$is_intersected = array_intersect($category->getGroups(), $this->user_groups);
        // filter the categories that the user is allowed to see and browse
        if (!empty($is_intersected)) {
            if (count($children)) {
                $this->_menu .= '<li ' . $selected . ' class="parent">';
            } else {
                $this->_menu .= '<li ' . $selected . '>';
            }
            $this->_menu .= '<a href="' . $category_link . '"><img src="/themes/giftstore/img/11.png" width="85px" height="85px"/></a>';

            $parent = 'parent';
            if (count($children)) {
                $this->_menu .= '<ul>';

                foreach ($children as $child)
                    $this->getCategory((int) $child['id_category'], (int) $id_lang, (int) $child['id_shop']);

                $this->_menu .= '</ul>';
            }
            $this->_menu .= '</li>';