Fried chickpeas. [Photographs: Garrett Ziegler]

Like a dress that can take you from day to evening, Brooklyn Label seamlessly handles the transition from coffee bar to bar and restaurant. As darkness falls, the flicker of candles replaces the glow of Apple products. Regulars sit at the great big bar of this Greenpoint cafe and gradually switch from latte to pint.

As part of Happy Hour, weeknights from 5 to 7, Brooklyn Label offers a whole chicken or pork porterhouse (a "huge plate of pork" was our server's initial description), two sides, and a bottle of wine or a growler of Narragansett beer for $35. Certain cocktails are $7, selected drafts are $3, snacks are $5, fries or salad are $2. Based on our experience, not enough people are taking advantage of these deals. You should go.

It's tempting to pop the fried chickpeas ($3) with your fingers as a snack, but we quickly discovered the benefits of using the spoon. Doing so allowed us to eat more of these meaty marbles at a time. Daintily fried, they were covered in rosemary and cayenne, giving them a light kick.

Texas-style wings.

Obviously there's only one way to eat Texas-style wings ($5 during Happy Hour, $10), and so we did, covering our hands with the glaze. The portion was huge, the wings not at all skimpy. Elements of brown sugar, ketchup, cider vinegar, and chipotle turned the sauce sugary and fruity. The ample wipes your server brings will help.

Hanger steak

Though it was cooked fine, the hanger steak ($16) lacked seasoning. No salt on the meat, no pepper on the roasted potatoes, no delight in the caramelized onions. Even the liberally applied chimichurri lacked teeth. The dish rankled in part because our other food hadn't suffered this fate. Luckily we had a side of sweet potato fries ($5) to console ourselves with.

Nut loaf.

"Here's your nut love," our server said as he brought out our second entree. Or at least that's what we heard. And the vegan nut loaf ($11) did show love, nestled among its chopped cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, oats, and mushrooms. Onion chutney acted as the sweetener and the glue. What could have been a sop to vegetarians is instead a crunchy, tangy mix that we couldn't get enough of.

Brooklyn Label has an appealing, low-key vibe. Our flannel-clad server provided several tables with recommendations for other bars in Greenpoint, as if he forgot that he worked in a pretty good one. Landon Pigg fell in love there, and maybe you could too, as long as you stay away from the steak. With an inviting, wood-filled space fit for lazy days and romantic nights, Brooklyn Label is best for: a flexible date.

Brooklyn Label

180 Franklin Street, Brooklyn NY 11222 (map)
718-389-2806
brooklynlabel.com

About the author: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

Lángos. [Photos: Garrett Ziegler]

Koliba isn't for the squeamish. Among the ceramic plates, wooden statues, and ceremonial axes adorning the walls are stuffed animals, including deer, boar, and pheasant. Their furry carcasses are somewhat at odds with the overall homey atmosphere of this Czechoslovakian restaurant in Astoria.

We loved the lángos ($6), the Czech version of garlic bread, big enough to use as a sled. An airy loaf gets deep fried, then smothered in garlic oil and cheese that melts tableside. Inside, the bread resembled a popover, with a similar lightness and chew. The garlic arrived first via smell, then snuck up in waves as bite followed bite.

Dumpling cubes with eggs

To make traditional dumplings, fresh white bread (more on that in a second) is torn, batter-dipped, and popped into the fryer. To make dumpling cubes with eggs and pickles ($6.75), the dumplings are mixed with gently scrambled eggs. The sour snap of the pickles contrasts sharply with the mushy warmth of the dumplings and eggs, keeping the dish from feeling too much like a hangover breakfast. A special word must be said about the bread that came as a side with our meal, and which we couldn't stop eating: it was as soft as spring grass, as plump and squishy as a baby's bicep.

Combination pork platter

For our first entree, we tried the combination pork platter ($13.75). Of the two preparations, the roasted loin might be considered delicious if you got it on an airplane, or after a long fast. The smoked pork, in contrast, echoed pastrami, and was tender enough to flake with a fork. In the red cabbage and sauerkraut sides, sweet and sour played like two puppies.

Gazdovsky tanier

Gazdovsky tanier ($15.75) consisted of spaetzle and boiled pirohy. Made from fluffy sheep milk's cheese, the sauce possessed an alfredo-like consistency and sharpness. The perfectly formed pirohy had two faint ridges; their pillowy paunches opened to reveal a lightly salted stuffing of potatoes. To prevent carb overload, the kitchen thoughtfully added a dusting of tiny bacon pieces.

