Dinner For Two - How to Choose the Perfect Restaurant to Impress Your Date

One of the characters in the movie When Harry Met Sally commented that restaurants are the new singles bars. That's because once you've met and sized up a prospective love mate, a restaurant date is the perfect way to get to know them. Here are a few pointers for those legions of people gingerly negotiating the singles scene on how to select a suitable restaurant for a date.


One common concern of daters - especially first daters - is running out of conversation. To avoid those awkward silences it's not a bad idea to choose a restaurant that has an on-site conversation topic. The theatricality of Japanese teppanyaki - good humoured Japanese chefs deftly maneuvering tasty morsels off the hot plate and into your bowl - is almost guaranteed to get the chatter going. Sake will also encourage even the most retiring wall flower to loosen up.

Noise level should be a consideration when picking a date restaurant. You don't want to have to listen to others' mobile phone conversations while you're trying to make sexy small talk (unless of course it's a Hollywood A-lister giving their iPhone a work-out, in which case you want to be able to hear every word). However many busy restaurants are only slightly less noisy than standing under a jet taking off, and your sweet nothings could be lost in a barrage of hubbub.

Remember that expensive doesn't necessarily equal romantic. Sometimes your favourite neighbourhood eatery is a better choice than the place all the critics are raving about. After all, the staff know you, you know the stand-out dishes and you feel relaxed there, and can thus devote your total attention to your date. It's also a good litmus test for a relationship - if your date turns up their nose at your favourite local Thai/French bistro/Italian trattoria then you know it's just not gonna work out.

If you do want to make a big impression, make sure it's a positive one. There's no point taking your date to a fancy restaurant if you end up feeling humiliated by the snooty service, unable to decipher the French menu and sweating bullets wondering how you'll be able to pay the bill. Plus you'll look like a complete loser when you order the steak tartare well done.

If you want to lash out on a "special occasion" meal at a fancy restaurant and you're not a veteran of expense account dining, remember forewarned is forearmed. Confer with friends for recommendations, check out your local restaurant guide and/or check out the menu on the restaurant's website. Then you'll have an idea of the cuisine, prices and ambiance of the place before you book. And if you get into trouble, don't be too proud to ask the waiter for help - that's what they're there for.
BY : Charles cuninghame