Anyone can book a table for two at the hottest restaurant in town, so what is the #1 key to impressing your dinner date and setting the stage for an unforgettable romantic evening? Location, location, location!
Far too many Bay Area diners excitedly book prime time dinner reservations at expensive restaurants only to be seated at less than desirable tables for romantic meals. Your $200+ dinner is well worth it when you’ve scored a private table with a view and feels like a horrible mistake when you’re seated next to the bathroom or an inch away from the couple seated next to you.
Think about it – would you ever spend the same amount for a middle seat in Economy Class on a plane as you would for a window seat in First Class? Of course not! In the restaurant business, why should you pay premium prices if you’re sitting at a lousy table? You shouldn’t.
There are a number of steps you can take to improve your chances for a successful dinner date. Obviously, showing up on time and dressed in a manner that shows that you care about your appearance and that you respect your date’s time and attention are top priorities.
However, if you’re in charge of choosing the restaurant, you’d be well advised to also follow my maxim, “You don’t want a romantic restaurant. You want a romantic table.” Our new website, mostromantictable.com, helps diners find and book the most romantic dinner tables at restaurants around the world. We’ve launched in New York, Palm Springs, Lake Tahoe, Wine Country, San Francisco and the Silicon Valley.
Here in Silicon Valley, Chez TJ, is well known as one of the most romantic restaurants in the area. For over 30 years, the restaurant has been the preferred location for innumerable proposals, engagements, and birthday celebrations. All tables at Chez TJ are great, but dining at either Table 42 or Table 43 will transform your dining experience. Both tables are located in the quiet, comfortable, tastefully decorated front parlor room of the Victorian mansion that houses the restaurant. Both are next to windows that will provide you and your date with plenty of conversational fodder as you watch the world go by. The food at Chez TJ is exceptional, as evidenced by the Michelin stars it consistently earns for its outstanding contemporary French cuisine.
Perhaps the most romantic dinner experience in the valley is in The Champagne Room at Saratoga’s The Plumed Horse Restaurant. The Champagne Room holds a table for two in a curtained alcove off of the restaurant’s lounge. Piano music greets you as you sit down at your table while candles and light from a stained glass window illuminate the room. The Champagne Room offers privacy and an ambiance conducive to an intimate meal. The Plumed Horse is celebrated for both its food and wine – it’s food has been recognized by Michelin with at least one star every year since 2008, and the Wine Spectator has given The Plumed Horse 1 out of only 81 worldwide Grand Awards for its wine program.
According to OpenTable, almost 70% of their diners wish they could have table specific information when making their dinner reservations. In general, it’s good advice to call a restaurant either before or after making a reservation to ensure that you’ll be seated at a table appropriate for the occasion. You can significantly improve your chances for a successful date by choosing your restaurant and your table from the incredible selection available at www.mostromantictable.com.
Guest Blogger Jay Ward, founder of MostRomanticTable.com. After taking his girlfriend to more than 160 restaurants in the first two-and-a-half years of their relationship, Jay conceived of the idea for MostRomanticTable.com.
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