A. Eating out in Paris

A tremendous range of food is available in Paris, from the rich meat dishes to the light, flaky pastries for which France is famous for.

1. French cuisine is still evolving art. Traditional French cooking is butter-based and centres on meat, poultry and fish. Today, however, the chefs of many Parisian restaurants are becoming more interested in regional food and in simple, home-style fare which relies on fresh, seasonal ingredients. French cooking tends not to be highly spiced, although fresh herbs like chives and parsley are essential ingredients in the sauces that accompany most savoury dishes.

2. One of the most enjoyable aspects of Paris is the diversity of places to eat. Bistros are small, often moderately –priced restaurants with a limited selection of dishes. Brasseries are larger, bustling eateries with immense menus, and most serve food throughout the day and are open late. Cafes (and more wine bars) open early and the majority close by 9 p.m. They serve drinks and food all day long from a short menu of salads, sandwiches and eggs. At lunch most offer a small choice of hot daily specials.

3. The waiter usually takes your choice of entrée (first courses), then the plat (main course). Dessert is ordered after you have finished your main course unless there are some hot desserts which have to be ordered at the start of the meal. In most restaurants you will be asked if you would like a drink before ordering food. A typical aperitif is kir (white wine with a blackcurrant liqueur). Spirits are not generally drunk before a meal in France.

4. The first course generally includes a choice of salads or vegetables or pate. Small fish dishes like smoked salmon, grilled sardines, herring, shellfish or oysters are also on offer. Main dishes usually include a selection of meat, poultry or fish served with French fries and vegetables. Highly recommended are moules marinieres (mussels steamed in wine), and chevre tiede sur un lit de salade (grilled goat’s cheese with a mixed-leaf salad).

5. Prices vary from extremely economical to astronomical. Many places offer a formule or fixed-price menu, especially at lunch, and this will almost always offer the best value. If you want a greater choice of dishes, go for the a la carte menu. Remember that a bottle of wine increase the size of your bill significantly and that coffee usually carries an extra charge.

Prices usually include services. Although you do not have to leave a tip, it is common to do so and is based on 5-10% of the total.

B. British cuisine

I’d like to tell some words about British food. Traditionally English people have three meals a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast is served in the morning. Nowadays,Britain’s most popular breakfast consists of cereal, toast with marmalade, juice and yogurt with a cup of tea or coffee.

Lunch is a light meal. Most people have no time to go back home for lunch so they eat at school, cafes, pubs or restaurants.

The main meal is dinner, which is usually between 6 and 7 p.m. A typical evening meal is a meat dish with vegetables and dessert.

The most important meal of the week is the Sunday dinner, which is usually eaten at 1 p.m. The traditional Sunday dish is pork, chicken or lamb.

On Sunday evenings people have supper or high tea.

There is no tradition in England of eating in restaurants. English cooking is found at home. In most cities in Britain you’ll find Indian, Chinese, French and Italian restaurants. In London you’ll also find Indonesian, Mexican, Greek…

As for English traditional meal – first of all, it’s the custom of having tea.

Everyone knows that tea is the most popular drink in Britain. It’s even more popular than coffee.

Tea in Britainis brewed in a teapot. Most people in Britain prefer a rich, strong cup of tea with milk.