Postprandial Proposals

After giving you some options for first and second dates earlier this week, we’ve decided to skip the third date rundown. Why? We firmly believe that the third date is for eating at home and either dazzling your date with your mad cooking skillz or being dazzled by theirs. The aphorism “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” is sexist, but also true, insofar as the way to anyone’s heart is through their stomach. (Looking for a third date meal? We suggest walnut and white bean bruschetta, followed by goat cheese pasta, which is one of the easiest things you’ll ever make: mash goat cheese with just enough olive oil to cover it until it becomes a paste. Add a can of heated diced tomatoes. Top with sundried tomatoes and basil. Looks fancy, takes five minutes. Finish with a store-bought dessert so it doesn’t look like you tried overly hard.)

Anyways. In lieu of third date suggestions, we’re going to speed ahead a few years in your budding relationship and think about taking the next big step: gettin’ hitched. In some ways, the requirements for a restaurant in which to propose are not dissimilar to those for a second date spot, since both situations require somewhere quiet and intimate. The major difference, of course, is that if you’re popping the question, you’re probably going to want somewhere more explicitly romantic. Below, five restaurants so great, your intended will definitely say yes. One caveat: don’t do that thing where you put the ring in the dessert or at the bottom of a champagne glass or whatever. If we’ve learned anything from sitcoms, it’s that hiding the ring never goes well.

•Commenter Richard of A Passionate Foodie wondered why we didn’t include Somerville’s Dali on our list of first date spots. The reason? We were saving it for this post. To our mind, Dali is just about the most romantic restaurant the Hub has to offer and the food isn’t bad either. Pop the question after a feast of tapas (make sure to include the pato braesado: roast duck with berry sauce) and over one of the great desserts.
Oishii Boston is widely renowned for its excellent sushi (praised as Boston’s best by the likes of Ming Tsai). Although it’s very atmospheric, it’s not quite as hyped up as a romantic destination, which means that unlike most of its South End neighbors, it isn’t overrun and crowded. Savor some of the best food Boston has to offer before asking the big question at the end of the night.
•Proposing is the time to bring out the big guns, romance-wise, and what gun could be bigger than L’Espalier? L’Espalier is quite possibly Boston’s most popular restaurant for popping the question and with good reason! The space is positively dripping with romance and the elegant food is note-perfect.
•For a slightly more modern, yet still elegant, proposal spot, head to Clio. Splurge on the chef’s tasting menu before getting down on one knee.
•Is your intended an adventurous eater? Want somewhere extra-intimate? If the answer to those questions is yes, make a reservation at Salts. If you’re bound and determined to place the ring in the food, you could slip it into the bacon foam atop the wild striped bass. Mmmm. Bacon ring.

Dali [Official Site]
Oishii Boston [Official Site]
L’Espalier [Official Site]
Clio [Official Site]
Salts [Official Site]

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Postprandial Proposals