When you go to a restaurant in France (or elsewhere) the menu is called 'la carte'. So if you wish to choose something from it, that choice is called 'à la carte'. The word 'menu' in French means a fixed priced meal.
A la carte means to order individual items from the menu, as opposed to ordering a set meal.
La carte des mets is the menu. "Mets' is a (somewhat snobbish) noun for a dish.
It's a phrase.
Musique a la Carte was created in 2009.
I'll order the 3 tacos "a la carte" please.
la carte d'amour is The Love map in French
"A la carte" literally means "from the card" - ordering from a menu.
Opera a la Carte - UK - was created in 1993.
Opera a la Carte - US - was created in 1970.
Palm Springs a la Carte was created in 2009.
la Carte de France
the name of the holder of the card