We left Koliba mildly befuddled, not by the service or the food, but because all the blood had left our brains to assist in digestion. Do not eat here if you have to multiply fractions, operate heavy machinery, or perform any other task that requires brain power and hand-eye coordination that night. Otherwise, skip breakfast, belly up, and enjoy. Koliba is best for: a lazy date.

Koliba

31-11 23rd Avenue, Astoria, NY 11105 (map)
718-626-0430
kolibarestaurant.com

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

Mozzarella and kale [Photos: Garrett Ziegler]

Although Manetta's has a special "old time favorites" section on the menu, the truth is that everything feels like an old-time favorite at this trattoria in Long Island City. Landscapes hang on the walls and roses adorn the tables. Servers wear crisp white shirts and aprons. Nobody came out and said "mangi, mangi," but it could happen. The Italian food isn't clichéd so much as familiar. And, sometimes, there's nothing wrong with a little familiarity.

We started with a special, mozzarella and kale ($12). Among the green shreds were wilted capers, pine nuts, and razor-thin slices of garlic. Olive oil mitigated, but didn't eradicate, the saltiness from the capers and the mozzarella, as well as the bitterness from the kale and the garlic. Overall, this appetizer had unexpected strength, like a firm handshake welcoming you somewhere new.

Meatballs

As our second starter, we tried a side of meatballs ($5). Nothing innovative here, just the simple pleasure of ground beef, egg, and breadcrumbs buried beneath enough bright, fresh tomato sauce to keep your bread hand busy long after the meatballs are gone.

Shrimp parmigiana

When we saw the steak knife accompanying the shrimp parmigiana ($19), we briefly wondered what kind of tough nugget we'd be eating. As it turns out, the shrimp stayed moist within their bread crumb coating and topping of mozzarella. The spaghetti side came covered in the same tomato sauce as the meatballs, and made us feel sorry for the dried pasta we keep in our cupboards.

Cavatelli with mushrooms, tomatoes, and sausage

We also tried a pasta special, cavatelli with mushrooms, chopped tomatoes, and sausage ($17.50). Marscapone provided the link among pasta, vegetable, and meat, rendering it all creamy and friendly. The longer the dish stayed at the table, the richer it got, as flavors released or absorbed, mingling rather than separating. In this, the ingredients were similar to the groups around us, who stayed long after their plates had been cleared.

Manetta's puts the family in "family style." By 6 p.m., just about every table was taken, full of couples or couples with kids, whose aria competed, not unpleasantly, with the divas on the stereo. It's a lively place, a place full of regulars, of people who drive in from other boroughs or the suburbs. We ate there on a Friday, but it felt like Sunday dinner. Manetta's is best for: a domestic date.

Manetta's

10-76 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City, NY 11101 (map)
718-786-6171

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

[Photographs: Garrett Ziegler]

It isn't as if Kuma Inn is off the grid. Since opening almost ten years ago, this Filipino fusion-Asian tapas restaurant has been reviewed in several periodicals, many laminated and available for perusal in the tiny waiting area. But first you have to find it—on the second floor of an unmarked building on Ludlow Street. You could call it a speakeasy, or a reward for persistence, or the best possible outcome of climbing up a staircase with no idea what's at the top.

Kuma Inn doesn't have windows. It's T-shaped, and golden brown, with sculptures made from bamboo on the walls. We've heard Kuma Inn described as an "auteur restaurant," and while Chef King Phojanakong wasn't in the kitchen when we were there, his idiosyncratic vision permeates the plates.

Vegetarian summer rolls.

We started with the vegetarian summer rolls ($7.50), the only non-signature dish we ordered. Lesson learned: stick with the signature dishes at this place. Cold, unseasoned shreds of daikon and carrots were stuffed into a rice noodle wrapper. The peanut plum sauce added some warmth, as did the monster heater cranked on high above us. Otherwise we might still be thawing from the winter weather and cold food.

Pan-roasted callops

The pan-roasted ocean scallops ($13) came with little bits of bacon as well as a calamansi and sake sauce. Native to the Philippines, the citrusy calamansi brightened the sauce's buttery base, and left a slightly bitter, not unwelcome aftertaste. There were greens too, and the scallops themselves, which deserved a little more sear than they got.

Rice crepes with pork bolognese.

As we ordered the steamed and fried rice crepes with pork bolognese ($9.50), our waitress exclaimed, "Ah, you picked the best thing." She was almost right. The little tubes were crunchy on the outside and soft within, and tore apart like string cheese. "Bolognese" has specific connotations, and Chef Phojanakong's version relies on, rather than reinvents, them—from the tomato base to the wee portions of pork to garlic and onion.

