Customer Reviews

Berlitz European Menu Reader: For Eating Out in over 25 Countries (Berlitz European Guides)

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One of the more vital parts of travelling involves eating, finding things that acceptable and appetising to the taste while abroad. Unless one wants to resort to pointing at things, it is best to learn some of the key words for cuisine (and, unless one wants to be surprised by certain ingredients that are unusual, it is best to know what words mean on the menu).

I've been fortunate enough to travel quite a bit, and I've often had phrase books to help me with some of the rudiments of languages, but have often found that phrase books are less helpful when it comes to menus, as not only does one generally need to know the basic words on menus, but also the regional and local methods of preparation, extra ingredients, and so forth, which are usually specialised enough not to make it into general phrase book listings.

That is where this book comes in handy. While it too will occasionally leave out various items (no one book can account for all local and regional variations), because it specialises in the words and phrases most likely to appear on menus, it comes in very handy.

There are sections for fourteen different languages in this small, pocket-sized edition: Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Spanish, Swedish, and a section on British-American comparisons.

Each section begins with an overview for basic pronunciation, as well as some useful expressions ('I'm hungry,' 'I'd like a table for,' etc.). Then there are lists of basic words for use while ordering, complaining (sometimes it is necessary!), settling the bill, and basic words for food types and adjectives for how things are prepared or served. Each section then includes an extended section on items of food and drink likely to be found on most menus in the particular region. The drink section in French contains a lot of information on wine (as one is likely to find that on the menus in France); the same section in German includes beer and wine; again that same section in Greek includes island and regional variations.

Even if one isn't travelling abroad, having this book will introduce one to a wide variation of types of food one might be able to find a ethnic restaurants more locally located.

Guten appetit!
Bon appetit!
Nauttikaa ateriastanne!

A wonderful necessity for travel in Europe. Avoid foods you dislike or are allergic to; enjoy the local "special of the day" menu items while knowing what you are eating!

I brought it with me everywhere, but most places in the cities had an english menu or you could figure out what you were ordering or the waiter would help. Not necessary to bring, but it made me feel better to have it anyway.

I am planning my trip to Turkey and was looking for a menu reader in Turkish. The title on amazon.com claims that it is a menu reader for 25 European languages. In fact, it contains informaiton on 15, not 25 languages and Turkish is not on this list.