6G Restaurant recommendations

A Work in pairs. Describe the restaurants in the pictures. Which one would you most like to eat at? Give reasons.
1 2

B Read the descriptions of the two restaurants and match them to the pictures. Complete the first description with the
adjectives in the box. Complete the second with words formed from the words in brackets.

fresh impressive pleasant quiet reasonable romantic traditional welcoming

If you haven’t tried Fishy Business yet, you really don’t know what you’re missing. Tucked away in a 1
area in the Old Town, this seafood restaurant is as popular today as when it first opened thirty years ago.
What I found most 2 about the restaurant was the delectable food. The variety of dishes is
limited, as the chefs only prepare what has been caught on the day. That way, you can rest assured that your
meal will be 3  . To start, I ordered squid in a spicy sauce and for main course, I picked the cod,
which was cooked to perfection and served with crunchy, seasonal vegetables. If you have a question about any
of the dishes, there’s always a waiter on hand to help you out. The staff in general struck me as being very
4
 , knowledgeable and efficient.
Another great thing about the place is the 5 decor. The red-brick walls are covered in old, black
and white photos of fishing scenes and nets are strung from the low ceiling. The atmosphere is cosy and
6
and the soft background music creates a laid-back ambience. When the bill arrives, you’ll be in
for a 7
surprise. The average cost of a two-course meal for two is a very 8 £60.
So, the next time you fancy seafood, head to Fishy Business for a meal to remember.

If you’re looking for an exceptional restaurant in which to celebrate a special occasion, then you need search no
further than The Grove. It’s located off the 1 (BEAT) track in a beautifully-restored manor house
in the 2 (PEACE), rural suburb of Summerton.
What made a big 3 (IMPRESS) on me from the moment I entered the restaurant was the decor.
It’s elegant, yet trendy, with lots of colourful, contemporary artwork covering the walls. The high ceilings create a
4
(SPACE) feeling and the vast windows ensure that it’s bright and airy. The atmosphere is very
5
(RELAX) and I found the staff to be friendly, 6 (ATTEND) and professional.
When the waiter brought the menu, I was immediately 7 (STRIKE) by the extensive range of
mouth-watering dishes. Where possible, meals are prepared from locally grown and sourced produce and there
are plenty of 8 (CHOOSE) for vegetarians. Selecting dishes wasn’t easy, but in the end we opted
for the lamb and the pasta. The lamb was tender and succulent and the home-made linguine was out of this world.
The dessert didn’t disappoint either; the smooth, 9 (CREAM) panna cotta was just delicious.
Although eating at The Grove is pretty 10 (PRICE), I’d say it’s definitely worth splashing out here
for a special treat.

C Discuss the questions in pairs.

1 What are the similarities and differences between Fishy Business and The Grove?
2 Having read the descriptions, which restaurant would you prefer to eat at? Give reasons.

Solutions 2nd edition  Upper-Intermediate © Oxford University Press • Photocopiable

 6G Restaurant recommendations

Aims  To review useful language for describing a place. To give

students practice with word formation.
Time  15 minutes
Materials  1 handout for each student
• Give each student a handout. Divide the class into pairs and
tell them to complete task A. Get feedback from students on
their ideas and opinions.
• Tell students to quickly skim the descriptions in B and match
to the restaurants in A. (First text is restaurant 2; second text is
restaurant 1).
• Tell students to reread the texts and complete the tasks.
Check answers as a class.
Answer Key
Text 1:
1 quiet 4 welcoming 7 pleasant
2 impressive 5 traditional 8 reasonable
3 fresh 6 romantic
Text 2:
1 beaten 5 relaxing 9 creamy
2 peaceful 6 attentive 10 pricey
3 impression 7 struck
4 spacious 8 choices

• Tell students to look through the texts again and highlight

or underline any useful expressions and adjectives for
describing a place. Elicit suggestions from the class.
• Working in pairs, students discuss the questions in C. Get
feedback from the class on their answers and opinions.
Answer Key
Similarities: In quiet area, pleasant decor, artwork on walls, good
staff, relaxing atmosphere, delicious food
Differences: Location, decor, ceiling height, range of dishes, price

Solutions 2nd edition  Upper-Intermediate © Oxford University Press