Chinese sausage

Every table in the restaurant got a plate of the sautéed Chinese sausage with Thai chili-lime sauce ($13). The meat had been sliced thin, then cooked quickly so that its edges curled and charred. This was the best dish of the night, a must-order. Each bite began with sweet, then, after a dunk in the sauce, ended with heat, a tongue-tingling time.

You can hear the food roasting, sautéeing, and frying to order from the two-person kitchen. It's cash only, and BYOB (for a fee). It fills up, with dates and groups, people who've been here before and don't mind the sometimes impatient service. They know which entrance to enter, and know to order the sausage. Kuma Inn is best for: a date with experience.

Kuma Inn

113 Ludlow Street, New York NY 10002 (map)
212-353-8866
kumainn.com

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

Mongolka isobeage [Photos: Garrett Ziegler]

Naka Naka presents a demure alternative to the big box restaurants of the Meatpacking District. At around twenty seats, it offers intimacy, delicacy, and intricacy. Our server walked around in an apron and bare feet, while the host wore a happi coat and slippers. We sat at the communal table in the center, at what could have been an altar, decorated as it was with flowers and antiques. Outside, wind whipped itself into a frenzy; inside, "The Girl from Ipanema" continued her sad journey to the sea.

We started with a special, mongolka isobeage ($12), or calamari tempura. Beneath the light, slightly salted batter, the large, ridged slices of calamari stayed firm. Typical fried calamari, with its dark brown shards and grease, has nothing on mongolka isobeage. In fact, we liked the tempura so much we ordered the shrimp tempura roll ($9), which evidenced a similar balance between fish and batter, seasoning and not.

To drink, there is of course sake, but also plum wine ($6). It's a syrupy plum explosion, complete with a green plum anchoring the bottom of the glass. Patterned paper, folded to look like Hawaiian shirts, held chopsticks. Colorful paper swans functioned as chopstick holders and rests. If God is in the details, Naka Naka is a pretty holy place.

Naka naka roll and shrimp tempura

In addition to the shrimp tempura roll, we ordered the naka naka roll ($18). It featured fresh clean nibblets of tuna, salmon, eel, yellowtail, and custard egg, an everything-to-everyone option if you're not sure what type of sushi you're in the mood for. Tobiko (flying fish roe), as little as beads, rested off to the side. Wrapped in nori, the translucent fish looked like stained glass. Artful, yes, but also rather hulking. This was sushi as showpiece.

Kamonanban

Our kamonanban ($16) came with either thick white noodles (udon) or buckwheat noodles (soba). We went with the latter. Plump chunks of tofu dissolve into the broth. Meanwhile, the duck provided meaty structure and gave our teeth something to do. You won't forsake Cocoron for the soba here, but the rich, salty, savory slurp is perfectly creditable.

We have two complaints: the chopsticks were cheap, splintering easily, and the stools didn't do much to encourage lingering. Higher than the table, the stools forced us into a bit of a hunch. Nevertheless, our dinner here made for a fun evening. It looks quiet, but its flavors shout, and as an oasis of calm in the Meatpacking District, it's best for: a civilized date.

Naka Naka

458 West 17th Street, New York NY 10011 (map)
212-929-8544
nakanakany.com

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

Tom yum with vegetable dumpling [Photographs: Garrett Ziegler]

Reserve bills itself as the city's only Thai wine bar. More than fifteen wines are served by the glass, all meant to "compliment or challenge" the Thai flavors. While dishes might be familiar from your regular go-to place, overall Reserve doesn't want to be your standard Thai takeout joint.

Our meal began with wee versions of the already small small plates: a cup of tom yum with a vegetable dumpling and a cup of tom kar with a spring roll. Reserve is big on specials. There's lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, ladies night, $3 glasses of wine, 50% off cocktails during Happy Hour, so on and so forth. Cake loudly followed Band of Horses, which loudly followed Radiohead.

Tom kar with spring roll

Creamy tom kar mixed coconut milk with chicken, cilantro, and mushrooms. It paired well with a rioja, the wine's bitterness cutting through the soup's smoothness. The less said about the spring roll, topped with sticky orange glaze, the better. Just pretend it's not there, as we did. Stuffed with microscopically chopped carrots and mushrooms, each bite of the vegetable dumpling had a gentle give. Nevertheless, the true champ of that plate was, again, the multilayered soup. Where was the spice hiding in the clear broth? Split green chilies floated by, giving some clue.

