Las Comidas y El restaurante Think back on your last vacation and what do you remember most? Chances are somewhere near the top of your list is something you ate either good or bad! For most travelers to a country where a foreign language is spoken, dining provides not only the opportunity to experience a different culture, but it is also one of the most common opportunities to try using a foreign language. It is important that we know what and how to order. Here are some words you may want to know before you go to a restaurant in Spain. asado grilled término medio medium-rare bien asada well-done ensalada verde green salad vegetales vegetables las papas potatoes Mesero(a) Waiteress- waiter mariscos seafood camarones shrimp
Bacalao cod trucha trout chuleta de cordero lamb chop ternera veal conejo rabbit pastel cake churro doughnut flan caramel custard empanada pie Sopa soup helado de vainilla vanilla ice cream pastel de queso cheese cake
Cuchara spoon Tenedor fork Servilleta napkin Vaso glass el menú o la carta menu la cuenta the bill Cuchillo knife platos plates la propina the tip
Usage notes El agua: Agua is a feminine noun, although el is used before it in the singular form. The plural is las aguas. If you're concerned about clean water, ask Es purificada el agua?. Pescado: When a fish is still in the water, it is referred to as a pez; once it's out of the water, it's pescado. The easy way to remember is that pescado is the past participle for "to fish," so the word also means "fished." Tacos: As almost anyone who has traveled in a foreign country is aware, what you expect when ordering a familiar ethnic food isn't necessary what you get. The word taco is the same in English and Spanish, for example. But while many U.S. residents, for example, think of a taco as something made of beef, cheese, and lettuce in a baked corn shell, in Mexico a taco can be just about anything rolled into a tortilla chicken, beef, tripe, chopped liver, you name it. After all, the word taco is used primarily to mean a wad, plug, or stopper. Spanish meals at home or at restaurants are eaten in separate courses. Whether it is a Spanish restaurant in Spain or in your neighborhood, you ll need to learn to order from the menu, or as it is commonly called la carta. Menu of the Day Menú del Día During the midday meal or la comida, the Menú del Día or Menu of the Day is generally offered and is the most economical way to eat at a Spanish restaurant. It normally includes a soup or salad, main course with a side dish and dessert all for one price. It s a great way to taste what the natives are eating in the region and it will probably include dishes that you would not have ordered if left on your own. This is also a good way to avoid having to choose from a long list of menu items.
Appetizers Entremeses or Entrantes This is a small dish that may or may not be finger food. It is common to see sausages such as chorizo or morcilla (blood sausage), lomo (cured pork loin), jamón (ham) or queso (cheese) in this section. There will probably be a selection of both hot and cold dishes.
First Course Primer Plato You may or may not see this section on the menu. The first course is generally a lighter course, similar to the entremeses above. Soups and salads or sopas y ensaladas also appear in this section. These can include hot and cold soups, as well as asparagus Vinaigrette, traditional green salad, avocado or other types of fruit salads, however normally these salads will not be sweet. Second Course Segundo Plato The second course is the main course of the meal. In this section, you will see all kinds of dishes, such as cocidos/estofados or stews, asados or roasts, chuletas or chops, grilled fish, etc. However, rather than list Primer Plato and Segundo Plato, the restaurant may list their dishes by type of food, such as fish, meat, etc. Not every restaurant will organize their menu in the same way. Sometimes, instead of listing the Primer Plato and Segundo Plato, or Carnes or Pescados, they may list all of the main dishes in this section. Specialties or Specialties of the House - Especialidades or Especialidades de la Casa As the name implies, this section is going to contain the signature dishes of the restaurant, or what the restaurant is known for. This section usually contains only main courses. Fish - Pescados This section will contain the fish dishes and they will almost always be main dishes. Since Spain sits between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, there is a big variety of fish and seafood on any menu. Each region will offer different fish dishes.
Meat Carnes As with the fish section, the meat section of a Spanish menu will contain the meat dishes, whether they are beef, veal - ternera, lamb - cordero or pork - cerdo or suckling pig - cochinillo and they will be large, main courses. Dessert Postre Dessert may be a simple offering of fresh fruit and cheese. However, Spanish desserts include a wide variety of ice creams, ice cream cakes, and sorbets, as well as custards such as flan, natillas, cuajada or crema catalana. What do I order? By this time, you are probably wondering which dishes to order because you now have the idea that you won't order one from each section! Let's simplify this: It is customary to order one dish from the Primer Plato, one from the Segundo Plato and Entremeses and Postres are optional. Many times, if several people at the table have ordered salad, it is served in a large dish and placed in the middle of the table for everyone to eat. If you are worried that you've ordered too much or too little, ask your waiter for advice.
Eating out in Spain is a national pastime. Just consider all the opportunities you have in Spain for eating out in a single day: You might have a coffee and pastry in the morning. Then, around noon you might "ir de vinos," which means you have a small glass of wine or vermouth at several bars in the neighborhood before heading to lunch. Between 1:30pm and 3:00pm families will sit down and eat their big meal of the day. By late afternoon, a snack or "merienda" is necessary and might consist of a small sandwich and fruit or a pastry and coffee. Finally, you would head out for dinner anywhere between 9:00pm and 11:00pm, for a smaller version of the midday meal. Head to bed around 12 midnight or 1:00am and get up the next day to repeat the same thing. Ole! Práctica 1. I am hungry. I want to go to eat at a restaurant. 2. My favorite restaurant is Media Luna because the food is delicious and it is inexpensive. 3. Waiter! Could you help me please? I need a fork, a knife, and a spoon please! 4. We are ready to order. I would like to eat a Caesar salad and a chicken soup for my first dish. 5. I would like to eat medium rare meat with grilled potatoes for my second dish. 6. We would like to share our desert. We would like to have custard, please.
7. We are thirsty! Could you please bring us water. 8. I am full. 9. I am in a hurry. The bill please! 10. The tip is on the table. Thank you very much.