A la carte. This is a feast for the eyes. Until restaurants became commonplace in the late 1800s, printed menus for meals were rare commodities reserved for special occasions. As restaurants proliferated, the menu became more than just a culinary listing. The design of the menu became an integral part of eating out and as such menus became a marketing tool and a favored keepsake. ''Menu Design'' is an omnibus showcasing the best examples of this graphic art. With nearly a thousand examples, illustrated in vibrant color, this deluxe volume not only showcases this extraordinary collection of paper ephemera but serves as a history of restaurants and eating out in America. In addition to the menu covers many menu interiors are featured providing a epicurean tour and insight to more than a hundred years of dining out. Various photographs of restaurants round out this compendium that will appeal to anyone who enjoys the joy of eating out and its graphic and gastronomic history.