nancy

My husband and I know very little French. We have tapes to learn basic words but that is about it. I am very little afraid of going into restaurants and ordering. Does anyone have any tips? Has anyone experienced a good restaraunt where English is spoken? Thanks!

Art

Nancy, go for it. Just be polite and greet them in French. If the menu is not in English, simply ask the server for help. A lot of people in resturantes in most western European countries (except Spain) can speak some English. Part of the fun of travel is butchering other languages. You will give them a good laugh and most of them will appreciate that you are trying. <BR>Good travels <BR>Art <BR>

Fred

Not to worry, especially in Paris. Almost every restaurant has either an English translation on the menu, a separate English menu, or someone who speaks enough English to explain. Out of Paris a little harder but again, generally, someone who can explain the menu will be there.For more Paris information e-mail me- [email protected]

Donna

Best bet is to get yourself a French Food Glossary. I prefer one that is totally alphabetical or has a large section that is totally alphabetical. Those divided into courses or types of food are rather useless if you don't know that "veau" would be found behind the "viande" tab. The Marling Menu Master is totally confusing because it has a tab called "Hors d'Oeuvres", a heading you never see on a French menu. Rather, they're under "entrees" and it helps to know ahead of time that "entrees" are not main courses. The more "compact" the menu translator, the fewer words and the more that will not be listed when you look them up. You'll want to look up every word of a selection. Just because you know "veau" is veal, doesn't mean it won't the the liver, kidneys, or worse. So, it helps to familiarize yourself ahead of time with foods you like and those you definitely do not. No matter how extensive your glossary, there will be the occasional word not listed because the preparations are so varied and menus are so descriptive. Almost, but not all, restaurants in Paris these days have English translations or one or more copies of the menu in English. And, many waiters have a fair command or better of English. It always helps to have a patient waiter. In some restaurants we've visited, they'll bring each dish past your table they're about to serve to another table and explain it to you. If you're planning to spend a week or more in France and want to really enjoy dining on French cuisine and specialties, you should get a really good reference guide such as The Food Lover's Companion to France (Frommer's) or The Food Lover's Guide to France (Patricia Wells). Both are comprehensive and have information on the various regional specialties, what to order, how to order, French dining customs, and fairly large food glossaries.

StCirq

In at least 50 trips to Paris, I have rarely if ever been in a restaurant - be it famous or infamous, bistro or brasserie, Parisian or ethnic - where I didn't hear someone who spoke no French at all ordering a meal. Sure, I suppose on occasion someone got a plate of rognons de veau and turned white, but generally speaking, you will be able to communicate - 90% of the time the waiters will know enough English to talk with you. Unlike Fred, I haven't found that menus are usually in English except in very heavily touristed areas, though they occasionally are, but there is almost always someone on the staff who speaks enough English to translate for you. Get a good food glossary and dispel your fears. If you stick to places that have English menus, you may miss out on some good eating.

travelhappy

I speak virtually no French, but had little trouble ordering in and out of Paris (out of Paris much less chance of English-speaking waiters). Here are a couple hints though...draw pictures on your paper placemat of what you want or better yet is to point to what someone else has that looks yummy and order it! Bon appetit!

Brian Kilgore

"tartare" means raw, as in Steak Tartare is raw, high quality, ground beef, with spices, an egg or teo, etc. <BR> <BR>Once you know this,you can order it or not, as you see fit. <BR> <BR>Steak frites is steak and french fries, usually really, relly good french fries. <BR> <BR>So now you won't starve. <BR> <BR>As you walk to your table, take a look at other plates, and that can guide you a bit. <BR> <BR>And take comfort in knowing that almost everything, even if you can't pronouce it, will be good (once you decide for or against the tartate stuff) <BR> <BR>BAK

Thyra

In Paris, as stated you will have very little problem, most menus are in French then English and sometimes German as well. <BR>Once or twice I have gotten something kind of weird, once I thought I was ordering Mushrooms, but ended up with Tuna.... maybe the kitchen screwed up, well it was great for a laugh! <BR>We do know some French and take great pains to be polite and say please and thank you.. plus I know how to ask for a vegetarian meal... it might help you if you learn how to pronounce your favorite stand by dish, so that if you are really having a bad order experience, you can fall back on your standard thing. Bon Voyage!

Diane

Do NOT order rognon de veau.

Rex

Not sure if I have all that much to add, except to say that wait staff ARE very sensitive to difficulties in translation in many places - - even if they might poke a little fun. sometimes. I don't care how much you prepare yourself for a foreign language, beginner through fluent - - menus can be the WORST things to try to decipher. <BR> <BR>And in one of my first trips to France, I got caught by "rognons" (helping my mother to order). I think they were d'agneau (lamb), actually, not veau - - and I told my mother - - "I don't know, they're something of lamb - - maybe medallions of some sort". <BR> <BR>And ordering in what (I thought was my perfect French) FOR my mother... the waiter turned to her and said "Oh, madame [pause], [pause], you like [pause] laaammmmmm [pause], [pause] kiddddd-neeeeeeezzzzz [smirk], [smirk]?? <BR> <BR>Took me down a notch. <BR> <BR>I have run into places - - more in the counryside - - and more in Germany than in France - - where a particular kind of fish - - neither of us (me or the wait staff) ever did figure out an appropriate English translation. <BR> <BR>Best wishes, <BR> <BR>Rex <BR>

