How to read a French menu.

French menus look simple and hide a few traps, starting with the word for starter. Here is how they are organized, what the set menus mean, and the dishes worth knowing before you order.

The courses

Entrée: the starter. In France an entrée is never the main course, unlike in American English.
Plat (plat principal): the main course.
Fromage: a cheese course, served before dessert.
Dessert: dessert, often followed by coffee (un café is an espresso).

Set menus and specials

Menu or formule: a fixed-price combination, such as entrée + plat or plat + dessert, usually cheaper than ordering the same dishes separately. Ordering individual dishes is à la carte.
Plat du jour: dish of the day, often the freshest and best-value plate, especially at lunch.
Service compris: service is included in menu prices in France. Leaving a little extra for good service is kind but optional.
Une carafe d'eau: tap water, free on request.

How do you want your steak?

French doneness runs rarer than in many countries: bleu is seared outside and nearly raw inside, saignant is rare, à point is roughly medium-rare to medium, and bien cuit is well done.

Dishes you will meet

Bœuf bourguignon buhf boor-gee-NYOHNBeef slowly braised in red Burgundy wine with mushrooms, onions and bacon.
Confit de canard kohn-FEE duh kah-NARDuck leg cooked slowly in its own fat, then crisped. Usually with potatoes.
Steak tartare stek tar-TARFinely chopped raw beef, seasoned and usually topped with a raw egg yolk.
Escargots de Bourgogne es-kar-GOH duh boor-GON-yuhSnails baked in their shells with garlic and parsley butter.
Croque-monsieur krok muh-SYUHToasted ham and cheese sandwich, often with béchamel. A croque-madame adds a fried egg.
Ris de veau ree duh VOHVeal sweetbreads (thymus), not rice. A classic mistranslation.
Andouillette ahn-doo-YETA sausage made from pork intestines. Strongly flavored; order it on purpose.
Crème brûlée krem broo-LAYVanilla custard under a crust of caramelized sugar.
Île flottante eel flo-TAHNTSoft poached meringue floating on vanilla custard.

Why word-for-word translation fails here

French menus lean on technique words (confit, meunière, en croûte) and on near-misses like ris (sweetbreads) versus riz (rice). MenuSnapp translates by meaning: it keeps the culinary terms you would see on a menu at home and explains the ones you would not.

Useful phrases

L'addition, s'il vous plaît (lah-dee-SYOHN seel voo PLEH): the bill, please.
Je suis allergique à…: I'm allergic to…