Mice and cockroaches are not on the menu at Serendipity 3, the Manhattan restaurant that unveiled a record-breaking $25,000 chocolate dessert fused with edible gold, but they managed to cost the owners of the Upper East Side establishment a pretty penny.

Whether the growing interest in organic fruits and vegetables can be blamed for a new cocktail trend is yet to be determined. Just peruse the drink menu at any given trendy bar or restaurant and you might think you're having a look at a dessert menu or list of salads when you spot the mention of cucumbers, organic raspberries and poached pears.....

With Appetizers, Entrées, and Desserts Weighing in at 2,000 Calories Apiece, the Time is Ripe for Menu Labeling, Says CSPI. You won't believe how many calories are in some of these restaurant meals.

In a restaurant, a menu is the list of options for a diner to select. A menu may be a la carte or table d'hôte. The items that are available for the diner to choose from are broken down into various categories, depending on the time of day or the event. A breakfast menu in the Western World has eggs, toast or fruits to help the diner have energy to start the day. Grain and protein are considerations as well. Lunch and dinner menu items are often larger portions of food because one becomes hungrier later on in the day after consuming energy. A degustation menu however may combine elements from breakfast, lunch and dinner. As all things the common menu has evolved, along with the internet you now get an interactive menu akin OnlineMenu.In Mary Douglas' article, "Deciphering A Meal" she asserts the menu is very important because it is the basis of all society. Through picking items off of a menu, one can learn a lot about a person. If they choose meats or high-protein food, it demonstrates their activity and need to replenish their energy supply. On the other hand, if the items chosen are vegetables or dessert, one could conclude that the person is a vegetarian or they like large amounts of sugar. While this does not apply absolutely, it may give insight into the lives or people by what they order.