So most often, as in the old French joke, visitors unfamiliar with the local cuisine simply nod to the waiter at the next table: "We want what that gentleman is eating." To which the waiter, returning, replies: "Sorry, but that gentleman does not wish to give up his plate!" So, a few tips from "International French Radio" (RFI) for those who want to truly enjoy food in France and not make a blunder.
First of all, let's talk about the waiters themselves. Under no circumstances should you address them with the word "garçon". We are not in the 19th century, and classical literature can be a false friend. Such an address is considered disparaging. In a café or restaurant, you should address the waiter with the usual "monsieur". You should not insist too much or rush him. In the provinces, people are even more leisurely, but even in Paris, the French do not understand why anyone would think to rush during a meal. After all, this is precisely the moment when it is best to relax and enjoy time with taste.
A French lunch lasts at least two hours, dinner, especially with friends, even longer. This does not always affect the amount eaten. The main thing is communication and a good mood. That is why UNESCO's intangible heritage is not French food itself, but the French table, that is, the way of communicating at the table and the ritual associated with it.
Moreover, Parisian waiters are known for their difficult characters. They have the ability to ignore a customer, and the more the customer worries and waves their hand invitingly, the more transparent they become to the waiter. So let's follow the French rule and not rush during meals.
Suppose we managed to find common language with the waiter and we have already ordered dishes. It's time to choose drinks for these dishes. The main rule is not to wash down either the appetizer, the main course, or even the dessert with fruit juices or soda. The table will instantly cease to be French. The French drink either wine or water, still or sparkling, at lunch and dinner. If you don't want to pay for water, you can ask for a carafe of plain tap water. There's no need to fear tap water in France; the French do not neglect it. But they are unlikely to bring you ice; you need to ask for it specifically, unless, of course, you just sat down at a café table outside meal times and ordered soda.
Beer and, in some cases, cider are also allowed with meals. Even coffee is supposed to be drunk after dessert or instead of it, though you can ask for coffee or tea to be brought at the same time as the pastry. Milk will not be brought with coffee unless you ask for it. And after lunch, milk is rarely requested; coffee is supposed to be black. In rare cases, "noisette". This word translates as "hazelnut", but it has nothing to do with nuts except for the color. A literal drop of milk is added to the coffee.
Strict rules about drinks apply not only to adults but also to children, with the exception, of course, that coffee is not allowed for them. If a child wants fruit juice, they have every opportunity to get it during snack time and at breakfast. The time for sweets is also strictly scheduled. After the lunch dessert, one must wait until five o'clock, snack time. And pastries, including the famous croissant, until the next morning. You can often hear in a bakery a mother's response to a child asking for a croissant or another pastry: "No, no, it's not time for croissants now."
What other pastry is supposed to be bought for a child or adult for breakfast? Besides the croissant, the so-called "butter" or "plain" (and these are two different types), for breakfast one is supposed to have a bun either with raisins or with chocolate. It originates from an ordinary piece of white bread into which a piece of chocolate was inserted. You can also have a tartine for breakfast – for this, half a baguette is cut lengthwise, spread with a thin layer of butter and jam.
The French have a habit that mothers carefully wean their children from at an early age: dipping this piece of bread with butter and jam directly into morning chocolate or coffee. In France, this is not considered improper, and you can safely indulge in this pleasure, forgetting your parents' admonitions.
And another important detail regarding croissants. After all, you will certainly try this symbol of gastronomic Paris at least once. Many think that the "butter" croissant simply has more butter, and they try to choose the regular, so-called "ordinary" one. Don't rush. The fact is that the "butter" croissant is made with pure butter, while the "ordinary" one contains other fats. So it makes sense to think it over. They are easy to distinguish by appearance – the butter croissant is usually straight, the ordinary one is shaped like a crescent, as its name suggests.
And now the most important thing: what lunch time and dinner time mean. "We came to a restaurant and they refused to feed us," tourists who have been to Paris sometimes complain. And it's true – restaurants are open strictly by the hour. Lunch begins, at the earliest, at half past twelve. At half past two, you might well be told that the kitchen is already closed and that the waiter will go to the chef and ask what he can do for you. At that moment, only those who came at one o'clock are sitting at the tables. Until seven, you can only try French food in a brasserie, where they will serve you cold roast beef with salad or a croque-monsieur, a sandwich with melted cheese. For dinner, it's better to come before nine; after that, the kitchen also begins to prepare for closing, and your order may not be accepted.
But in the morning, cafes open very early. The owner will offer you fresh croissants and tartines from the neighboring bakery, and if the place is traditional, there will be a stand with hard-boiled eggs on the counter – for those who haven't gone to bed yet. Only a few Parisian restaurants are open non-stop. These are also old, traditional establishments, often located around the former 'Belly of Paris'. The market is long gone, but the market restaurants remain. Once they were intended for peasants who brought their produce to Paris at night. By morning, they wanted to fortify themselves. It is not surprising that it is in these places that you can taste the most delicious onion soup.
Well, what else to try in French restaurants and how to order – about that next time. For now, remember that smoking is not allowed in French restaurants and cafes, tables are close to each other, and there is not only inconvenience but also a special charm. And that tips should be given very little and only if desired. Officially, they are already included in your bill, and the rest depends on how much you managed to enjoy the food and, according to French advice, have a pleasant time.