The document discusses different types of menus used in restaurants. It describes a la carte menus, where guests choose from a list of options, and table d'hote menus, where a pre-established sequence of courses is served. Menus can vary in length and detail provided. The menu is the waiter's primary sales tool and should be clean, fresh and up-to-date. Traditional menu formats include handwritten table d'hote menus or blackboards listing specials. Modern menus follow the classical French structure of 13 courses that build from light appetizers to heavier mains to lighter desserts.
2. O Menu is a printed brochure or public display on a
poster or chalkboard that shows the list of options
for a diner to select.
3. O Menu may be A LA CARTE in which guests choose
from a list of options.
4. O And Menu may be TABLE D’HOTE, in which case a
pre-established sequence of courses is served.
5. O Menu may display a list of wines and their prices, or
this information may be available in a separate
brochure called the wine list. Some restaurants may
also have separate menus for beer, liquor, and mixed
drinks, and for desserts.
6. O Menus vary a great deal in terms of their length and
the amount of detail that they provide. In some
restaurants, the entire menu fits on a single sheet
of paper. In other restaurants, the menu is bound
into a brochure or binder, as it contains a number
of pages.
7. O A MENU may be long either because the restaurants
carries an extensive selection of items, because of
the menu has a lengthy description of each item
and its preparation, or from a combination of these
factors.
8. O The Menu is the waiter’s primary sales tool. It does
more than just sell the food lists. It sells the entire
establishment.
9. O The MENU always has to be clean, fresh, and up
to date, with no crossed-out or penciled-in
changes. It has to be presented by the waiter in a
way that he indicates his pride in the menu and
the establishment.
10. O The Menu can be extremely useful. It tells the
customer that he may have to wait 20 to 30 minutes
or more for some items; and it tells the sensible
customer that he had better order a first course.
11. MENU FORMAT
O In many cases, especially in restaurants, serving
haute cuisine, the part of table d’hote menu is
beautifully handwritten to emphasize the
traditional character of the restaurant. In less
fancy restaurants, a modern variant that is similar
but simpler is often used: the blackboard, on
which are written recommendations concerning
the day’s specialties.
12. The table d’hote or a part menu, which changes daily or cyclically,
is prepared in-house (on a typewriter or computer) and
duplicated as necessary.
A separate menu listing the daily specials might also be
prepared.
In many restaurants the table d’hote or a part menu and the daily
specials contain only a fraction of what is offered.
13. Often an A La Carte menu, from which the guests can
select from an array of dishes that are always available,
is also provided. If an a la carte menu is offered, the
other menus are inserted in or clipped to its folder.
The daily menus may also be placed at every seat, but
in most establishments they are offered by the service
staff along with the regular a la carte menu.
14. O the menu items can save time and confusion, especially
with many of the new computerized cash registers.
Numbering, however, discourages communication
between guests and the service staff and thus does not
help promote sales.
O For an easy compromise, place one numbered menu
at the register or where orders are relayed to the
kitchen so that one can punch in the guest’s order by
number.
15. MENU COURSES
O The Classical French menu was the basis of our modern menu
today, which contains thirteen courses. Today, a menu
of this size is hardly ever offered. But even today’s
shorter menus follow the structure of the classical
French menus as far as succession of courses is
concerned.
O They always start with something light to stimulate
the appetite, build us to the main course, and then
become lighter toward the end of the meal.
16. SEQUENC
E
FRENCH TERM ENGLISH TERM EXAMPLEs
1 Hors D'oeuvre Appetizer crepes-suzette
2 Potage Soup Chicken Consomme
3 Oeufs Egg Oeuf Cocotte ala
crime
4 Farineaux Pasta Lasagna- napoletana
5 Poisson Fish and Seafood Tahitian Ceviche
Coconut
6 Entrée First Meet Dish CheesesSteak
7 Relevé
8 Sorbet Flavored Ice Water
9 Roti Roast Roast chicken
10 Legumes Vegetables Cauliflower Mornay
11 Entremets Sweet
12 Savoureux Savory Scotch Woodcock
13 Desservir Dessert Welipa
Table 11.2. Menu Courses
18. O Although not part of the thirteen courses, coffee may be
offered at the end of a meal and may include different
varieties like filter, cappuccino or cona coffee.