Somthum

The small side of somthum (a chilled salad made from papaya shreds, tomatoes, and a chili vinaigrette) tempered the grilled marinated pork in the moo yang somthum ($10). We poured on the jim jaew, a sauce made from oodles of dried chiles. Like a car, we revved up, then down-shifted with the somthum on sticky rice. It was a good ride.

Moo yang

Choices included tofu, vegetable, beef, and duck, but we opted for chicken and shrimp to go with the pad ped ($10). An infusion of makrud lime made this dish, cutting its sweetness and elevating it with acid. This dish and the soups showed the kitchen at its best, guiding and directing flavors as artists do with paint.

Pad ped with chicken and shrimp

Written on the mirror in Reserve's bathroom is the following motto: "Life need not be perfect to be wonderful." And so it is with food and movies and dates. So much depends on the two people sharing the meal, so much depends on what you talk about or how much you enjoy one another's company. With its small but interesting twist on the neighborhood Thai restaurant, Reserve is best for: a slightly skewed date.

Reserve Thai Wine Bar

407 3rd Avenue, New York NY 10016 (map)
212-679-7772
reservewinenyc.com

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

Chilled noodles with spicy sesame peanut dressing [Photographs: Garrett Ziegler]

Walk a few steps from Bloomingdale's and you enter Land of Plenty, a Sichuan restaurant in the former Mia Dona space on 58th Street. On your right, two men and two women drink Long Island Iced Teas and debate structured financing. On your left, several souls wait for takeout. Straight ahead the dining room opens in successive rectangles. The effect is a little like looking into a mirror reflected by a mirror. And much as you might like the way you look from one angle, Land of Plenty offers one specific type of Sichuan experience. There are cheaper, more casual options elsewhere, certainly, but the combination of genteel surroundings and full-throttle food makes it a winning choice for a date.

We started with the chilled noodles with spicy sesame peanut dressing ($4.95), tipping, tapping, and stirring the noodles to better mix in the white seeds and dark sauce, which evidenced not peanuts but pepper and vinegar. The oily heat comes slowly, but builds the more you slurp.

Steamed crystal shrimp dumplings

Land of Plenty calls them steamed crystal shrimp dumplings ($6.95), but, thanks to this handy guide, we think "har gow" might be a more accurate description. They were pillowy and plump, a soft, salty, shrimpy mass. "Eat, eat," our server urged. "Don't let them get cold." Good advice, as the translucent skin tended toward clammy when cool.

Five spiced tofu with green house chives

The stir fried five spiced tofu with green house chives ($15.95) was a vegetarian dish for carnivores. Lulled into relaxation by our appetizers, we were shocked us into alertness by our entrées. The chives squeaked like chatty celery, while the tofu smoked like Greta Garbo before the talkies. Thanks to the smoking. the tofu tasted somewhat of ham, showcasing a cured meatiness.

Crispy chicken with thousand chilis

From the section of the menu titled "Plenty's," we selected smoky wok tossed diced chicken with thousand crispy chili and peanuts ($15.95), in part for the name. Chicken had been chopped and fried, and these Sichuan nuggets came out as crisp as the chilies, with more noise coming from the whole peanuts and chopped green peppers. "Don't eat those," we were warned about the shiny red carapaces. While you wouldn't want to eat the chilies by the shovelful, the tingly burn they bring bring to the chicken constitutes dish's raison d'être, so we couldn't fully heed this advice. (The chef plays variations on the familiar chicken-and-chili theme: there is also "smoked wok tossed chicken with chili, chili, chili," and, the night we were there, a special of less emphatically if more recognizably named chongqing diced chicken with chilies.)

Not everyone will appreciate the paternal care of the waitstaff, who hover close, attentively eyeballing chopstick-to-mouth activity. And yet one server looked at our plates and shook his head: "Too spicy for me," he grimaced. The food gave a fiery zing, but was also pungent and earthy and smoky and sour and vinegary, offering many things to many people. With its un-watered-down Sichuan cooking and refined decor, Land of Plenty is best for: a date without compromise.

Land of Plenty

204 East 58th Street, New York NY 10022 (map)
212-308-8788
landofplenty58.com

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

Choclo peruano con queso [Photos: Garrett Ziegler]

Named for a town in Peru's Sacred Valley, Urubamba is decorated in what can only be termed "Andean ski lodge." Dark wooden beams support the pure white ceiling; latticework covers some windows, shielding the view of Jackson Heights' garden apartments. Stony masks line the walls. We peered past families slurping soup to see if there might be a roaring fireplace in back, and half-expected someone to come in with a burst of cold air, beat a hat against a thigh, and exclaim, "Boy, it's really coming down out there."

