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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)