Unit 11 Business dinner at a restaurant

Usually after the talks our manager invites representatives of other companies to have dinner at some of the restaurants in our city. There are many kinds of restaurants in Volgograd. Most of them are traditional restaurants where a waiter serves customers, self-service restaurants are very rare exception. There are many small restaurants and cafes which are very popular and crowded especially during the lunch-hour, but it is getting more and more expensive to have meals there. At self-service cafeterias a customer serves himself and he can get meal more quickly and less expensive.

When the manager of our company invites an English businessman to a restaurant, he chooses among different types of Volgograd restaurants a place similar to the famous English pub with its cosy and friendly atmosphere. English people go there not only for some beer or whisky, but to meet their friends and spend the whole evening there till closing time.

So after the talks the two businessmen come into the restaurant, take their seats at a table near the window and order cocktails. They study the menu to see what's on it. The waiter comes to their table and asks if they are ready to order. As a rule, businessmen are rather hungry after the talks and they like a square meal. The choice of dishes on the menu is rich.

They order mushroom soup for the first course and meat with vegetables for the second course. The vegetables are very good but the meat is a bit dry. The manager likes fried chicken. The chicken is delicious. The English businessman doesn't like fish and roast beef is not his idea of a good meal. His favorite dish is steak. They start with sausages with new potatoes and green salad. They ask the waiter to bring a bottle of red wine. Later they order dessert: fruit or ice-cream. They finish with black coffee and cheese. The prices on the menu are not very expensive. The manager pays the bill.

During the dinner the two businessmen don't talk about their business, they prefer to have an informal chat (talk). They enjoy their dinner at the restaurant and come to better understanding, feel more confidence to each other.

Vocabulary

to invite smb. to have dinner at the restaurant – пригласить обедать в ресторан

waiter – официант

to be very rare exception – быть очень редким исключением

to be popular and crowded – быть популярным и переполненным

during the lunch-hour – в обеденное время

to get more expensive – становиться более дорогостоящим

to choose a place with cosy and friendly atmosphere – выбрать место с уютной и дружеской атмосферой

beer – пиво

till closing time – до времени закрытия

to order – заказывать

to study the menu – изучить меню

to be hungry – быть голодным

to have a square meal – плотно покушать

mushroom soup – грибной суп

meat – мясо

dry – жесткий

fried chicken – жареный цыпленок

delicious – очень вкусный

fish – рыба

favorite dish – любимое блюдо

sausage – колбаса; сосиска

cheese – сыр

to pay the bill – заплатить по счету

to come to better understanding – приходить к взаимопониманию

to fell more confidence to each other – чувствовать больше доверия друг к другу