We started with the choclo peruano con queso ($7.75), a plate of three seemingly disparate components: corn on the cob, slabs of queso fresco, and peanut sauce. We dunked the mild, milky cheese into the viscous sauce, and gnawed the corn, boasting the largest, carbiest kernels we'd ever seen. We tried the corn in peanut sauce, the cheese on the corn, the sauce on the corn and the cheese, and eventually concluded that everything was best on its own.

Bistec encebollado

If our appetizer puzzled us, our first entrée disappointed us. The bistec encebollado ($13.25) featured steak covered in sweet onions that had been stewed in tomatoes, all resting on rice and beans. While we liked the sweetness of the vegetables and the meatiness of the rice, we simply couldn't get over the steak's nonstop chew. Well done is one thing, shoe leather is something else. Seafood is the thing to get at Urubamba.

Arroz con camarones

Thankfully, the arroz con camarones ($15) tasted as bright as it looked. Covered pots always cause a beat or two of anxiety as we wonder what lies within. Here, though, the dented silver lid lifted to reveal yellows and reds and greens and pinks, shrimp enriched with much butter, garlic, and parsley. This is a dish we'd like to eat after coming off the slopes or scampering around 15th-century Inca ruins.

Chicha morada

Made from purple corn, pineapple, and lime, the chicha morada ($6.75 for a half-pitcher) smelled like cider, with hints of cinnamon and clove. This sweet, fruity juice made our day. And we can see why people have been drinking some variation of this maize beverage for more than 1,000 years.

Across from us two teenagers held hands over slabs of corvina and fries, at one of the tables built for two, drinking Inca Kola from a can and falling in love. Someday they might bring in their kids to fatten them with rice and bore them with tales about how Mommy and Daddy had their first date right there. Urubamba is a restaurant to root for, with a clientele utterly devoted to its takes on traditional food. It's best for: a distinctive date.

Urubamba

86-20 37th Avenue, Jackson Heights NY 11372 (map)
718-672-2224

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

Antipasto Italiano [Photographs: Garrett Ziegler]

You probably can't get simpler than Sud Vino e Cucina, a restaurant in Bedford-Stuyvesant specializing in traditional Italian food with an emphasis on specialties of southern Italy. The simplicity starts with the dining room, which is absolutely minimal. Some candles on the tables, some white lights strung up around the bar, a sky-blue wall at the front, lots of brick along the sides. Nothing says Italian, but the interior looks inviting and warm, a respite from windy streets. The Spinners and the Four Tops play on the stereo. Sud's menu, divided into crostini, insalate, antipasti, and pasta, shuns highfalutin-ness in favor of clarity. So does the cooking itself.

We started with the antipasto Italiano ($11), a plate of many good things, including Asiago cubes, slices of Brie, rounds of goat cheese (made in house and doused in pepper), olives, cacciatorini salami rounds, and a pot each of honey and a reduction of balsamic vinegar. We particularly loved the DIY-ness of the antipasto, and we spent many happy minutes exploring various permutations: brie + olive + balsamic, goat cheese + honey, fatty salami + sharp Asiago, etc.

Chicken cacciatore

Of the four specials on offer that night, we tried one, chicken cacciatore ($17), though all sounded nice. Out came a chicken breast, pounded flat and fried, delicately blanketed by a smear of tomato sauce. Capers and herbs made an appearance too, but as hints rather than overtures. This isn't simple as in "hey, how'd they do that?" but simple as in "we know how you did it, which makes us appreciate your technique all the more."

Puttanesca

Sud has several pastas. The puttanesca ($13) has al dente spaghetti tossed with tomato sauce, anchovies, capers, and olives, an acidic, salty mishmash. Chunks of tomatoes and olives gave the fishy sauce some texture. The perfect presentation countervailed the dish's inherent rustic quality.

Mocha buttercream cake

And then came the mocha buttercream cake ($7). The frosting melted in our mouths, and the cake was sweet in all senses of the word. At the bar, our server and the manager flirted over their knowledge of Romance languages.

With Do or Dine three doors down, Borough around the corner, and Saraghina, Celestino, and Peaches Hothouse nearby, Bed-Stuy has become a go-to for good food. Sud prefers to keep its ambitions, well, simpler, offering benefits, such as wine specials, to those who like it on Facebook or Twitter, and solid southern Italian to anyone who comes through the door. It might not get your heart racing, but it won't leave you brokenhearted either. It's best for: an amenable date.

