Ok, so let's just get this out there. Drinking can be nice. It relaxes you, a lot of alcoholic drinks are tasty, and it's a very adult thing to order at dinner.
That being said, don't be a god damn drunk. You know who you are. I'm talking about those people who order way too much to drink at dinner, get sloshed (even "tipsy" is a bit rude). I was just talking with one of my women friends, and she made a good point on the matter... Don't order more than two alcoholic drinks. It's a good, safe number. You know you're going to be eating, and you should know your own tolerance by now. If you and your date opt for a bottle of wine? Don't go chugging it all down, because then you're not just a drunk, but you're selfish.
So, let's set the stage.. You're at dinner, a fairly nice restaurant... Nothing too expensive, mind you, this is a first or second date, but not a McDonald's either. Maybe an Italian place? Italian is classy. You have the menu in front of you, your date orders a martini, you order whatever you choose, perhaps some wine. Don't just get water. Speaking as a man who makes a habit of paying for the women he takes on dates, it's a bit annoying. To me, when I order a martini and you just ask for a glass of water, you're thinking to yourself that you need to keep the meal cheap since I'm paying for you. If someone asks you to dinner, and they know they're paying, I'm willing to bet they'll choose a restaurant they know is within their price range if you get a drink or two with your meal. You can order water after you have one or two actual drinks, I promise they won't kill you.
Speaking of dinner... what do you order?
I'll tell you what you don't order. The damn side salad. If you're not a vegetarian, you have no business ordering a side salad for dinner. And even if you ARE a vegetarian, get one of the entree salads. If you want pasta, order the pasta. The person sitting across from you isn't going to think less of you if you order a steak, either, as long as you know how to use a fork and knife to eat it. It's ok to order what you really want, as long as it's not the side salad.
Or, actually, the most expensive thing on the menu. I'm not talking about the restaurants where everything is within a few dollars of everything else on the menu with this, mind you. You know the restaurants I mean, where they have one or two items which are, for no apparent reason, considerably more expensive. There's a pretty nice Italian place here, for instance, that has one dish which costs as much as three other entrees combined. For no reason. I've had it, it's really not that great, and certainly not better than their pasta with bolognese sauce. If you happen to see that mysteriously expensive item on your menu, just avoid it, and get something else. It's rude to assume your date is poor, but it's a pretty mean move to assume they want you to make the meal cost as much as you can.
If you want dessert, that's up to you. Order whatever. It's all delicious. Tiramisu is one of my personal favorites.
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