My Menu Collection: or a mild case of kleptomania

One day about 10 years ago, Adam, my friend from culinary school, mentioned something about collecting restaurant menus and ever since then I thought it sounded like a pretty spiffy idea. Now, whenever I visit a new restaurant I try to take home one of their menus as a memento.

 How do I get my hands on these menus? Well,  the average restaurant usually has an old menu or two lying around and if you ask nicely and bat your eyes, they'll let you go home with one. Others unfortunately are really protective of their menus and they leave you with very few options - lie, cheat, and steal.

 

As a result of this kind of unreasonable attitude I have had to pilfer (to steal stealthily in small amounts and often again and again) a menu or two. I don't feel too guilty and usually I don't act alone. In order to carry out my plan I usually have to enlist the help of a family member, a friend or a large coat. 

My collection now consists of about 68 menus from 5 continents - some are photocopies, some are take-out menus, some are originals, and all are full of yummy memories....

   

Here are some of my favorites, listed in no particular order (the ones marked with an asterisk are the menus pictured above and below...):

      

The Sala - Bangkok (Thai dinner and traditional dances)

Heichinrou - Hong Kong (first time I ate chicken feet)*

Formula One Paddock Club - Shanghai (my first F1 race)

Yong Foo Elite - Shanghai

Courtyard - Beijing (overlooking the Forbidden Palace)

Ying Chow - Adelaide's Chinatown

Bridgewater Mill - South Australian winery

Carnegie Deli - NYC

Tony Jr's - Philadelphia (Philly Cheesesteak)

Michy's - Miami*

Azul - Miami (worked here for one year)

Alegria on Sunset - L.A. (my first mole sauce)

YO! Sushi - London (my first conveyer belt sushi)

The Angel in the Fields Pub - London (my local pub)

Pizza Express - London, Hong Kong and Shanghai

Belgo Central - London (the place for mussels and frites)

Villandry - London (amazing food)

Wagamama - London (always a favorite)

Local - Bogotá (my coat was my accomplice here)

Wok - Bogotá

Los Arrieros - Camino Tunja, Colombia

Restaurant du Senat - Paris (culinary school field trip)

Le Clou - Strasbourg (an experience in dining alone)*
Izote de Patricia Quintana - Mexico City

Taquería El Califa - Mexico City (lots of taquitos al pastor)

Sushi Itto - Mexico City (soy sauce with chile toreado)