[Grammar] Articles before names of dishes

[Waawe]

Hi,

do we use articles before names of specific dishes?

For example: "I will have a curry with rice." - "And I will have a stew."

 

[Tarheel]

Hi,

Do we use articles before names of specific dishes?

For example: "I will have a curry with rice." - "And I will have a stew."

I don't think there are any hard and fast rules. For example, I might say:

Let me have a pepperjam pita burger, a spicy fish sandwich, a bowl of chili, a slice of carrot cake, and a cup of iced tea.

As for your example, I might say:

Let me have curry with rice and stew.

Yum!

 

[SoothingDave]

You can also use the definite article. "I'll have the New York strip, medium rare." You're referring to a definite thing that is on the menu.

 

[Glizdka]

If you're talking about ordering food at a restaurant, dishes are sometimes perceived as "units", or servings. This is especially useful when your order consists of multiple dishes in different quantities. It makes it clear to the server what and how much of it you want. Some restaurants add numbers next to the names of their dishes to help the customers order them.

"I'll have two number nines, a number nine large, a number six with extra dip, a number seven, two number forty-fives, one with cheese, and a large soda."

You could just use the names of the dishes instead of their numbers, basically citing the name as per what's written on the menu. It doesn't matter if the noun that's part of that name is countable or not. You're treating the dish itself as a unit, and only using its name so the server knows what you're ordering. You're not really using the word for the dish as it's commonly understood by everyone.

"I'll have two chicken curries, a chicken curry large, a Malabar fish curry with extra rice, a goat Masala curry, two green chicken curries, one with garlic, and a large soda."

Outside of the context of making a sizable order at a restaurant, I'd say you should stick to the basic rules, and treat uncountable nouns as uncountable.

"I like chicken curry."

 

[probus]

I'll have two chicken curries, a chicken curry large, a Malabar fish curry with extra rice, a goat Masala curry, two green chicken curries, one with garlic, and a large soda.

Sounds like me when I'm in the mood for a light breakfast.

 

[Glizdka]

Sounds like me when I'm in the mood for a light breakfast.

That's just the pre-appetizer, before the appetizer, before the pre-breakfast, before the breakfast, before the post-breakfast.

 

[Tdol]

Why don't you just get a couple of large chicken curries, and reduce your order- that way you'll look more modest in your appetite.

 

[Tdol]

Hi,

do we use articles before names of specific dishes?

For example: "I will have a curry with rice." - "And I will have a stew."

You can say the stew if you're thinking about that dish and not the other dishes on the menu. I suppose it may depend on whether you're thinking of it as a dish or a choice.

 

[Tdol]

That's just the pre-appetizer, before the appetizer, before the pre-breakfast, before the breakfast, before the post-breakfast.

No room for an amuse-bouche? Wimp.