Exercise 4. Match the words with their definitions:

a) prawn b) asparagus	1) raw beef or salmon that has been cut into very small thin pieces, served as part of a meal
c) bacon d) carpaccio	2) a type of round green vegetable, which has buds with leaves that you eat, which are like the petals of a flower
e) artichokes	3) a small pink shellfish that can be eaten
f) sorbet	4) a frozen sweet food made of fruit juice, sugar, and water
g) avo­cado	5) strong black Italian coffee, or a cup of this coffee
h) espresso	6) an alcoholic drink made from grapes
i) celery j) wine	7) salted or smoked meat from the back or sides of a pig, often served in narrow thin pieces
	8) a long thin green vegetable with a point at one end
	9) a fruit with a thick green or dark purple skin that is green inside and has a large seed in the middle
	10) a vegetable with long pale green stems that you can eat cooked or uncooked

Exercise 5. Put the words given below into the right sentences.

1. The best deal was … of a garlicky baked artichoke dip served in a toasted bread boule.

2. Place the chopped … over the mushrooms and onions.

3. It was much nicer and far more refreshing than the bland oiliness of…, a combination which still baffles me.

4. She left him in the kitchen examining the … coffee machine with wonder, while she went to Patrick's office.

5. Afterwards they had eaten orange … followed by cheese and fruit.

6. Remove any fat from the … and discard.

7. It was the beginning of a passion for Bordeaux … and a key experience that shaped his adult life.

Asparagus, wines, sorbet, espresso, avocado and prawns, bacon, an appetizer.

Exercise 6. Answer the questions to the article.

1. What does this restaurant specialize in?

2. Why was the author of the article intrigued?

3. What was the atmosphere in the restaurant?

4. What was Sirena celebrating that day?

5. What can you say about the quality of dishes?

6. What are the prices?

7. Did they enjoy visiting this restaurant?

Exercise 7. Write down the dishes ordered in the restaurant classifying them as follows:

Appetizers	Soup	Main course	Dessert

Exercise 8. Speak about the Sirena restaurant. Prove the idea that it's the perfect place for a special occasion.

SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS FOR READING

TEXT 1

Exercise 1. Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.

Striving for the Traditional

U shered into Sudar by a doorman attired in full hussar uniform, you are immediately aware that the restaurant is trying to create an Old Russia ambiance; a Golden Age, when real men wore moustaches and beer was but a beverage for the effete. The spacious, multi-curtained hall continues this impression, with a dance floor splitting the two main eating areas – on one side, large tables juxtaposed with ornate, striped-fabric benches and, on the other, wooden furniture with low-hanging lampshades. In addition, there is a separate room for parties.

Perched on my bench, I quickly entered into the spirit of things by ordering 200 grams of Russian Standard vodka (480 rubles) before the wife had time to demur. Drinking from a frosted glass and washing it down with the spouse's "carrot fresh" (75 rubles), I then calmly surveyed the menu to plan our evening's calorie-intake. This is no easy feat, as the extremely Russian dishes are sectioned off into pickled vegetables and cold fish starters as well as more standard categories.

My concentration was further unbalanced by the start of the "Sudar Show" that happens at the restaurant every Friday and Saturday. It got off to a good start with the wife winning chocolate and champagne for naming the most synonyms for "to get drunk" – years of living with me have worked wonders for her vocabulary. However, although the band was excellent and the dancers most flexible (the Can-Can cartwheel routine was my personal favorite), it was all so loud that I could hardly hear myself read.

Finally, after bellowed, cross-table deliberations, we chose salted mushrooms (192 rubles) as an opening gambit, along with cabbage and mushroom patties (15 rubles each). All of this went down well with the vodka, and by the time our soups had arrived, the show was over and decibel levels had returned to the acceptable, with the musicians slipping into a couple of more tranquil Chris Rea and Frank Sinatra numbers. I had a fish soup (180 rubles), which contained lovely lumps of salmon, sturgeon and pikeperch served with a fish patty. My wife's soup, a cabbage shchi, was even better, beautifully thick and creamy in a pastry-topped, blue and white, gzhel-style pot.

For the main course, my stomach had been attracted by the wild boar (985 rubles), but for economic reasons mixed with my deep regard for forest pigs, I settled on the chicken fillet De Valyai at 410 rubles. This was a Kiev-style, breadcrumbed oval stuffed with chicken mince and accompanied by a baked potato in a mushroom sauce. My partner had cabbage leaves filled with mince and rice, with the recurring theme of mushrooms and sour cream. Both dishes were well-cooked, rich and filling.

To continue the gluttony, we soaked up our lemon tea (25 rubles) with a light poppy-seed cake in vanilla-strawberry sauce (140 rubles) and a refreshing, traditional hot cranberry kisel, which is not dissimilar to a sharp, unset jelly.

I recommend Sudar as a good eat out, especially with a group of friends. We were both impressed by the food and service. Even when knocking over the "carrot fresh" and forever ruining the tablecloth, I was met only with a barely discernible "tut" and a speedy, smiling, napkin-based salvage operation. My one quibble is that it should all be even more Russian. Ethiopian coffee and Tibetan tea should have no place on the menu, and the variety of European wines should be diminished in favor of a few more Russian drinks (more vodka and Russian liqueurs, mead and wines from the other ex-Republics). Sudar is aiming to cater to those who want traditional Russian fare in a native environment, but this is not wholly achieved due to the contradictions in the menu and the music. As the band played "I did it my way", only our bellies completely agreed.