Jon

If it's still a real concern, you can always pull out the dictionary or phrase book. In doing so, you may be suprised how many fellow diners and waitstaff offer you assistance. <BR> <BR>There is an unusually comprehensive menu decoder available at www.acena.it. It is an Italian site, but also offers English/French translations. I believe this was a Rex discovery I found on an old post on this site. It's fantastic. <BR> <BR>Please don't limit yourself to restaurants where you know English is spoken. Fumbling through language barriers, especially while dining, simply enhances the travel experience. <BR> <BR>Have a great trip, <BR>j.

nancy

I cannot thank all of you enough. I feel better already. My husband is just amazed that so many generous people responded so quickly.

EJ

I just returned from my first trip, speak only a few words of French, and used a VERY helpful and user-friendly pocket guide - The What Kind of Food am I? Series: Eating & Drinking in France by Herback and Dillon. There is a pronunciation guide in the front and the food/drink related words and phrases are divided into two separate sections. One is alphabetical in French and the other alphabetical in English. I could look at any French menu posted at the outside of the restaurant and at a glance look up a word. If you only know how to speak a few words of French, the waitstaff will not expect you to be able to say what you want, just point to the menu. You will also find that sometimes French/English speaking people will be dining close to you and see you struggling with your menu and offer to help. Remember that some waiters will not write down what you have requested and may not bring you what you ordered - that is when it is good to have your guide to know that you didn't make a mistake in ordering. After you have made a few more trips to France and have polished your French, you will feel braver to order in the native language. By the way, my daughter speaks pretty fluent French but I preferred to look up things as we went along instead of relying on her. I found I could order well with my guide.

AC

Hi Nancy: <BR>You and your husband are goung to love Paris. Have a Great trip! <BR>Barely remembering my high school French and waitstaff that has high school English can be very amusing anf often plesurable dining experience. <BR>I bought a book in Barnes and Noble called Basic French Phrases (or something like that). It is a small pocket size book. Whenever I was not sure of a item on a menu, I'd pull the book out and the staff was immediately drawn to me and this book and between us we always managed to figure it out. The best thing was I never ordered something I would never eat (Kidneys, YUCK!!) But always had a wonderful meal.

Lori

Don't worry, you'll be fine. Chalk it up to experience. One of the funniest experiences we had was at Chanterielle in the 5th. The owner spoke no English and I spoke limited French. As we pointed to the different items on the menu, she either drew a picture or did an impression. Imagine this woman walking around clucking like a chicken!

elvira

In the areas of Paris frequented by tourists, you'll find menus in English - or with English translations, which can be quite entertaining in and of themselves - and waitstaff who speak English. If you go off the beaten path into neighborhoods not usually visited by furriners, the menus will have no English and quite probably, neither will the waitstaff...BUT, restaurants make money by selling food, so, unless they're knuckle-dragging morons, the owner/waitstaff/maitre d' will do everything they can to keep you as a customer, even if it means drawing stick figures and clucking like a chicken. <BR> <BR>Don't be scared - the food police won't arrest you if you don't know what the menu ("la carte" - remember that) means. So the worst that happens is you look a little foolish...and? You'll have an anecdote to tell when you get home, and memories of doing something, successfully, outside your comfort zone.

Jody

By the way, rognons de veau are delicious ! You just might like them if you tried them!

Dave

Traveling the French countryside, my family always carried a small French-English dictionary to help at mealtimes. Unfortunately, the little dictionaire did not include everything: we saw "avocat" on a menu and were puzzled by the definition of "lawyer." Had a lot of fun with that one. <BR> <BR>Vive le Franglais!

Joanne

Nancy: Our last time in Paris we were intimidated by non-English menus and ate a couple of times in an Italian restaurant near our hotel where we knew how to order and could speak Italian to the waiters. Finally, we pumped up our courage and went to a little restaurant on Rue Rivoli, where we had a several course dinner. We did fine ordering and the waiter and owners were most helpful and friendly. However, I was given silverware and utensils I never saw before, let alone knew how to use. It was fun and the food was great, and I don't believe we committed any gross faux pas. We are leaving the day after tomorrow for Paris and Provence and will be armed with both a French phrase book (Eyewitness)and a Berlitz European Menu Reader! You'll do fine. Paris is wonderful. We look forward to our first visit to the South of France.

Frank_Whiteside

I've posted this before on another thread but here goes again... <BR>A few years ago in the South of France we were looking for a restaurant to have dinner. One restauranteur had put a menu ( in French ) in his window with the English equivalent pencilled in underneath ( or so he thought ). So we could have ordered 'Moulds', 'Rawness' & the unforgettable 'Saucepan of the Sinners'. I have since learned that the French for 'Sinners' & 'Fishermen' is spelled exactly the same except for the placement of an accent.