– Certainly, no problem. We can cook cod that way. What kind of garnish would you like with it, sir?
– Hmm, I’m not sure. French fries maybe? How your cook decides it would be nice.
– What about first course?
– For the first course… I don’t know either. What have you got?
– We’ve got very good fish solyanka with sturgeon and salmon.
– Ah, sounds good, I’ll go for that one, yes!
– A salad?
– Do you have Greek salad?
– Certainly.
– May I also have some Armenian brandy, fifty grams?
– OK, for dessert?
– I would really fancy a sponge-cake.
– I see. What kind of cake? Napoleon or a brownie? Or a cream puff?
– No, no. I would prefer a summer pudding with strawberry or cranberry. You’ve got summer pudding, haven’t you?
– Yes.
– And I would like a big cup of black tea with lemon.
– Any fruit?
– Let’s make it one big dark red colored apple. Aren’t they called Chinese or something like that? Oh yes, and four tangerines, please.
– Anything else?
– No, I think that will be enough, thanks.
– I’ll bring you the fruit and the salad now, but the other dishes will be ready a bit later.
– Thank you!
– I’m Peter. So, what can I get for you?
– Might you happen to have any fish, per chance?
– Did you say «any kind of fish»? Why, of course we do! It would probably be simpler to say what kind of fish we don’t have here.
– Even cod?
– You must be joking! Why, of course we have cod! That goes without saying!
– You know, a friend of mine from San Antonio treated me to some fried cod not too long ago. He would often take a large fish, cut it along the spine into two 20 cm or so pieces each and then fry them. It was, so to speak, cod side, for lack of a better word. Could you, perhaps, prepare it that way?
– Certainly! That would be no problem at all! We also prepare cod that way as well. Which garnish would you like to accompany your cod and for your side dish as well, sir?
– I don’t know….hmmm.. I suppose that any old garnish will do but for a side, I think that maybe French fries will suffice. Better yet, I’ll tell you what! Why don’t you surprise me and let your cook decide for us both instead.
– And for the first course, sir?
– For the first course… well, I don’t know. I suppose that I still need more time to consider it.
– Well, I can say that we just so happen to have very good solyanka with sturgeon and salmon.