even if you didn’t want anything to do with oysters, this would change your mind.

: BBQ Beef Quesadillas (Homewood)

These quesadillas were loaded with pulled barbecue beef, jalapeños, mozzarella cheese and onions. The barbecue flavor was intense — it’s sweetness amplified with spicy highlights of jalapeño. The red onions complimented the sweet and spicy flavor well. While I was initially apprehensive about pairing mozzarella with barbecue, the combination worked well in a surprising way.

The Winner: Carlo’s Oysters Rockefeller

I was pleased with everything I ate, but I was really pleased with Carlo’s. When I look back on all the contenders, Carlo’s is easily the most memorable (and that’s not just because it was served on an oyster half-shell). Honorable mention goes to Balagio for redefining what I look for and appreciate in similar eggplant dishes. If you’re planning on making an entrée of your appetizer, Grady’s definitely gets you the most bang for your buck.

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• For establishments in Chicago Heights and Olympia Fields
• For establishments in Homewood and Flossmoor