Tag Glossary
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Categories & Pricing
Our pricing scheme depends on the type of establishment, but is supposed to represent what the average person would typically spend (all prices before tax & tip).
an establishment where clients mostly drink
pricing: 2 drinks or 1 drink + a bite
a coffee/tea shop with limited food options, more for hanging out
pricing: food item + drink
an indoor area comprising multiple food stands
pricing: main + soft drink
anything serving food out of a mobile kitchen
pricing: main + soft drink
a grocer, butcher or fishmonger which also makes ready-to-eat items
pricing: main + soft drink
any establishment serving food fast with minimal seating
pricing: main + soft drink
a sit-down, eat-in establishment with service
pricing: starter + main dish
a ghost kitchen or counter providing takeout/delivery only
pricing: starter/drink + main dish
Pitch
suggested place for after-work drinks
open very late, past 3 a.m. normally
in case you don't know, bring your own wine
don't expect to find a free table without a reservation
serves brunch on the weekend
a place that doesn't take reservations
a place with an outdoor seating area
an events caterer or restaurant providing catering services
forget about finding parking anywhere near
open for breakfast during the week/weekend
describes a place that allows you to just drink without eating
great for a restorative breakfast or brunch following a night of heavy drinking
serves a different, special menu after 9 or 10 p.m.
an event where members of the media, including yours truly, are invited
don't worry about reserving, the place rarely fills up
open for dinner on monday nights
availability of a closed-off room for private functions
private or semi-private opening event or party
describes a charity or fundraising event
literally situated a couple steps away from a metro station
open for dinner on sunday nights
you should know what this refers to
should be able to find a nearby parking in less than 5 minutes
a meal picked up in person and eaten at home
might have to wait before being seated, even with a reservation
in-house valet staff available, for a fee or not
expect to see a lineup of people waiting to be seated
a place that delivers food
open for lunch on the weekend
Mood
mostly english-speaking crowd, peppers stay away
happening scene at the bar
describes a place with an objectionable odor
a place with large tables able to accommodate extended family gatherings
a place well-equipped to accommodate younger diners
don't be afraid to strike up a conversation with the staff or patrons
very small space, barely any elbow room
frequented by members of the local ethnic community
romantic spot, ideal for a date
expect tacky guys wearing baseball hats and/or motorcycle jackets
dressing up is either required or expected
modern/contemporary interior, should appeal to design fiends
frequented by immigrant communities
uncomfortably hot, humid and/or stuffy dining room
frequented by senior citizens, probably living close-by
usually a place with wifi where people bring their laptops to work or study
great, enjoyable background music
great spot for guys to hang out, drink beer & be loud
expect either a lot of hipsters or a lot of organic, fair trade stuff on the menu
plenty of girl groups on tables or at the bar
great to show off your sophistication on that first date
describes a spot that occasionally or frequently features live musical performances
expect businessmen in suits
a spot where people tend to stand & party as well as sit & eat
full of people with barely any space to maneuver
great place for a business lunch with colleagues, partners or clients
expect a very high guy-to-girl ratio
trendy, flashy, flavor-of-the-day
great bar to enjoy a meal
very loud background music and/or chatter/echo
worthy of bringing someone for that very special occasion
popular with students
several loud/screaming children during our visit
expect tourists
expect drabby & badly dressed people
t.v. screen visible from most tables
indicates a place that was desolate during our visit
frequented by workers on their break or after their shift
Food
expect very high markups on alcohol
denotes a buffet or all-you-can-eat format
go if you're really broke
very nicely presented food
many different beers on tap and/or specialty beers in bottles
serves dishes well-suited for sharing in groups
very high quality-to-price ratio
serves halal meat & animal products
short menu with limited choices
denotes the utmost degree of hot food, you've been warned
expect huge, filling portions
amateurs of hot food will enjoy
food that is heavy on the grease and/or fried
creative, in-house drinks & cocktails on the menu
not worth what you're paying
a three-course meal at a reasonable price
indicates a multiple-course meal chosen by the chef at a fixed price
bring yourself a pile of napkins cuz you'll need them
overdone, too many flavors mixed together, without good reason
expect to pay up, period
very reasonable alcohol markup
lacking generosity on the plate; expect tiny, meager portions
expensive, but with very good reason
a place with a huge menu with tons of options
Service
service that is too quick to the point of pushy
are you sure you're in the right profession?
describes an episode where the staff couldn't be bothered to serve the customer
general condition of filth, grime and/or dirt
describes dirty toilets that you don't wanna be near
expect supermodels for waitresses
describes active and efficient staff in a busy dining room
describes neat, spiffy toilets; probably cleaner than yours at home!
prompt service, great if you're in a hurry
staff is not very knowledgeable about menu & needs to ask kitchen repeatedly
the waitstaff is probably more fun than your companion(s)
linguistically-challenged staff, beyond english and french
describes service that is available and paying attention to detail
very minimal table setting and/or food presentation
describes a place that's supposed to be quick but that simply wasn't
too many tables to tend to at once
service that is too slow in between courses
french-heavy staff, anglos beware
depicts a spot that turns tables quickly and/or "urges" customers to leave promptly
describes customer-focused service that is inviting, accomodating and/or generous
regularly runs out of certain menu items
describes staff that is often unavailable, especially at the end
describes snobby, possibly even rude service
Verdict
because you can't have a final say based on one visit
we were very disappointed, sorry (1 out of 5)
we can easily suggest something better along the same lines (2 out of 5)
decent but lacks something, better as a backup plan (3 out of 5)
solid performer, but we can't have too many favorites (4 out of 5)
oustanding establishment, we love it (5 out of 5)