The Word 'Menu' Means Something Different At A French Restaurant

A lot of cooking and food terms in English have been borrowed from French restaurants and cuisine, but when words cross borders, a few are always bound to have their meanings altered. A lot of essential French cooking terms people are familiar with, like sauté or mise en place, have basically been borrowed wholesale and mean exactly what the French originals mean. But dining habits at restaurants can be more regional than the French cooking school professionalism behind the scenes. The way menus are structured between French and English or American restaurants are one of those differences. So, if you ask for the "menu" at a French restaurant, expect to see a much shorter list of dishes than what it actually has on offer.

There are actually a number of different types of menus available at many French restaurants, and the one just called menu (le menu), is a fixed-price menu for a multi-course meal that includes a small handful of options for each course. In English, this is often referred to as a prix fixe menu, but in France the term prix fixe has a wider meaning outside of dining and is not really a culinary term. A menu at a French restaurant will have one set price listed and options for a two- or three-course meal, which can be some combo of a main, appetizer, and dessert, although more upscale restaurants may have more courses. A restaurant may also offer several "menus" at different price points.

Because it's a combo meal, menu options are usually a little cheaper than ordering dishes separately. However, while the savings of a fixed-price meal are appealing, you won't be seeing everything the restaurant serves on a French menu. For that, you need to ask for the "a la carte" menu. This is similar to what Americans think of as a normal menu, with appetizers and main courses listed separately and prices for each one. Although, study your essential French restaurant words and phrases here too, because on a French menu, "entrée" is the word for appetizer or starter, and the main courses are "plat principal."

Lest you think you can relax and be confident you are getting everything a French restaurant has to offer on the a la carte menu, there are a few other menus that might be available. There is l'ardoise which is the "slate" of daily specials and is referring to the chalk board the options are usually displayed on. This is especially good to know for a country that takes regional and seasonal cooking seriously. Another option is le menu dégustation, which is similar to a tasting menu, containing a variety of small bite dishes. And finally there is the plats du jours, the "dish of the day." There are so many French dishes you need to try at least once, so don't limit yourself to the "menu" when considering your order.