Web Site Guides for ESL Students

Restaurant Row

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In this lesson we will learn where there are thousands of real menus from real restaurants where real people eat. We will learn how to find and choose a restaurant that fits our needs. Then we'll learn how to read a menu and even order a meal.

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restaurantrow.com is a site that lists thousands of restaurants and menus in over 13000 cities. You can find restaurants using six different ways to search. We will practice the following three ways.

QUICK SEARCH

Enter the city name or the Zip Code. You could also enter the restaurant name if you know it.

SIMPLE SEARCH

Enter the city namechoose the type of cuisine, and click the search button.

There are over 80 choices of cuisine. Here are some examples.Bagels, Barbecue, Brick Oven PizzaCajun/Creole, Chops, CalifornianCaribbeanChineseContinentalDelicatessen, Diner, Eclectic/Int'l, French BistroFrench NouveauGermanGourmet PizzaGreekHealthyIndian, ItalianJapaneseKoreanKosher, MediterranianMexicanPastries, Rotisserie, SeafoodSouthern/Soul, SouthwesternSpanishSteakhousesTapas, Tex MexThaiVegetarian, Vietnamese

NEIGHBORHOOD SEARCH

Click on one of the 22 listed cities. Select a neighborhoodhow many miles you are willing to travela cuisineambience, features, and entertainment.

• You can find a restaurant by the kind of ambience. Any Ambience, Bright LightsCasualChildrenCountry StyleDim LightsElegantFamily, FestivalFormalFunGreat ViewsLoudMusicPartyPeople Watching, QuietRomantic

• You can choose from these features. Any FeatureAward Winning, BarBed and BreakfastBreakfastBrick OvenBrunchBuffet Business LunchesBYOB, CafeCash OnlyCatering FacilityCatering OutsideCelebritiesCelebrity OwnedCigar DinnersCook to OrderCredit CardsCyber CafeDaily SpecialsDeliveryDinner TheaterDiRoNA, Early BirdFamily / KidsFamily StyleFireplaceGame MenuGay, Great BeersGreat WinesHotelInnLight MenuMicrobrews, MotelOutdoor DiningOvernight AccommodationsParkingPre-Theater, Private PartiesPrixe Fixe MenuPubReservationsSalad BarSeniorsSingles Smoking, Sushi BarTake OutTheater DistrictWheelchair AccessWine Tastings

• You can choose from these types of entertainment. BilliardsCabaret, ComedyDancingDartsDinner MoviehouseDinner PlayhouseFor Adults OnlyKaraokeLive MusicNightclubPiano BarSatelliteSpecial Theme, SportsTV

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Practice 1

Let's find a Japanese restaurant in ChicagoIllinois using QUICK SEARCH.

1. First click Restaurant Row to get to the home page.
2. Thenin the upper left hand corner of the restaurantrow.com page type Chicago into the city or zip window. Then click GO.
3. There are three cities called Chicago. Click ChicagoIL.
4. There are more than 1500 restaurants in ChicagoIL. Go to the All Cuisines windowclick the arrows on the right side of the windowchoose Japanese, and click go.
5. Now we can see the namesaddressesand the telephone mumbers of more than ten Japanese restaurants. We can click to see menusphotosmaps, directionsand reviews of each restaurant.

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Practice 2

Imagine that you are staying at a hotel in the Japantown section of San Francisco. You would like to eat some seafood at a restaurant with a beautiful view of the city and maybe listen to some live music. You would like to be able to walk to the restaurant and pay by credit card.

1. First click Restaurant Row to get to the home page.
2. Thenfrom the left side of the page under OTHER SEARCHES click NEIGHBORHOOD.
3. Then click on San Francisco.
4. On this page there are a lot of things to select and click.
• In the Select your neighborhood window select Japantown.
• In the How many miles will you travel? window select 1. (One mile is about a twenty minute walk.)
• In the What cuisine would you like? window select Seafood.
• In the What Ambience would you prefer? window select Great Views.
• In the Any special features you'd like? window select Credit Cards.
• In the How about entertainment? window select Live Music.
• Finallyclick search.
5. We have found at least one restaurant. If we want to find more we could go back and click a bigger number for the How many miles will you travel? window.

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Exercise 1 Follow the directions and answer the questions.

PDF File for printout.

1. Go to the The Mandarin restaurant page.
• What is the telephone number of The Mandarin restaurant?
• What is the view from this restaurant?
• About how old is this restaurant?
• What street is the restaurant on?
2. Click on View Map.
• How many blocks is it from The Mandarin to the ocean?
• How about from The Mandarin to Pier 41?
3. Click on View Menu and find the Beijing Dinner.
• Can I order the Beijing Dinner for just one person?
• How much would it cost for two people?
• If four people order the Beijing Dinner what extra dish do they get?
• What is the most expensive meal on this page and how much is it?
4. Look at other pages of The Mandarin menu.
• Find at least two dishes with eggplant.
• How much is Chicken Fried Rice?
• What is the cheapest appetizer?
• Some dishes must be ordered at least five hours before the meal. What are the names of these dishes?
5. Imagine that you are a customer at The Mandarin restaurant. Write down the dishes that you would like to order and the prices. Decide how much money you would leave for a tip. Add the total amount for the meal and calculate the amount in the money of your country. Do you think it is expensive or cheap? Would you like to go to this restaurant?
6. Can you answer this?
• What is squab? Would you like to try it?

