Joanna James
Fretting over a meal at one of the ritziest restaurants in town is common if your dining etiquette is out of sync. Making the affair simple and enjoyable the following tips are easy to follow.
Remember that you must work from the outside when selecting cutlery. A table will be set with the forks on the left and knives and spoons on the right; of course, it is not always just one set of each and depending on the number of courses you will be faced with many variations of knives, spoons and forks. The cutlery furthest from the plate must be used first and so on as the meal progresses. If you are still not sure wait gracefully until your host starts eating and choose the same.
Never use your fork to scoop up food, instead point the tines downwards and use the knife to squash the food onto the fork. Of course, if it is meat use the tines to skewer the food but if it is mushy food then follow the practice of pressing food onto the fork with the knife.
Soup must be eaten by drinking the liquid from the edge of your soup spoon. First, start by scooping up the soup from the centre of the plate and moving the spoon away from you to the outer edge; gently wipe off excess soup on the outer side rim of the plate or bowl. Do not put the spoon into your mouth, instead sip from the side edge of the spoon, mind you do not slurp.
If any cutlery falls to the floor, leave it. You do not have to go hunting for it under the table; a server will pick it up and replace it for you. This is noted at many fancy restaurants and if you are in a mood for fine dining in KL consider some of the best restaurants there for a 5-star experience. Indulge in epicurean delights with confidence once you get the hang of dining etiquette and practise at Berjaya Times Square Hotel.
Use the pudding as a knife by holding it bowl side outwards; use it to scoop off a piece. The pudding fork can then be used to push the bits onto the spoon.
Many fine dining restaurants serve pudding as a sweet course; this does not mean it is a dessert. In this case, dessert is fruit and cheeses.
Do not tuck the napkin into your shirt. In days of yore it was appropriate to tuck the napkin into a shirt or dress; now it is seen as just plain vulgar. Instead unfold and lay the cloth on your lap. Use the napkin to gently dab at the corners of your mouth but do not wipe.
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