Definition: "A la carte" is a French phrase that is used in English to describe a way of ordering food at a restaurant. When you order "a la carte," it means you choose individual dishes from a menu, and each dish has its own price. This is different from a fixed-price meal where you pay one price for a set number of courses.
Adjective: Use "a la carte" to describe meals or menus.
Adverb: You can use it to describe how you are ordering.
Noun: You can refer to the menu itself as "the a la carte menu."
In fine dining, ordering a la carte is often preferred by customers who want a personalized dining experience. It allows for greater flexibility and creativity in choosing meals that suit individual tastes.
While "a la carte" is mostly used in the context of dining, it can also refer to the idea of having options or choices available in other contexts, such as services (e.g., "a la carte services" in a hotel).
There are no specific idioms or phrasal verbs that directly relate to "a la carte," but you might hear phrases like: - "Pick and choose" – which means to select items one by one from a variety of options.
To summarize, "a la carte" means choosing individual dishes from a menu with separate prices. It allows diners to customize their meals according to their preferences.