Descriptive Words and Expressions on a Menu
Menus often contain special language to make items sound delicious. These words and expressions can also convince the guests to order more food, such as appetizers or dessert. It is useful for servers to learn these expressions in order to sound more knowledgable and achieve better sales. In many English speaking countries, especially North America, having higher sales means earning better tips.
| Description
| Meaning
| Example item
| | available with
| Guests can have this food served a different way.
| All burger selections are available with whole wheat buns.
| | bottomless (free refills)
| Guests can have more without paying.
| Coffee and tea is bottomless.
| | chunky
| many large pieces of meat or vegetables
| A steaming bowl of chunky vegetable soup
| | coated in, glazed
| covered in a sauce (often before cooking)
| Breast of chicken coated in teriyaki sauce
| | crispy
| makes a crunchy sound when you chew
| Caesar salad with fresh lettuce and crispy croutons
| | drizzled with
| a small amount of liquid poured over top
| Apple pie and vanilla ice cream drizzled with butterscotch
| | finished with
| final step of the food preparation
| A generous portion of spaghetti and garlic tomato sauce, finished with homemade meatballs
| | fresh
| just off the farm/ out of the garden/
| All omelettes are made with three fresh egg whites.
| | garnished with
| decorated with
| Our dinners are garnished with fresh parsley and seasonal fruit.
| | generous portion, heaping, loaded with
| a large amount of
| All sandwiches are served with a generous portion of fresh cut fries.
| | home style, homemade, made from scratch
| from a recipe (not a package)
| Try our chef's homemade chili with fresh baked bread.
| | juicy
| with liquid remaining for taste
| Garden salad with juicy tomatoes, cucumbers, and onions
| | lightly breaded, battered
| rolled in bread crumbs, eggs, or other mixture and cooked
| Our fish is lightly battered in beer.
| | marinated in
| left in fridge to soak up sauce/juice/flavoring
| Our steaks are marinated in a rich peppercorn sauce.
| | medley
| variety, mixture
| A vegetable medley tossed in olive oil and served over rice
| | mouth watering
| appearance causes mouth to salivate
| Finish your meal off with one of our mouth watering desserts.
| | on a bed of
| on top of a layer of
| A ginger chicken stir fry served on a bed of rice
| | seasonal
| produce varies at different times during the year
| Ask your server about our seasonal fruit pies.
| | seasoned with
| herbs and spices added
| Roasted chicken seasoned with fresh basil and oregano
|
Matching Exercise
Match the menu items with the menu section they belong in.
| 1
| Dessert
| a
| Big Daddy's Hamburger with fresh cut fries
| | 2
| Starters
| b
| Homemade Iced Tea
| | 3
| Specialties
| c
| Junior Spaghetti and Meatballs
| | 4
| Refreshments
| d
| Peach pie a la mode
| | 5
| Seafood
| e
| Mouth watering garlic cheese toast
| | 6
| Sides
| f
| Loaded mashed potatoes
| | 7
| Kids Menu
| g
| Chef Brian's homestyle chili
| | 8
| Sandwiches
| h
| Lemon and herb glazed Salmon
| | 9
| Spirits
| i
| Seasonal tossed greens
| | 10
| Salads
| j
| 1/2 litre house white
| ANSWERS:
Behind the Bar
Tending bar requires special skills, such as learning special recipes, measuring, mixing and serving drinks, and chatting with guests. No matter which country you are working in, you are sure to come across English patrons who want a cold drink. Study the lists and expressions bartenders use. Then read the dialogue and check your understanding.
Glassware
| brandy snifter
| 
| | highball glass
| a tall straight glass
| | martini glass
| 
| | mug
| a cup or glass with a handle used for hot beverages
| | pint glass
| 20 oz glass for draft
| | pitcher/jug
| approximately 60 oz container for draft or water
| | rock glass/tumbler
| short glass for mixed drinks
| | shot glass
| 1 oz glass for shots and shooters
| | wine glass
| 
|
Classic Cocktails
There are many different ways to prepare classic cocktails. Every bar or restaurant has rules about how much alcohol to put in a cocktail and how to build it. The following recipes do not contain specific amounts. Use them to learn the names of the cocktails, liquors, and mixes.
| Black Russian
| vodka, coffee liqueur, on ice (for a white russian-add milk)
| | Bloody Mary
| vodka, tomato juice, tobasco sauce, worchestershire sauce, salt, pepper, celery salt, slice celery, on ice
| | Cosmopolitan
| vodka, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, lime, on ice
| | Daquiri
| light rum, lime juice, sugar, blended with ice (for a strawberry daquiri use strawberry mix or syrup)
| | Long Island Iced Tea
| vodka, gin, rum, orange liqueur, lemon juice, cola, on ice
| | Margarita
| tequila, lime, salt, blended with ice
| | Martini
| gin, dry vermouth, (garnish with olive)
| | Pina Colada
| rum, coconut milk, pineapple juice, blended with ice
| | Screwdriver
| vodka and orange juice, on ice
| | Tom Collins
| gin, lemon juice, sugar, soda water, on ice
|
Common Liquor
| Gin
| clear alcohol flavoured with juniper berries
| | Liqueur
| various sweet alcohols
| | Rum
| clear alcohol made from sugar cane, origin Caribbean
| | Vodka
| clear alcohol made from grain or potato, origin Russia
| | Whisky (Rye in Canada)
| light brown alcohol made from grain, origin Scotland
| | Tequila
| golden or clear alcohol, origin Mexico
|
Beer and Coolers
| Domestic
| beer from country that bar is located in
| | Local
| beer brewed nearby
| | Cans
| beer served in a tin
| | Bottles
| beer served in glass bottle
| | Draft
| beer on tap
| | Keg
| beer in a large barrel
| | Ciders
| alcoholic drink from apples or other fruit
| | Coolers
| premixed and bottled alcoholic drinks
|
Sample Conversation
| Bartender:
| Hi there. What can I get for you?
| | Guest:
| I need something cold.
| | Bartender:
| You've come to the right place.
| | Guest:
| Do you have any specials on?
| | Bartender:
| We have highballs on for half price.
| | Guest:
| Sorry, I meant for beer.
| | Bartender:
| Our beer special tonight is a pitcher of local draft with a half dozen wings for $12.99.
| | Guest:
| I guess I should have brought a friend. I think I'll just have a Heineken for now.
| | Bartender:
| Sure, would you like that on tap or in a can?
| | Guest:
| Do you have it in a bottle?
| | Bartender:
| No, I'm afraid we don't.
| | Guest:
| That's okay. I'll take a pint.
| | Bartender:
| A pint of Heineken coming up.
| | Guest:
| Actually, you better just make it a sleeve.
| | Bartender:
| Sure. And should I start you a tab?
| | Guest:
| No, I'm driving. How much do I owe you?
| | Bartender:
| $5.25.
| | Guest:
| Here's 6. Keep the change.
| | Bartender:
| Thank you.
|
Check your understanding
|
