空中餐厅——把用餐上升到新的高度

 　　'Dinner in the Sky' Takes Gourmet¹ Dining To A Whole New Level

　　空中餐厅——把用餐上升到新的高度

　　Two Belgian men have come up with a way to take fine dining to a whole new level - Literally²! Diners at their pop-up and franchised³ restaurants enjoy gourmet meals perched upon floating platforms suspended 180-feet above ground with the help of a giant crane!

　　两个比利时男子把用餐带到了新的高度——这不是比喻，而是事实哦！依靠大型起重机的帮助，人们可以在高达180英尺的空中餐厅享用美食。

　　空中餐厅——把用餐上升到新的高度.jpg

　　The inaugural⁴ event held above the city of Brussels in April 2007, comprised an ordinary platform suspended in the atmosphere with 22 guests and the chef of the French restaurant Ghysels was trying to promote. It was so successful that the men knew they had a winning concept on their hands. And they were right!

　　两位创始人最初的尝试是2007年4月在布鲁塞尔市开展的：主要通过一个悬挂在空中，坐有22位客人的普通的台面实现。当时法国餐厅的大厨Ghysels也在帮忙极力推荐。这次尝试非常顺利，使得两位创始人心里对日后的成功有了底，事实也证明他们是对的！

　　In the past nine years, 'Dinner in the Sky' has delighted over a 1000 guests in 40 countries. The locations range from skies above the bustling⁵ Las Vegas strip to the beautiful Dubai Marina and even adjacent to the Eiffel Tower in Paris,France.

　　过去的9年，空中餐厅已经推广至40多个国家，吸引了1000多名顾客来尝试。无论喧闹的拉斯维加斯、美丽的迪拜，还是法国埃菲尔铁塔附近，都有它的身影。

　　To keep the meals intimate and exclusive, each sitting comprises just 22 guests. Diners are first treated to cocktails⁶ and appetizers⁷ on the ground. Then they line up at the restaurant's entrance which in this case is a giant roller-coaster-like platform fitted with a securely attached tables and chairs. Once seated the guests are requested to strap⁸ on a safety harness and the fun ride begins.

　　为了保持用餐的私密与独特，空中餐厅一次可以坐22名食客。食客们先在地面享用鸡尾酒和开胃菜，随后在空中餐厅入口——由固定桌椅组成的过山车似的台子处坐好后，系上安全带就可以享受上升的乐趣了。

　　Upon reaching the desired height, the visitors spend anywhere from 40 to 60 minutes enjoying a three or four-course meal, prepared by a famous local chef. Some pop-up versions even feature piano players or orchestra bands that entertain guests from their own suspended platforms. To ensure that an errant fork or knife doesn't hurt people on the ground, the space underneath⁹ the table is kept clear of all traffic.

　　当到达理想的高度，来自世界各地的食客就可以享受当地名厨准备的美食了。通常，每餐由3-4个主菜组成，用餐时间大概有40-60分钟。有些地方的空中餐厅还在餐桌旁边的台子上设有钢琴或者交响乐团的表演。为了防止空中餐厅的餐具意外伤到地面的人，空中餐台设置时往往会避开地面人群。

　　The $300 fee per guest includes a limousine¹⁰ ride to the restaurant's destination. However, the one thing it doesn't is a trip to the bathroom. For while gastronomic¹¹ food may be available that high up, restrooms are not!

　　300美元的餐费里还包括豪车接驾到餐厅的服务。但是，这可不包括去卫生间的路程。美食也许容易带到高空，卫生间就那么容易了！

1 gourmet   

n.食物品尝家；adj.出于美食家之手的

参考例句：

• What does a gourmet writer do? 美食评论家做什么？
• A gourmet like him always eats in expensive restaurants.像他这样的美食家总是到豪华的餐馆用餐。

2 literally   

adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实

参考例句：

• He translated the passage literally.他逐字逐句地翻译这段文字。
• Sometimes she would not sit down till she was literally faint.有时候，她不走到真正要昏厥了，决不肯坐下来。

3 franchised   

v.给…以特许权，出售特许权( franchise的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He is starting the first school himself,but subsequent ones will be franchised to use the Fujita method. 他已经自己开办了第一所学校，但是以后的学校将被特许使用富士达方法。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Driving tests for franchised bus are held on request by bus companies. 专营巴士的驾驶考试只在巴士公司要求下才举行。 来自互联网

4 inaugural   

adj.就职的；n.就职典礼

参考例句：

• We listened to the President's inaugural speech on the radio yesterday.昨天我们通过无线电听了总统的就职演说。
• Professor Pearson gave the inaugural lecture in the new lecture theatre.皮尔逊教授在新的阶梯讲堂发表了启用演说。

5 bustling   

adj.喧闹的

参考例句：

• The market was bustling with life. 市场上生机勃勃。
• This district is getting more and more prosperous and bustling. 这一带越来越繁华了。

6 cocktails   

n.鸡尾酒( cocktail的名词复数 )；餐前开胃菜；混合物

参考例句：

• Come about 4 o'clock. We'll have cocktails and grill steaks. 请四点钟左右来，我们喝鸡尾酒，吃烤牛排。 来自辞典例句
• Cocktails were a nasty American habit. 喝鸡尾酒是讨厌的美国习惯。 来自辞典例句

7 appetizers   

n.开胃品( appetizer的名词复数 )；促进食欲的活动；刺激欲望的东西；吊胃口的东西

参考例句：

• Here is the egg drop and appetizers to follow. 这是您要的蛋花汤和开胃品。 来自互联网
• Would you like appetizers or a salad to go with that? 你要不要小菜或色拉？ 来自互联网

8 strap   

n.皮带，带子；v.用带扣住，束牢；用绷带包扎

参考例句：

• She held onto a strap to steady herself.她抓住拉手吊带以便站稳。
• The nurse will strap up your wound.护士会绑扎你的伤口。

9 underneath   

adj.在...下面，在...底下；adv.在下面

参考例句：

• Working underneath the car is always a messy job.在汽车底下工作是件脏活。
• She wore a coat with a dress underneath.她穿着一件大衣，里面套着一条连衣裙。

10 limousine   

n.豪华轿车

参考例句：

• A chauffeur opened the door of the limousine for the grand lady.司机为这个高贵的女士打开了豪华轿车的车门。
• We arrived in fine style in a hired limousine.我们很气派地乘坐出租的豪华汽车到达那里。

11 gastronomic   

adj.美食（烹饪）法的，烹任学的

参考例句：

• The gastronomic restaurant is a feature of the hotel. 美食餐厅是这家饭店的一个特色。 来自互联网
• The restaurant offers a special gastronomic menu. 这家餐馆备有一份特别的美食菜单。 来自互联网