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Exercise 2 Follow the directions and answer the questions.

PDF File for printout.

1. Sonny Smith's is a restaurant in DallasTexas. Go to Sonny Smith's Barbeque page and menus to find the answers to the following questions.
• How much are entree's at Sonny Smith's?
• Look at the Beverages section. How much is a cup of Decaf. Coffee at Sonny Smith's?
• What can you buy by the quart or the pint at Sonny Smith's?
• At lunchtime at Sonny'show much is a Ham Sandwich with French fries and a Coke?
• How many kinds of vegetables come with the Plate Lunch Specials?
2. What would you like to order at Sonny Smith's Barbeque restaurant? Include the pricestoo.
• What entree?
• What beverage?
• What dessert?
3. Find a restaurant called Nobu that is on Hudson Street in New York city. The Zip Code is 10013.
• What is the chef's name?
• What do you think OMAKASE means?
• What is something that you would like to eat at this restaurant?
• Is there something that you would not want to try?
4. Describe the restaurant Nobu. What kind of food is served? Is it cheap or expensive? Is it popular? What kinds of people go there? Is it open at noon? Does it get good reviews?
5. Can you answer this?
• At Nobu sometimes the menu has m/p written instead of a price. What does m/p mean?

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Ordering

At a restaurant in the US you may be asked questions by the waiter/waitress. Here are some examples.

• Smoking or non-smoking?
• This wayplease.
• Would you like something to drink?
• What kind of beer would you like?
• Are you ready to order?
• How would you like your steak?

.....(raremediumwell done)
• How would you like your potato?

.....(bakedmashedfriedFrench fries)
• What vegetable would you like?
• What kind of salad dressing would you like?
• How would you like your coffee?

.....(blackcreamsugardecaf)
• Would you care for dessert?
• Is everything all right?

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Manners

Remember these things when you are in a restaurant. You'll have a better time and so will others. Alsothe service will be better.

• Don't raise your voice.
• Don't pick up your plate.
• Don't lean on the table.
• Don't make sounds when you chew or drink.
• Do be nice to the waiter/waitress.
• Do leave a tip.
• Do say 'please' and 'thank you'.
• Do expect good service.

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Tipping

Tipping at a restaurant in the US is usually between 10% and 20% of the bill. The percentage depends on the the quality of service and on the total amount of the bill. If the tip is cashleave it on the table near your cup or glass. If you pay by credit card you can write in the tip amount when you sign the bill.

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Vocabulary

ambience

the mood or atmosphere of a place

amenities

servicescourtesies

bagels

heavy ring-shaped bread rolls

barbeque

meatsseafood and vegetables cooked over charcoal ... sometimes barbecue or BBQ

bed and breakfast

a rental room in a house with breakfast ... sometimes B & B

beverages

drinks

blocks

the distance between one road and the next

brunch

a late breakfast and early lunch combined

buffet

setting out a number of dishes and having the guests serve themselves

BYOB

Bring-Your-Own-Bottle ... you can bring your own alcoholic drinks to the restaurant

Cajun/Creole

spicy French-American Indian food popular in Louisiana area

catering

make and deliver food for a social event

celebrity owned

owned by famous people like movie stars

chops

thick slices of pork or lamb

cuisine

type of food

Decaf. Coffee

decaf. is short for decaffeinated ... coffee that contains no caffeine

delicatessen

delicatessen: serves ready-to-eat foods

diner

a restaurant usually resembling a dining car

dinner theater

customers can watch a play or a musical while they eat

DiRoNA

Distinguished Restaurants of North America

early bird

a restaurant that is open very early in the morning

eclectic/international

various kinds of food from various countries

entertainment

dancingkaraokesportsTVetc.

entree

the main dish

features

special aspects like deliveryfamilyoutdoor diningtake outsushi-bar, etc.

French Bistro

smallinexpensive French restaurants.

game

wild animal and wild bird meats

gay

homosexual

kosher

food prepared following Jewish law

oz

one ounce (oz) is about 30 grams

microbrews

either making beer in the restaurant or selling small brewery beers

pastries

baked goods with sweet fillings ... like pies

pint

there are two pints to one quart

prixe fixe menu

a meal of several courses costing a fixed price

quart

0.95 liters

reviews

what other customers write about the restaurantfoodand service

rotisserie

a restaurant specializing in roasted or barbecued meatoften from a rotating spit

tapas

small Spanish savoury dishes often served with drinks at a bar

tip

money left for the waiter or waitress ... usually between 10% and 20% of the bill

southern/soul

food traditionally eaten by Americans in the south

Tex Mex

a blend of Mexican and southern American dishes

vegetarian

foods prepared without using meat or animal products

wheelchair access

with ramps and/or elevators for wheelchairs

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Copyright (C) 2003 by Bruce Vorland
Last Update: February2003