Sud Vino e Cucina

1102 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11216 (map)
718-484-8474
sudnyc.com

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

[Photographs: Garrett Ziegler]

During a recent dinner we overheard the following conversation: "I've never been to France," said a young lady. "You should go," said her companion. For those of us who can't afford a ticket to the Continent, there's Pates et Traditions, a restaurant in Williamsburg specializing in dishes from the south of France with a north African inflection. The interior is a Gallic riot, overstuffed with books, postcards, and bandanas, most boasting floral patterns or tricolor stripes. You almost expect the French-speaking waitstaff to hand out berets. It's like TGIFriday's for Francophiles.

Pissaladière.

Our first appetizer, pissaladière ($5), consisted of cubes of bread topped with onions and olives from Nice. The top had gone squishy, the onions as gelatinous as jelly, while the bottom offered an audible crunch. Although the menu calls this dish a "pizza," it better resembled giant croutons.

Socca

We preferred the socca ($5) in part for its simplicity: pancakes made from chickpea flour. That's all. Some slightly charred edges contrasted with the moist fluffiness, and some salty bites followed some nonsalty ones. They were savory enough to be satisfying but not so filling as to be satiating.

Speaking of savory, we both ordered two savory crepes as our mains, although Pates et Traditions also has pastas available. Everything we ate paired perfectly with our great mugs of mulled wine ($5), or perhaps we should say that this red wine spiced with cinnamon and served hot made everything much, much nicer.

Shrimp curry crepe.

Both crepes began with a wrap made from organic buckwheat flour, cooked and folded. Inside the shrimp curry ($12) was a rich mess of shrimp, spinach, garlic, Swiss cheese, onions, and cream, the curry a back-of-the-throat afterthought more than an upfront advance. Overall this crepe was soupy and warming, a square package we were happy to receive.

Crepe Orientale.

The Orientale ($12) mixed Swiss cheese, Merguez sausage, a marmalade of peppers and tomatoes, and a loosely cooked egg. Here was our pizza! The stretchy crepe acted as an ultra-thin crust, which was topped with cheese and meat and veggies. A better name for this crepe might have been the "Américain," as the mass reminded us so much of what comes on top of a sausage-and-cheese pizza.

Like its younger sibling, Santos Anne, Pates et Traditions has a distinct personality. While that French-Mex restaurant comes off as a Airedale, wiry and restrained, this French one seems more like a labrador, kind of goofy but extremely enthusiastic. Across the dining room, a sign read, "Smiling I make you a friendly person." Above the kitchen hung a heart made from corks. It's a lovable symbol for a lovable place, best for: a date with a quirky paramour.

Pates et Traditions

52 Havemeyer Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211 (map)
718-302-1878
patestraditionsnyc.com

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

VIEW SLIDESHOW: Date Night's Favorite NYC Restaurants of 2012

Of course, if the company's good enough, you can have a great date anywhere. But some restaurants offer a magical combination of food, atmosphere, and comfortable seating that simply lend themselves to more fun and more romance. What follows are our favorite Date Night restaurants from 2012, in alphabetical order. See them all in the slideshow or head straight to the reviews below.

• 1 or 8
• Bistro Petit
• Calyer
• Chop Shop
• Convivium Osteria
• Nai
• Saro Bistro
• Singapura
• Vesta

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

[Photos: Garrett Ziegler]

When you enter Gottscheer Hall, a restaurant, bar, and event space in Ridgewood, Queens, be sure to look up. Portraits of "Miss Gottschee" line the entryway. Hairstyles and poses have changed since the first photo, taken in 1964, but the smiles—warm and genuine on each young woman—remain the same. The hall, home to one of the largest Gottschee organizations in the world, dates to 1924 and appears unchanged since the Eisenhower administration. (There's still an illuminated sign for the hat check.) But as the string of Miss Gottschees running to the present suggests, the past doesn't merely persist here: it thrives.

Once a part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, these days Gottschee is a region in Slovenia. If you're confused about the location, you can take a look at the large map that adorns the wood-paneled Tap Room; you'll understand even more if you can read the inscriptions in German. When we visited, two televisions were tuned to a football game and a soccer game, respectively, and the piano was covered with a cloth. No one would play today. In addition to the map, there were fliers for youth groups, plaques for "best sharpshooter" (Werner Klun is the man to beat, winning the title in 2010 and 2011), and oversize stockings, ready for Santa. Small steins stuffed with fake carnations decorated the high tables.

