What makes a restaurant a bistro?

A bistro or bistrot /ˈbiːstroʊ/, is, in its original Parisian incarnation, a small restaurant, serving moderately priced simple meals in a modest setting. Bistros are defined mostly by the foods they serve. French home-style cooking, and slow-cooked foods like cassoulet, a bean stew, are typical.

People often mix up the two because of the similarities between them, even though they each refer to two different kinds of establishments. While a bistro is a place that serves a mix of food and drinks, a cafe is mainly a place that people can go to to be able to get a coffee.

Sandwich boards outside a bistro may advertise the day's specials. French onion soup and mussels a la mariniere are typical examples of French bistro food. Coq au vin, which is chicken in wine, is a classic dish. American bistros may also serve roast pork, Italian dishes made with portobello mushrooms and Asian duck.

The word “bistro” comes from the term “bwystra”, which means fast in Russian. When the Russian army invaded France, during the Napoleonic war, they used to shout “Bwystra!” to the owners or waiters, demanding a faster service because they needed to get back on the road.

But How Many Is Too Many Menu Items? The magic number is 7. According to menu engineer Gregg Rapp, “When we include over seven items, a guest will be overwhelmed and confused, and when they get confused they'll typically default to an item they've had before.”

Choose appetizers to serve that you can prepare ahead and serve easily. Dinner Party – 6 appetizers per person. Serve only 2 to 3 appetizer items, but offer appetizers to only whet their appetite without ruining it. Cocktail Party – 8 to 12 appetizers per person.

Heavy. If you are planning a party, you have the option of serving light or heavy hors d'oeuvres. Lighter hors d'oeuvres are usually served with the expectation that more food is coming. Heavy hors d'oeuvres are meant to replace a meal and is all that is typically served meal-wise.

cocktail - an appetizer served as a first course at a meal. appetiser, appetizer, starter - food or drink to stimulate the appetite (usually served before a meal or as the first course) fruit cocktail - a mixture of sliced or diced fruits.

Time Eaten: Hors d'oeuvres are typically served before the meal even begins, while appetizers tend to indicate the beginning of the meal. An hors d'oeuvre isn't considered to be part of the meal, but appetizers are usually chosen specifically to compliment the following courses.

Potatoes, America's favorite side dish.

The most popular time to serve one's Thanksgiving meal in the United States is in the early afternoon. A 2018 survey of U.S. consumers found that 42 percent of respondents started their Thanksgiving dinner between 1:00pm and 3:00pm.