A LA CARTE

Hey there! Welcome to A La Carte, a game where you get to embrace your inner crazy cook. In this wacky culinary adventure, you and your fellow players will don your mini pans and hotplates, channeling your inner semi-psychotic chef as you strive to sharpen your culinary skills. Get ready for some sizzling fun!

SETUP

Let’s get things cooking! Here’s what you’ll need to set up the game. Each player will receive a stove, a crepe, a tray, a coffee cup, and a pan. Gather all the game components at the center of the playing area: the twenty delicious dishes, nine cooking stars, the trusty trash can, the heating die, the coffee tray with all the coffee cups, a convenient sink, and four handy dispensers filled with condiments. Oh, and don’t forget the five salt crystals – they’ll add that extra pinch of flavor to your masterpieces!

In this game, one of us is randomly chosen to go first. They get to pick a dish and put it in their pan. The rest of us follow in a clockwise order, doing the same thing. The first player collects the cooking spoons to start the game.

How to Play

When it’s my turn, I can do three actions. I can either heat the stove or season the dish, or do a combination of both. For example, I can season the dish three times or season it twice and heat the stove once. Each time I do an action, I pass one spoon to the person on my left. After my turn, I can take a coffee break using one of my coffee cups. Once I have all three spoons, I can finish my actions. Then it’s the next person’s turn, and we keep going clockwise around the group.

Getting the Stove Hot

First things first, I need to make sure that I heat up the stove to the right level if I want to finish my dish. Every recipe has a specific heating level I need to reach, and it’s clearly marked on the recipe card. But hey, here’s the catch – if I get the stove too hot and reach the red zone, my dish will burn! We definitely don’t want that to happen.

To control the heat, I’ll roll a special heating die. This die has different symbols on it, and each symbol means something different. The highest level I can reach is seven, so I’ll definitely need to keep an eye on that gauge.

Add Some Flavor

Now that the stove is nice and hot, it’s time to season my dish to perfection. The recipe cards have specific condiments listed, and I’ll need to add them to my dish. It’s important that I have at least three condiments of the same color in order to finish the dish. But here’s a small warning – too much seasoning can ruin the dish! If I have three salt crystals, it’s game over for my culinary creation.

To prepare their dishes, I’ll grab a dispenser with the right color and try to get them into the pans. Just place it over the pan with the opening facing down. You gotta do it in one smooth move, but no need to rush.

Taking a Coffee Break

You can take a coffee break once during your turn, using your coffee cup. Just take a break, complete the action, and then toss the cup. But remember, the coffee break doesn’t count as an action.

The Game Ends

The game ends in three different ways. If I can’t add a new dish to my pan, the game ends. If I finish five dishes, the game also ends. When the game ends, we count our Victory Points. The player with the most Victory Points wins! If I collect three stars, I’m the winner, regardless of Victory Points.

Hey there! I’m Ellie, and I live in Northeast Tennessee. I adore animals of all shapes and sizes, fantasy books, and being outdoors. I have a fantastic husband who loves me almost as much as our two furry pets. I’m thrilled to be part of this wonderful community!