Goulash and spätzle

The goulash and spätzle ($11.50) featured hunks of beef in a peppery sauce. A long time in lard had rendered the beef tender. There were no mushrooms, no peppers, and no tomatoes. It was simplicity in stew form. We mixed the goulash with the side of spätzle, skinny strips of soft egg noodles that took to the sauce like cats take to patches of sunlight, lolling and soaking it all in.

Krainerwurst with sauerkraut

We also tried the krainerwurst with sauerkraut ($6), the Old World German version of meat and one veg. Gottscheer Hall truly put the sour in sauerkraut; its version had all the pungency and puckering of kimchi served with a side of vinegar. But the sauerkraut undercut the salty pork-and-beef sausage, which resembled a hotdog on steroids. The rest of the menu is similarly straightforward: bratwurst, sauerbraten, apple strudel, and so on.

Since we were sitting in a tap room, we ordered a pint of Spaten, a light lager, bypassing the Budweiser. Older men wandered in and out, looking for their monthly meeting about Gottschee culture and other matters. Upstairs, the ballroom holds weddings and receptions. Some nights Gottscheer Hall features dancing, and people come from all around to waltz or polka, often in traditional clothes. Other nights the Queens Artists' Resource Collective takes over, with DJs and karaoke, but so far Gottscheer Hall has remained an irony-free zone. It's best for: a guileless date.

Gottscheer Hall

657 Fairview Avenue, Ridgewood, NY 11385 (map)
718-366-3030
gottscheerhall.com

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

Rabbit rillette [Photos: Garrett Ziegler]

In the days following Hurricane Sandy, Foragers City Table in Chelsea closed. It recently reopened with a new menu that's pricier and not as suited for sharing. But the focus on organic ingredients prepared with an Asian inflection in an open, echoing space remains the same.

Foregoing the $30-something entrees, we split four small plates, to our server's disappointment. She emphasized that the plates were too little to split. We were fine with our two dishes apiece, but hungrier eaters might splurge on a main or stock up on artisan loaves or chocolate from the Foragers City Grocer on the way out.

The charcuterie offers three choices: head cheese, duck pâté, and rabbit rillette ($14); we opted for the latter. Rabbit had been flaked and ground to the consistency of tuna, then sealed with a smear of salty lard and served with chewy white bread, pungent mustard, and tinier-than-normal cornichons. It was meat and fat in their purest forms.

Fluke carpaccio

Our East Coast fluke carpaccio ($15) was overdressed in lemon vinaigrette, toasted poppyseeds, and chive. Perhaps "bedazzled" would be a better word. While the fish was fresh and flaky, the toppings dominated its delicacy. Like a rottweiler trying to befriend a chihuahua, the spices, seeds, and dressing didn't realize their power, and knocked the fish straight out of the dog.

Dumpling soup

Next up, a big bowl of dumpling soup ($14). Tiny honshimeji mushrooms abounded, and floated alongside shreds of shiso, soft cubes of daikon, and dense buoys of chicken and shrimp dumplings. The dumplings had the squarish shape and density of shumai, but their peppery aftertaste was unexpected, and welcome as an enlivener for the plainer broth.

Housemade crepinette

We finished our meal with another outstanding dish, the housemade crepinette ($15). Ground pork had been wrapped in pastry and decorated with a sweet-and-sour apple relish; atop this went a firm poached egg. With its mix of flavors and textures, from soft to crisp to crunchy, this was great for dinner, but would be perfect for brunch.

We entered through the aforementioned market, and the restaurant might have been a cavern or meatlocker in a former life. It's all concrete and steel, with pipes and vents above and slate below, but on the night we visited, few other diners meant we could relax for a while by candlelight, occasionally watching the chefs work or people walk by on 22nd. We could enjoy our food. Foragers City Table is best for: an ambitious date.

Foragers City Table

300 West 22nd Street, New York NY 10011 (map)
212-243-8888
foragerscitygrocer.com

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

Bresaola with shiitake mushrooms. [Photographs: Garrett Ziegler]

Zampa isn't the sort of restaurant you'd expect to find on the edge of the Meatpacking District. It's intimate and tiny, for starters, and its fiberglass chairs and wooden tables have a bit of unintentional scruff. Specializing in cheese, charcuterie, and wine, Zampa is made for the kind of date in which you want to show you care without coming off as overly committed.

We ordered two small plates and one large plate to split, along with glasses of light-bodied ruché and vibrantly fruity primitivo. Among its 80-odd choices from Italy, the wine list features a good selection of reds, whites, roses, sparklings, aperitivi, and dessert wines by the glass, half bottle, or bottle. Servers and bartenders thoughtfully answer any questions or suggest pairings. And rather than stare you down as you taste the sample, they might casually step away from the table, as our server did, letting you sniff, swish, and sip on your own.

