Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
French
Pronounced
English
un thé nature
uhn tay nah-tour
plain tea
un thé au lait
uhn tay oh lay
tea with milk
un thé citron
uhn tay see-trohn
tea with lemon
une infusion
oon an-few-see-yohn
herbal tea
French cafés and brasseries provide user-friendly meals and a refuge from sightseeing
overload. They're not necessarily cheaper than restaurants. Their key advantage is flexib-
ility: they offer long serving hours, and you're welcome to order just a salad, a sandwich,
or a bowl of soup, even for dinner. It's also OK to split starters and desserts, though not
main courses.
Cafés and brasseries usually open by 7:00 in the morning, but closing hours vary.
Unlike restaurants, which open only for dinner and sometimes for lunch, some cafés and
all brasseries serve food throughout the day (though with a more limited menu than at res-
taurants), making them the best option for a late lunch or an early dinner. (Note that many
cafés in smaller towns close their kitchens from about 14:00 until 18:00.)
If you're a novice, it's easier to sit and feel comfortable when you know the system.
Check the price list first, which by law must be posted prominently (if you don't see one,
go elsewhere). There are two sets of prices: You'll pay more for the same drink if you're
seated at a table
(salle)
than if you're seated or standing at the bar or counter
(comptoir).
For tips on coffee and tea, see the sidebar.
Standard Menu Items:
A
salad, crêpe, quiche,
or
omelet
is a fairly cheap way to
fill up. Each can be made with various extras like ham, cheese, mushrooms, and so on.
Popularsandwiches,generallyserveddayandnight,arethe
croquemonsieur
(grilledham-
and-cheese) and
croque madame
(
monsieur
with a fried egg on top). Sandwiches are least
expensive, but most are very plain (
boulangeries
serve better ones). To get more than a
pieceofham
(jambon)
onabaguette,orderasandwich
jamboncrudités,
whichmeansgar-
nished with veggies. Omelets come lonely on a plate with a basket of bread. The daily
special—
plat du jour
(plah dew zhoor), or just
plat
—is your fast, hearty, and garnished
hotplate for€10-16.Atmostcafés, feel freetoorderonly
entrées
(which inFrench means
the starter course); many find these lighter and more interesting than a main course. A ve-
getarian can enjoy a tasty, filling meal by ordering two
entrées.
Regardless of what you
