Eating out

Dear readers,

Well, today is a very special day. We all think about the World Trade Center tragedy five years ago. Let us pay tribute to the 2,700 victims... (rendre hommage a)

As nearly every channel, newspaper has made a report or written an article on this subject, I guess you are over-informed on this matter. Just talk about Oliver Stone and his future film about the WTC on Wednesday...

For the while, we will concentrate ourselves on a “lighter” topic and enlarge our vocabulary on “eating out”.

When you eat out, you often go to a restaurant to have lunch or dinner.

It is quite different from the staff canteen where the employees of a company go to have lunch to save time and take advantage of a good price for dishes.

You can also choose a fast food when you are in a hurry.

VOCABULARY

• basic: adj. Serving as a starting point or basis.
• The new restaurant offers a very basic menu.

• complete: adj. Having all necessary or normal parts, components or steps.
• This restaurant offers a complete menu of appetizers, entrees and desserts.

• excite: v. To arouse an emotion

• Exotic flavours always excite me.

• flavour: n. A distinctive taste

• The cook changed the flavour of the soup with a unique blend of herbs.

• forget: v. To be unable to remember
• The waiter forgot to bring the rolls, annoying the customer.

• ingredient: n. An element in a mixture
• The chef went to the farmer’s market to select the freshest ingredients for tonight’s menu.

• judge: v. To form an opinion

• Hector was not familiar with Asian cooking, so he was unable to judge if the noodles were cooked correctly.

• mix-up: n. A confusion – to mix up: to confuse
• There was a mix-up in the kitchen so your order will be delayed.

• patron: n. A customer, especially a regular customer
• Once the word was out about the new chef, patrons lined up to get in the restaurant.

• predict: v. To state, tell about or make known in advance

• I predicted this restaurant would become popular and I was right.

• random: adj. Having no specific pattern, purpose or objective
• We made random selections from the menu.

• remind: v. To cause to remember
• Ms Roberts was annoyed at having to remind the waitress to bring the check.

• Choose the word that best completes the sentence.
• 1- Would you like to ___________ your meal with an after-dinner drink?
• (A) complete        (B) completed         (C) completely       (D) completeness

• 2- I have already ____________ what the last table of guests ordered.
• (A) forget             (B) forgetful            (C) forgotten          (D) forgetfulness

• 3- No one could have ___________ how successful the restaurant would become.(A) predictive      (B) predictably          (C) predictable       (D) predicted

• 4- I have had enough ___________ for the day.
• (A) excite             (B) exciting               (C) excitement        (D) excites

• Answers will be given next week!!

  • OTHER WORDS TO KNOW

    -          to book a table = to make a reservation

    -          to cancel a booking / a reservation = to call the restaurant and tell it you will not come

    -          In what name? : you need to spell your name to make a reservation

    -          Traditional/ethnic restaurant: different kind of restaurants

    -          Table lay out: when you decide who will sit down in front of you, your friend... (disposition de table)

    -          Fancy, classy: when the restaurant has a little touch of luxuous decoration

    -          Cool, casual, relax: opposite of fancy, classy

    -          ON the menu: au menu

    -          Set menu: the leaflet when the different dishes are listed

    -          Today’s special = dish of the day 

    -          Home-made: when a dish is prepared at the restaurant by the cooker

    -          All you can eat: you can eat as much as you want

    -          Starter (GB) / appetizer: first course of the meal, entree

    -          Main course (GB), entree (US): plat de resistance

    -          Sweets, after (GB), dessert 

    -          Soft drinks: drink without any alcohol

    -          Alcoholic beverages: alcoholic drinks

    -          Still/sparkling water: water without gaz/with gaz

    -          Wine list: the list where the different wines are introduced

    -          The check (GB), the bill (US): at the end of the diner/lunch, you ask for it

    EXPRESSIONS AND PROVERBS

    -          cheers / here is for you : you say that when you make a toast

    -          drink / make a toast to...

    -          my treat / it is on me: it is my turn to invite you

    -          it is a piece of cake: it is easy

    -          treat someone to a meal: to invite someone to have lunch/dinner

    -          it is not my cup of tea: it is not my favourite

    -          rare, medium, well done: to mention how to cook meat (saignant, a point, bien cuit)

    -          the proof of the pudding is in the eating: a l’oeuvre, on connait l’artisan

    -          you cannot have your cake and eat it: on ne peut pas avoir le beurre et l’argent du beurre

    -          do not put your eggs in one basket : ne mettez pas vos œufs dans le meme panier

    -          too many cooks spoil the broth : a chacun sa specialite

    HUMOUR

    “ A gourmet is just a glutton with brains”. Un gourmet n’est autre qu’un glouton dote d’un cerveau.

    « My wife cooks for fun. For food we go out to a restaurant”. Ma femme fait la cuisine pour s’amuser. Pour manger, nous allons au restaurant.

    That is it for today. Talk with you soon!

    With best wishes,

    Ceraulen