The bresaola with shiitake mushrooms, pecorino, arugula, and truffle oil ($14) was more than a great salad. Its mushrooms looked like pinwheels but were substantive and savory, thanks to herbs like thyme and oregano. We rooted beneath the arugula to get to the last layer, the six or so silky slices of cured beef, which just about melted on the tongue. For some, the truffle oil will impede the taste of the bresaola, while others will love the slickness atop slickness, rich umami atop slight saltiness. We two were evenly divided.

Roast shrimp with garlic crostini.

For our second small plate, we tried the roast shrimp with garlic crostini, white wine, and cannellini white beans ($14). The first bite of garlic crostini was as abrupt as an alarm clock on a Monday morning. Dipping the bread into the not-as-effervescent-as-you'd-expect white wine sauce rendered the garlic milder. The shrimp, boasting char marks, were nevertheless light and deftly done. This could easily work as a main, given the generous bread basket (both white and multigrain slices) that comes at meal's start.

Lasagna bolognese.

Cracking the crispy cheese atop Zampa's lasagna bolognese ($19) reveals excellently al dente, homemade pasta layered with beef, pork, and porcini ragu and béchamel. This dish was prim and clean, not cheesy or saucy, a reminder that Italian cooking can be restrained as well as boisterous.

The folks behind Zampa also run Bottino and Chop Shop in Chelsea. One side of the tables offers comfy gray couches, the other side Eames chairs in oxblood. Overall Zampa is stylish and a little sexy without being oppressively trendy or romantic. It's the restaurant equivalent of dress jeans and shined shoes, best for: a casually elegant date.

Zampa

306 West 13th Street, New York NY 10014 (map)
212-206-0601
zampanyc.com

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.

Cordoniz en salsa de higos [Photographs: Garrett Ziegler]

El Mio Cid takes its name seriously. In a statement on their menu, the owners explain that in gracing their Bushwick tapas restaurant with the moniker of the Spanish hero, "we committed ourselves to keeping his same high standards for our decidedly much more mundane endeavors." While a meal at El Mio Cid might not conquer you, it won't leave you bruised or unsatisfied either.

The menu divides its tapas into "frias" and "calientes." The mid-November winds rampaging up Wilson Avenue made that choice easy, and we opted for three hot dishes to start. First up was cordoniz en salsa de higos ($9.50). The inky black fig sauce did much of the heavy lifting here, as the three tiny quail had been over-roasted into toughness. But we ate what we could and used the crusty bread to scoop up the sauce, laden with chunks of fig.

Setas rellenas

Better were the setas rellenas ($8.50), mushrooms stuffed with a pillowy mixture of crab, shrimp, and scallops. These became nicer still when rolled in the melted butter. Then again, there's not much melted butter doesn't help. Even without the butter, the seafood stuffing had good tang and bounce.

Pollo al ajillo

We also ordered the pollo al ajillo ($8), strips of chicken breast and french fries covered in garlic sauce. Of all the tapas we tried, this one would work best as bar food, as the miscellany of carbs, protein, and grease would soak up the alcohol. Everything had the same brownish hue, so each forkful was a mystery of proportion. This sauce boasted slivers of garlic, and an undercurrent of bitterness cut what could have been too much sweet roasted garlic.

Spicy chorizo paella

As our lone entrée, we split the spicy chorizo paella ($16.50). Let's begin with the bad news: we missed the socarrat, the crusty layer of rice and spice that forms at the bottom of the paella pan. And now for the good news: this was a heaping plate of happiness, cheerful with saffron, overflowing with tongue-tingling, fat-marbled sausage, along with onions, peppers, and peas.

El Mio Cid sits on the corner of Starr and Wilson, a cheerful yellow facade, bordered with plants, across from dollar stores and a bunker-like middle school. Just as this part of the neighborhood still feels like Old Bushwick, El Mio Cid feels like Old Spain. Drapes are dark and heavy, the food is sizable and un-re-or-de-constructed. Our server sang along to Spanish ballads without a hint of self-consciousness or irony. This tapas restaurant in Bushwick is best for: an escuela vieja date.

El Mio Cid

50 Starr Street, Brooklyn, NY 11221 (map)
718-628-8300
elmiocidrestaurant.com

About the authors: Jessica Allen and Garrett Ziegler have been eating out together since 2002 and writing We Heart New York since 2006.