Restaurant menu apps

Archive for March, 2012

What is our common first association when we think about Spain? Corrida, spanish guitar, The Dalí Theatre-Museum…and, for years now, Raphael Nadal. But, here we are the most interested in food(I wonder if you ever ask yourselves:”does this person ever think about anything besides food?”).

If you want to experience a real Spain cuisine, use tapas as a starter to a meal. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese), or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid).

Right after that, you should continue with one of the Spain dish such as: pinchitos, pescaito frito, paella…

For dessert, do not forget well known creme brulee.

Now, I probably should not advice you to drink alcohol, but some people say that Spanish dish is not complete without Spanish wine. Sangria. Well, when you’re in the restaurant, sometimes is maybe the best to ask a waiter for an opinion, depending on a meal you’re having.

All roads lead to Rome… Oh, I wish… I’ve been there once, and it was wonderful experience. Colosseum, Vatican, the Trevi Fountain…and of course, authentic Italian food: pizza, pasta, lasagna…

I can say that a lot of local Italian restaurants make pizza just as good as those in Italia, pasta is mostly very well, but lasagna…Oh, well, why I have to be so critical? Somebody should punch me right now.

Also, there is something else I found very excellent in Italia(besides lasagna). It’s ice cream. Each flavour was unique, delicious, tasty…

I got to, I need some ice cream right now!

Few days ago I went to a Mexican restaurant. At first, there was a too defferent kind of food, too spicy for my taste, but,  when I get used to it, I liked it. So, let’s spread a few word about Mexican food.

Corn and beans are typical basics for Mexican food . Corn is used to make masa, a dough for tamales, tortillas, and many other corn-based foods. There’s a lot of spices and herbals used in Mexican cuisine, but the most used are chiles, oregano,  cilantro, epazote, cinnamon, cocoa. Many Mexican dishes also contain garlic and onions. Honey is very important for food, and also, for drink.

Chocolate is very important in Mexican cuisine, the original chocolate came from South America. Aztec people used it for making a beverage: hot chocolate with chili.

In November 2010, Mexican cuisine was added by UNESCO to its lists of the world’s “intangible cultural heritage”.

It is much easier to find restaurant with Asian cuisine, rather then African. However, receantly it is becoming very popular, for it’s very healthy and exotic.

The continent of Africa is the second larges landmass on Earth, and is home to hundreds of different cultural and ethnic groups. This diversity is also reflected in the many local culinary traditions in terms of choice of ingredients, style of preparation and cooking techniques.

Traditionally, the various cuisines of Africa use a combination of locally available fruits, cereal grains and vegetables, as well as milk and meat products. In some parts of the continent, the traditional diet features a preponderance of milk, curd and whey products. In much of Tropical Africa, however, cow’s milk is rare and cannot be produced locally (owing to various diseases that affect livestock).

Mixture of ingredients such as this perhaps doesn’t feels good for someone, so before you order a meal make sure you know what it contains. In some dishes, insects are the main ingredient, so if you don’t feel comfortable with eating them, be carefull.

Many of us like to search for a new taste. Sometimes it takes to go over the borders of our country in order to taste something new. Well, actually, not anymore, since there is a lot of restaurants specialized for natonal dish. Example of such are Asian restaurants. Usually, it’s about chinesse, japanesse and thai food. It includes a lot of different kinds of a soups, salads, desserts, food with meat and vegetables. Instead of bread, they give you rice, which is much healthier, by the way. Each dish is a mixture of a lot of ingredients, so if you are allergic to something, like peanuts for example, you should make sure that such ingredient is not part of your dish. Also, Asian food is very often picante, so order a beverage that is neutral. What is more there to say, except: bon apetit!

Receantly, the new channels appeared on a television. Many of them involves cooking, bakeries, cake factories, and one of the most known: Hell’s Kitchen.

In this show, we see a restaurant and it’s people. We see a person, some famous cook, who came, talk to everyone, and solve all the problems. Is it just me, or is this show absurd? Most of the problems, the workers of the restaurants in show have, is always solved by paying for new furniture, new interior, better payment. What my question is: why they weren’t able to solve that themselves? Do they really need someone from the outside to calm them down? ‘Cus, in such case, what will happen when that person leaves? Or, is that just a commercial for a new, fancy restaurants that were ruins not so long ago? I don’t understand, wouldn’t it be much easier, and more open to the new customers, to make a free degustation of their specialities? Wouldn’t it be a lot cheaper, and more friendly?

Perhaps I’m just overreacting. But, somehow, I can’t get away from the feeling that television has entered to deep in humans lives…

You’re outside, having fun with your friends. At some point you remember that there is a great movie in cinema playing in a very short time. You don’t have time  to go to a restaurant, and it’s forbidden to enter the cinema with food that’s bought in a shop across the street.

Then you decide to buy some food that cinema offers. But, can popcorn exchange a complete meal? No. Just like candies, popcorns are there just to cover the hunger, not to eliminate it. Also, there is something you should know: a huge amount of oil and salt is used for making popcorns(the ones that cinema’s usually offers), so it’s not healthy for one person to eat the biggest package. Not to mention, when popcorns are with so much salt, you don’t have a lot of choice but to buy a lot of drinks, for otherwise you won’t stand that salt. Most of people buy carbonated drinks, or beer, but it’s always healthier to drink a mineral water.

Most of us spend  a lot of free time with their friends. We go together to bars, caffe, restaurants(all kind of)… Well, we do, unless if some of our friends are not allowed to enter some of those places. It’s not as if they are criminals, except if being a furry is a crime.

Rare are the restaurants were we can spend time and enjoy the food with our pet friends. Local health codes mandate that pets be restricted from enclosed restaurants and suggest that they be kept out of open-air areas as well. Although pets are not permitted inside of a dining establishment, many restaurants with outdoor seating will allow people to dine outside with their pets.

I understand that some people don’t like animals, and some suffer from allergies, and in such cases it is understadable that the pets are not allowed. But, considering that some people behave a lot worse than animals in public places, I’m not sure what kind of restrictions should be created…

Here we are, with the final sign of the Zodiac. Compassionate Pisces. Pisces needs a dominant partner of role model in their life or they will very easily fall into a pit of self-pity and self-undoing. When they are independent and inspired by life’s events, their creativity comes shining through but they are unable to be on their own for long before they start dreaming in their imaginary world of happy people and happy endings. They need other people to keep them grounded and on the right track. Talk about spirituality, the occult, astrology, anything that is out of reach of the real world. You could take them to a Chinesse restaurant, but be prepared to talk with them about Chinesse culture, which is full of mysteries. Do your homework, learn a lot, and Pisces will be impressed.

The first thing that’s on my mind:

“Harmony and understanding
Sympathy and trust abounding
No more falsehoods or derisions
Golden living dreams of visions
Mystic crystal revalation
And the mind’s true liberation
Aquarius!
Aquarius!”

Song from the musical “Hair”. It describes very well this sign, that is very humanitarian. Aquarius seems to be unemotional from the outside, but beneath the surface lies a kind heart. Aquarius are in search of wisdom, they are very observant and they can gather their information objectively because emotions do not get in the way, they seem to be above emotions altogether and when they speak, they speak the truth. If you want to attract Aquarius, you must be able to stimulate their minds, engage in a friendly, witty verbal battle but do not expect to come to any conclusions, this is not the point. They crave the brain exercise. Have variety in your dates, think of interesting things to do like a trip to the zoo, karaoke bar, but if you can’t think of any crazy idea, leave it up to Aquarius to make plans but do not be surprised if they change the plan in the middle, be flexible like them. They do not like naggers or complainers so keep the talk positive and all should be well.