Cafe and restaurant in Tamil
A table, the menu, what you cannot eat, and a compliment to the kitchen. Play the ten Tamil words against the clock, with a note on how locals really use each one after every answer. All ten are written out below.
All 10 Tamil phrases in this lesson
- இரண்டு பேருக்கு ஒரு மேசைi-RAN-du PEE-ruk-ku O-ru MEE-sai
- A table for two
- மெனுME-nu
- The menu, please
- என்ன நல்லா இருக்கு?EN-na NAL-laa i-RUK-ku
- What do you recommend?
- நான் ... சாப்பிடமாட்டேன்naan ... SAAP-pi-da-maat-TAEN
- I don't eat...
- எனக்கு ... அலர்ஜிe-NAK-ku ... a-LAR-ji
- I'm allergic to...
- இறைச்சிi-RAICH-chi
- Meat
- கோழிKOH-zhi
- Chicken
- மீன்MEEN
- Fish
- மிகவும் சுவையாக இருக்குMI-ga-vum su-VAI-yaa-ga i-RUK-ku
- It's delicious
- சியர்ஸ்CHEERS
- Cheers
Use at the entrance of any sit-down restaurant. In Tamil Nadu, smaller "hotels" (local eateries) may seat you wherever space is available.
Many local eateries have menus only in Tamil. Asking for the menu is fine, and pointing at nearby tables to order what someone else has works well too.
Literally "what is good?". A banana-leaf meal is the classic.
On the coast, fish curry is everyday food.
Complimenting the food makes any cook or server smile. Tamil people take great pride in their cuisine and will appreciate the gesture.
Borrowed from English; there is no traditional toast.