Posts filed under ‘dining out’
Dog Date Afternoon?
To doggonit or not on a date is an interesting question. Depending on the behavior of one’s dog, the squiring of one’s dog on a date is a pretty undesirable action. Would you bring a slightly desultory newborn on a date? Didn’t think so.
Compound trying to find a restaurant in Chicago that allows for dogs, and the stressometer registers code rouge. One time I brought my (now passed on) dog Jackie (not Jaquée of 227 fame) on a date and the occasion suffered. She had prolonged curiousity for a nutty buddy wrapper on the street and my extended efforts to hold on to her leash wore down the skin on my hand. Plus the guy in question was a short red head jackass. Not a pretty combination and a second date was not forthcoming.
I say dogs are great to suss out dates, but only if you are lucky enough to find a friendly nonyuppie at the dog park. And that I tell you, would be a newsworthy occasion.
Good places to take Max the Charming Kashmoodle Mix on a date:
1. Wilson Dog Beach
2. Jerry’s Sandwiches on Division (mediocre food though, be warned and only during the summer months. )
3. Mac’s on Division (disclaimer for all restaurants, dog must be Xanaxed to point of stupefication)
4. Not in one’s way during romantic physical expressions (saying hi is less acceptable these days)
5. A trip to Petco on that 4th date
Links:
1 comment December 7, 2007
Cleo’s-a low commitment occasion
1935 W. Chicago Avenue
(312) 243-5600
Cleo’s is the bar you pick when you don’t care too deeply about first impressions. When I think of the bar (with grilled food, more on that later) the dim lighting comes to mind. Not dim in a defrocked Ricardo Montalban type of way, but in a “a bunch of wet kindergartenders on a field trip just sullied our tile floors” kind of way. When one walks by from the south there is always a jetblack maned underfed youngster (grandma!) acting as de facto greeter, perched on his seat, blowing smoke within a 15 degree radius of my sad self. The bouncer, usually a mere 20 lbs. heavier than myself usually seems grateful for the additional company.
Lighting, as we all know, is key, and Cleo’s scores several datingdish points (tada!) by stringing little red lanterns in the front room. If you can squeeze in a seat among the 30 and 40 something hipsters and other somewhat questionable types you have scored. Otherwise you are relegated to the Siberia of the back room, which has the dull warm flourescence that makes you question your eyesight. In addition the Olde Chicago favourite, the sports monitors/monsters become a hindrance to that first, second or frankly any date. I had to compete with my date who had roving eyes there, not for the dishy waitress, but for ESPN2 tennis.
The drinks are relatively affordable, though I remember the at best average wine costing a bit more (was it $7?) which I think is ridiculous considering the ambiance and House vintage. The service, usually in faux vintage t-shirts, is palatably friendly but again, curiously absent at that moment you’re desperate to pay and get away from that awkward date, which would be an unremarkable experience at Cleo’s.
The summer provides better opportunities for dating there, because the beer garden is open and there is a more expansive provision of saxy lighting. Unfortunately one is forced to sit on that awful metal chair that leaves a diamond pattern on one’s tush. Additionally I had the experience there with my dear friend L (not a date but who cares) of having to GET UP and get my own water from the near empty cooler. And pay for table service on top of that. Quite the offense. Though I shy away from food reviews, Cleo’s is NOT a place to dig into anythng healthy or colored anything other than brown. It’s fine if you want the conventional bar food trappings, but even in that case, it’s just OK.
In summary, Cleo’s is ideal for the after party party with that date you already know somewhat, when you’ve been swanked out by the loungy, throttling beats of the clubs with low furniture. (Why is it clubs now have such low furniture? Seems like a liability, even without imbibing martinis ) The relatively lower price point will come as a relief, the softer music will soothe your tinnitis strained ears, and the nonambiance will neither intimidate nor enthrall you.
In other words, it’s just ok, but awful if in the back room.
Add comment November 28, 2007
Welcome to dating dish!
The idea of this blog is to review restaurants, but only in the context of how palatable (punny, right) they are for dating. As I seem to be a bit of an expert on the nuances of dating, but especially how IMPORTANT the right setting is for those first few dates, I decided to opine on the various Chicago eateries/lounges.
This week’s installment
Vintage
Bucktown/Wicker Park
1942 W Division St
Chicago, IL 60622
By Margalit
This week’s review sends us to the outer banks of the Wicker
Park corner of Division and Damen to a semi luxe bar called
“Vintage.” Now before you imagine Edith Piaf renditions of
“L’Etranger” crooning through Aunt Vivian’s phonograph or
musty silk raiments please take hold, Vintage simply refers
to the fruit of the vine.
Vintage is an excellent place for a first date, barring one rule:
come before 10pm. At that magic hour, the subtle electronica
escalates into an assault of thumping elephant beats. (“turn it down,
sonny!”) The club, wine bar, what have you boasts an
excellent menu, as the chef changed somewhere around summer
of 07, though portions can be a bit stingy. The artichoke hearts are above
average though with a slightly excessively oily sauce. The pizza
is an excellent value and restrains itself with only the best
basil, cheese and sauce, a true Margherita.
But again let’s keep the focus on atmosphere. First dates usually involve
two slightly edgy people eagerly gulping down the first
glass to calm their nerves. That is why I recommend the
waitstaff, friendly (I especially love B.J. and please no obvious jokes here,
and the other chick Danielle?) yet they are not painfully perky pests.
There is one embittered bartender who failed to laugh at my off the
cuff joke about lawyers, but he was the exception. Unfortunately the overhead light
is least flattering to those concerned with bags under their eyes
but if you sit by the front, the bar or outdoors during the summer
you can get the necessary antiaging luminescence. Unfortunately post 10pm
the place becomes a coterie of youngish men in douchebag shirts
and the ladies who love them and love to talk LOUD. One other
drawback involving after hours is that people are rumored to enter
the bathroom in pairs, ahem ahem.
So to recap: good for a first date if sitting by the bar or in front, before
10pm, and don’t be afraid to order a tasty appetizer or entrée. BAD
if one has laryngitis, has an aversion to neo Sade lounge music,
and sits under those ghastly lights in the left back area.
2 comments November 26, 2007
