Deaf News: Vancouver’s first ‘deaf restaurant’ teaches diners to order in sign language

Canada’s Metronews has reported on a new restaurant with a difference:

A new Vancouver restaurant is encouraging diners to order with their hands.

DeaFined, opening May 7 on West 4th Avenue near Vine Street in Kitsilano, is staffed entirely by deaf and hard of hearing servers. Among the first of its kind in Canada, the Eastern Mediterranean restaurant asks customers to order food and drinks using American Sign Language.

For those who don’t know how to sign, there’s no need to fret.

“There’s a cheat sheet on the table with the menu,” said owner Moe Alameddine. “The server comes up to take the order, and the fun part starts there.”

In the mood for steak? Grab the fleshy part of your left hand with the index finger and thumb of your right hand, and wiggle a bit as if getting a good grip on the meat. How about salad? Use both hands and picture yourself tossing some greens.

When customers arrive at the DeaFined, a hearing host or hostess greets them and acts as an interpreter while they introduce the server.

Read the full story here: http://metronews.ca/news/vancouver/1354895/vancouvers-first-deaf-restaurant-teaches-diners-to-order-in-sign-language/