Dialogue - Pack the leftovers 剩饭打包

dì wŭ shí qī kè jiāng shèng cài dǎ bāo
第五十七课 将剩菜打包
Lesson Fifty-seven Pack the leftovers (or Ask for a doggie bag)

One of the easiest ways to save money on food is to stop throwing it away. It's sometimes easy to forget that the most expensive food you buy is the food you don't actually eat. Pack the leftovers at night while you're cleaning up from dinner. Ask for a "doggie bag" to take away the leftovers of a party with your family or friends in a restaurant. Then, in the morning, just grab and go.

mài kè: wǒ men zhōng wǔ qù nà jiā cān guǎn chī diǎn dōng xi ba?
麦克：我们中午去那家餐馆吃点东西吧？
Mike: Shall we have lunch in that restaurant？

lì li: hǎo de, wǒ men kě yǐ yù dìng yí gè kào chuāng hù de wèi zi.
丽丽：好的，我们可以预定一个靠窗户的位子。
Lili: Great, we can reserve a window table now.

mài kè: wǒ xiǎng diǎn fèn niú pái, shā là hé mǐ fàn.
麦克：我想点份牛排、沙拉和米饭。
Mike: I'd like to have a steak, with salad and some rice.

lì li: nǐ xǐ huān shēng de, zhōng děng shóu de, hái shì wán quán shóu de niú pái?
丽丽：你喜欢生的、中等熟的、还是完全熟的牛排？
Lili: Do you prefer your steak rare, medium or (completely) well-done?

mài kè: wǒ xǐ huān zhōng děng shóu de, wèi dào bǐ jiào xiān nèn.
麦克：我喜欢中等熟的，味道比较鲜嫩。
Mike: I like my steak medium. It tastes fresh and tender.

lì li: wǒ diǎn fèn hóng shāo ròu, lì zi jī kuàir…
丽丽：我点份红烧肉、栗子鸡块…
Lili: I'd like to have pork braised in soy sauce, chicken fried with chestnuts…

mài kè: wèi dào yí dìng bú cuò. kàn lái nǐ shì diǎn cài gāo shǒu.
麦克：味道一定不错，看来你是点菜高手。
Mike: That sounds delicious. So you have a talent for ordering dishes.

lì li: wǒ zái yào fèn cù liū tǔ dòu sī hé mǐ fàn.
丽丽：我再要份醋溜土豆丝和米饭。
Lili: I'd like to have potato sticks in vinegar and rice.

mài kè: tiān na, nǐ diǎn zhè me duō, chī de liǎo ma?
麦克：天哪，你点这么多，吃得了吗？
Mike: Heavens, you are ordering such a lot. Can you eat all of that?

lì li: chī bǔ liǎo méi guān xi, wǒ kě yǐ dǎ bāo dài zǒu.
丽丽：吃不了没关系，我可以打包带走。
Lili: It doesn't matter. I can ask for a "doggie bag" and pack the leftovers.

mài kè: zhè shì gè hǎo zhǔ yi, liú zhe xià dùn zài chī.
麦克：这是个好主意，留着下顿再吃。
Mike: That's a good idea. You can have it for your next meal.

lì li: bú huì làng fèi de , wǒ zhǐ shì lǎn de zuò wǎn fàn.
丽丽：不会浪费的，我只是懒得做晚饭。
Lili: It won't be wasted. I am just lazy about making supper.

mài kè: tīng nǐ zhè me yī shuō, wǒ yě zài dìng yī xiē dāng wǎng fàn chī.
麦克： 听你这么一说，我也再订一些当晚饭吃。
Mike: I hear what you are saying - I'll order some more for supper, too.

lì li: zhè shì cài dān, nǐ zài hǎo hǎo tiāo xuǎn yī xià.
丽丽：这是菜单，你再好好挑选一下。
Lili: This is the menu. Choose what you like.

New Words
生词

餐馆 cān guǎn: restaurant
预定 yù dìng: reserve
窗户 chuāng hù: window
点菜 diǎn cài: order
位子 wèi zi: table
中等 zhōng děng: medium
完全 wán quán: complete, completely (for steak – well-done)
味道 wèi dào: taste, flavor 
高手 gāo shǒu: expert, be good at, have a talent for
打包 dǎ bāo: pack in a container  (put in a doggie bag)
浪费 làng fèi: waste
挑选 tiāo xuǎn: choose