Western American Appetizers

Poke is a traditional Hawaiian dish that is made with small pieces of fresh and raw fish or seafood, which are combined with finely chopped vegetables, herbs, condiments, and seasonings. Although traditional poke uses either ahi tuna (yellowfin tu... READ MORE

Shrimp or prawn cocktail is a seafood dish consisting of cooked prawns served in a glass with cocktail sauce. The dish has vague origins, but most people claim that it was invented by a 19th-century miner from California who first used oysters in ... READ MORE

Avocado toast is a dish consisting of a piece of toasted bread topped with a combination of mashed avocados, salt, pepper, and (sometimes) citrus juice. There are many varieties of this dish, so it can be enriched with ingredients such as salmon, ... READ MORE

Tuna tartare is an elegant starter originating from Los Angeles. The dish is made with a combination of raw tuna, avocado, egg yolks, green peppercorns, capers, chives, tarragon, mustard, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. It was invented i... READ MORE

Pu pu platter is a staple of American Chinese restaurants, consisting of a platter filled with a variety of small dishes and appetizers. This platter is believed to have been introduced to North America from Hawaii via Don the Beachcomber and Trad... READ MORE

Dungeness crab cake is a specialty from Washington that features the succulent meat of the Dungeness crab, a crustacean inhabiting the waters of the Pacific Ocean on the West Coast of North America. This dish is typically made by combining Dungene... READ MORE

Despite their misleading name, Rocky Mountain oysters are actually bulls' testicles that are peeled, pounded, coated in flour, salt, and pepper, then fried. This unusual appetizer can be found in the American West and western Canada, and it is bel... READ MORE

Lomi-lomi salmon is a traditional dish originating from Hawaii. The dish is prepared with salmon and tomatoes as the main ingredients. It was originally introduced to Hawaii by early Western sailors. The salmon is rubbed with salt, then combined w... READ MORE

Crab Louie is an American salad dating back to the beginning of the 20th century. The salad is prepared with a combination of Dungeness crab meat, tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, asparagus, hard-boiled eggs, and Louie dressing (based on chili sauce and... READ MORE

Chicken long rice is a Hawaiian dish with the influence of Chinese cuisine. The dish is made with a combination of vermicelli noodles, ginger, green onions, and chicken thighs in a clear chicken broth. Some say that it's a version of chicken soup,... READ MORE

Purportedly invented by Milo Bybee in Boise, Idaho in 1957, finger steaks usually consist of strips of beef steak that are battered and deep-fried in hot oil. The finger steaks can be served as a snack or an appetizer, and it is recommended to acc... READ MORE

Cheese crisp is an American dish originating from Arizona. It consists of a flour tortilla that is topped with shredded cheese in its most basic form. The tortilla is placed in a butter-brushed pan which is put under a broiler until it develops a ... READ MORE