Which drink to order?
By raj_gupta
@raj_gupta (311)
India
July 17, 2011 12:55am CST
Very recently I was in this cafe having a meeting with the team of one of my potential sponsors for a project. While we were discussing, as is the trend that someone who is not interested in the proposal after only five minutes asks for dietaries or drinks, one of them said "let's order something to drink". The waiter came and placed the very well designed menu card in front of us and we started scrolling down the list on the left and prices on the right, I was more specific with the right side :P and then it occurred that the names on the left started taking shapes in my mind. Not the shapes of glasses but of animated and fictional characters from all those appearing in Pokemon to Pirates of the Caribbean!!!
Not even a single name suggested what I'll be really ordering if I order that particular drink! They have there names from Madam Poppy Pomfrey's shelf.
Have you even been in such a situation where you didn't knew that what will appear in front of you for the strangest drink you have ever ordered? What will you order from such a menu card?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
17 Jul 11
I don't know if I would order from such a menu card unless it had a specific description of what was in the drink. I might ask one of the others if they had any suggestions. If you have a preferred drink, you could ask if one of the menu items matched your expectation. For me, it happened every time I went into a restaurant in China. Unless they had a picture menu or one translated into English, I would always have to ask someone to order for me.
1 person likes this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
19 Jul 11
I think I would still ask what is in each of the drinks listed if it doesn't say what it contains. I will not try something if it just has a name that I never heard of whether it is written in my own language or not. I would probably tell them what I wanted based on the familiar name of it and if they can't oblige, I just wouldn't drink.
@raj_gupta (311)
• India
19 Jul 11
That's one thing when you don't understand the language on the card but if it is your native one, like Hindi in my case or a universal one, like English you got to stand for yourself and then face bravely whatever you are served with. Isn't it?
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@hdc4free (260)
• United States
18 Jul 11
I love a fun drink menu! There was a place I used to go to that would make up so many interesting cocktails with fresh fruits and vegetables and change menus every 3 months! They always had some fun ones and it was a good conversation starter. For business functions I'd stay away from anything too strong or too sexy sounding, but with just close friends I say experiment away, it's fun!
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@raj_gupta (311)
• India
19 Jul 11
I'll surely go to a few cafe to pour down a few beverages with my friends to get accustom to the trends here. Actually we have just shifted to this new city that is so very different from one I was earlier in. It is known as millennium city of our country with all the trends of modern world while the one I was earlier in, was hardly a city!
@Buchi_bulla (8298)
• India
17 Jul 11
Three days back we went to a Chinese hotel and I promise, I did not understand any of the items from the menu card. Fortunately my daughter knew certain items and the rest we asked for details from the serving person and then ordered. But I was doubting what I will get, till it came on the table.
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@raj_gupta (311)
• India
18 Jul 11
Hmmm...there are a few people saying they were confused when they went to a Chinese food point here. I wonder what's it about Chinese food that is so confusing. The city where I have been for the last 10 year, there have no food point in particular that specializes in some kind of food. When it comes to Chinese food they always have one or two noodles listed, which we all came to accepted as there staple food. I guess I need to reinvent the Chinese food for myself here 
@syj070741 (55)
• China
17 Jul 11
I've never been in this "drink" situation before. But it's fun, you don't know what you are going to get. And it will be more interesting if the waiters are not allowed to let you know their ingredients. There is a restaurant in Shanghai, you'll get a flash back to ancient times. Waiters speak antient Chinese and on the menu everything is in interesting idioms. You don't have the chance to know the dish until they serve.
But in your situation, I would order something safe~~
1 person likes this
@raj_gupta (311)
• India
18 Jul 11
This restaurant you mentioned sounds interesting. Things like these bring new meaning to a simple activity of going to a restaurant and having food. Nice when you are with your pals and want to have fun, not ideal when you need your mind to be focused on something though. I wonder whether the waiters there are trained in hotel management or in languages 
@raj_gupta (311)
• India
19 Jul 11
Might be! Who knows...with all the new terms that I am coming across in restaurants of late, I wonder if hospitality industry have there own dictionary!
