Good Menu Writing

[helenjp]

It seems we have lots of topics on bad menu writing, and I can see why that is: the only way to talk convincingly about food is with your mouth full!

But here I'd really like to ask about good menu writing.

I've read and translated reviews and interviews with artists, dancers, architects, and designers of every kind, my lip curled in disdain - and then had my breath taken away when I experienced their work directly. They do their stuff so well, but they talk about it so badly! Somebody should have stamped "Keep Away From Pens and Phones" on their foreheads at birth...

So...whether you are a chef who has to write menus, or a writer who has to RE-write menus, or a diner who has to read menus, what makes a menu good?

[fourfingersdown]

Simplicity, don't try to embellish your menu with fancy adjectives and descriptions of preparations. Let the food, and ingredients stand alone.

[helenjp]

Simple is what I'm thinking, bulleted points actually sound good to me...

Let the food, and ingredients stand alone.

I'm fascinated that probably every eGulleteer would agree that they don't want too much fluff in menu descriptions.

But watch what happened when somebody actually described the items on some proposed tasting menu items in a minimal way (in a topic which I read this morning but now can't find).

The first reactions he got were from people saying "not enough information"; especially, not enough information to differentiate the dish from all the other similar offerings out there in restaurantland.

So what does that perfect menu really read like, I wonder?

Another point, when you pick up a menu, is it enough to know that this is fried chicken, or do you need to know at the ordering stage that this fried chicken isn't like *their* fried chicken?