Record article on Good Restaurants for Dates - Lot of Edgewater Ones

[Mike]

Finding that table for two
Wednesday, November 10, 2004

Choosing the right restaurant for a date is an art.

There may not be an annual television show honoring those most talented, but a good effort offers a shot at other rewards. We can't teach instinct. But we can provide guidelines to help hone your skills and improve your chances.

Generally, dates fall within certain categories: relaxed, classic, adventurous, and impressive. There are degrees and overlap, but the four classifications (we'll get more specific later) offer a valuable framework to begin the decision-making process.

To assist further, consider A) what kind of date you want this to be and B) the desires of the person you are taking out.

As it is with all relationships, good listening skills are helpful. An obvious but illustrative example: You have been e-mailing back and forth with a girl you met online and she mentions early in your conversations she doesn't like sushi. After awhile, you ask her out and suggest your favorite haunt - a Japanese restaurant. Sure, there's always tempura and teriyaki, but please, what kind of message does this send?

Zagat editor Ben Schmerler said this not-my-type-of-place date happens more than one would expect. "The not listening part can really get you into trouble," he said.

A few other universal considerations:

Lighting matters. Go for flattering (dim) over fluorescent (bright). "Most people could use a little extra help," Schmerler said.

Don't do too trendy, or overly crowded, especially on a Friday or Saturday night. Waiting around is not sexy. Reservations are. So is lively, which no, is not the same thing as trendy. Lively is good food, a devoted, happy clientele and a table that is ready for you; trendy is here today, gone tomorrow because of the obnoxious-must-go-to-the-in-place clientele and food that is just never as good as the reviewer says.

Relaxed

First-daters generally have the same concern: How long are we going to be able to sustain a conversation?

Casual is the answer to this anxiety. According to Match.com's Kathleen Roldan, 41 percent of their online daters prefer a coffee shop for the first meeting.

For funky, try something like Archetypus in Edgewater. Popular with teenagers and twentysomethings, the restaurant offers Greek food and a variety of non-alcoholic drink concoctions. Its white, cave-like back room offers some privacy and something to talk about.

For an older, more sophisticated couple, the Diva Lounge in Montclair is darker and sultrier and sells alcohol, which may be desired. Saturday is Moroccan night, complete with hookahs and belly dancers.

For a sweet idea, meet for dessert. In warmer weather, Baumgart's in Ridgewood has an outdoor café and some tasty treats that will surely make you happy, even if your date doesn't.

Classic

If your date wants tried and true, nothing fits that bill like a chain.

Houston's in Riverside Square mall in Hackensack was amply recommended by a group of pretty ladies out on the town one recent night. You know what you are going to get, the service is generally good, the surprises are few, and the light is suitably low.

For Sara Olsen, 31, a great date is dinner in Ridgewood and then a stroll through the town, ending with a drink in a bar or a dessert.

"You don't have to get in your car right away," she said. There are a lot of little restaurant towns like that - Montclair, Hoboken and East Rutherford, to name a few.

South City Grille on Route 17 south in Rochelle Park is yet another possibility. Classic but hip with a South Beach Miami feel, this very good, modern seafood restaurant offers an ocean motif, lively bar scene and, on some nights, dancing.

It feels as though there's lots of action, yet it's quiet enough to have a conversation without shouting on weeknights.

Adventurous

Dates with travelers, exotics and the daring are best enjoyed over ethnic cuisine or in off-the-beaten-path finds. Think of your date as a little trip to an undiscovered (at least in your mind) locale.

Tapas de España in Englewood and North Bergen offers small plates of Spanish cuisine that the two of you can share. On Thursday nights, the clay-colored Englewood branch also has flamenco dancers.

If sharing sounds good, try fondue. Both the Magic Pot in Edgewater and the Melting Pot in Westwood offer pots of hot melted cheese and chocolate and plenty of goodies to dip.

La Tartuferia in Hoboken is hard to find and easy to enjoy. The restaurant, located in an industrial section of the city, specializes in truffles and authentic Italian fare.

Impressive

Sometimes, you have to go for broke. Maybe your date is super-special or likes luxury, or you just really want to strut some stuff.

In such cases, The River Palm in Edgewater is a popular local choice.

"The atmosphere is nice, and the food is good and expensive. You know if your date is going to take you there, they are OK," said fortysomething Peggy.

Many would call Chakra - a new restaurant on Route 4 in Paramus where candles provide most of the light, water glimmers down a back wall, and banquettes invite serious lounging - the ultimate date restaurant. With cocktails like the Karma Crush and the Karma Sutra, at least one client was impressed.

"The first thing I said when I walked in here is, 'This place makes me want to have sex,' " said Karen Koscioch, 27, of Teaneck. "Let's face it, this is very swanky."

E-mail: koren@northjersey.com

Copyright © 2004 North Jersey Media Group Inc.

Baumgart's Café, 158 Franklin Ave., Ridgewood (201) 612-5688; 45 E. Palisade Ave., Englewood (201) 569-6267; 59 Promenade, Edgewater (201) 313-3889