Why Do Vegetables at Restaurants Taste So Good?

Have you ever wondered why you LOVE the Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, or fennel at restaurants but can barely gag these veggies down at home?

The answer to this wonder can be summed up in just 2 words: Bacon Fat.

It’s true.  Many restaurants roast or pan-fry their vegetable side dishes in bacon, butter, or other animal fat – or a mixture of these.  Why?  Because it makes veggies taste richer, more flavorful, and saltier than they would if you cooked them at home, which encourages you and other customers to keep coming back for more.

Is it really that simple?  Yes.  Chefs are not magicians.  They just use whatever they must to make their dishes taste good to most palates – i.e. lots of butter, oil, and salt (much more than you would feel comfortable cooking with at home).

Why am I telling you this? 

To remind you that…

1.  Eating out should be an occasional treat.  Restaurant food is almost always less healthy than home-cooked food.  When you eat at home, you control the ingredients.

2.  You can make veggies taste this good at home!  Cooking with oils, butter, bacon fat, etc. is not necessarily a bad thing, as long you can keep the amounts of these additions in check.  A drizzle here or tablespoon there will add flavor and an appealing mouth-feel without turning your steamed, roasted, grilled, or sauteed veggies into junk food.  Just remember that 1 tablespoon of any fat adds about 120 calories and 12-14g fat, so measure out your portions until you really have an eye for estimating.