The first date

Love, Sex & Money
IS ordering a steak on a first date a sin? Will a burger and fries really make you look like a pig? Why is pasta totally off limits for ladies? Should you worry what he will think when you order a salad? For the next couple of weeks on this column we are rolling through the dinner dates. We always have a lot of questions before going out on dates and at times we cancel dates because of fear of messing up.

Going out for a meal on a first date can be very awkward, as simple as it might sound it sometimes can be very demanding, just the thought of you having to be with someone on a table and eating in front of them. A first date means for the first time you are in front of someone you are attracted to and at the same time, you are still getting to know that person and you have to eat. The worst thing to do is be even more uncomfortable by going out for a meal somewhere you may not even like the food.

This is one thing that needs to be sorted out when planning a date, at least for me, because I also still struggle with making up my mind when asked out for food dates. First dates can be many things, I wish I could invent new terms to describe it but for lack of better words I will just describe it as painfully awkward, and so unbearably awkward that you will never date again as long as you live . . . One thing all eating out dates have in common, however, is that they are all about first impressions. Your date will be judging every little thing you do or say, whether they want to or not it just happens that way and you too will be judging back, whether you think you are a judgmental person or not, I guess it is natural.

So when you are out on a date for the first time I suggest you order safe food — meals that you actually enjoy eating, rather than pretend to enjoy eating. You also want to go for something safe in terms of not risking falling sick as this could be an unpleasant sight for your date or hot food that is too hot for you to handle.

If you are worried about how you look on the date, while eating the food, then stick to something simple. Pizza or a burger and fries are usually quite tidy, whereas pasta or dishes that are sauce-based can sometimes be quite messy. The other most important thing to do is avoid experimenting with a new dish on your first date. It could end up being something you do not like and ruin the overall feeling of the evening and you end up getting caught up in trying to swallow without even chewing just so you look like you are actually eating.

Try to avoid eating something just to impress your partner or showing off in anyway. Sea food and hot spicy food are foods to avoid if you are not at all a fanatic; I know most people actually order sea food just so they look classy yet they have never had it before. The sea food may not be cooked quite right and therefore, lead you to feel unwell, which would not be very nice for your partner. Hot foods can sometimes be too hot and spicy and therefore result in you needing to drink lots and feeling uncomfortable.

If you really want to impress your man, order a steak, if you are a steak person I have been told that it is insanely sexy when a girl knows how to cut a steak, I do not know how far true that is. If you are having a steak do not jab it with your fork, do not hack it with a knife and certainly do not swallow a huge piece of meat because you are having difficulties in chewing your meat which in most cases becomes the case.

I hear that when a man sees you take control of a steak, it will make him think of you taking control in the bedroom later on, and what is sexier than that? A friend of mine says chicken is one of the safest bets for a dinner date for three reasons; it is easy to eat, it is lean and it does not have the smelly effects and chicken is always seen as the “vanilla” of meats. So, if you order chicken, make sure it’s the chef’s special to avoid coming off as boring on your date because you might start complaining and that can be a bore to the next person.

When it comes to desserts nothing screams sexy like dark chocolate desserts, such as chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate cake but if you are worried about how you will look while enjoying it then again keep it simple and have some ice-cream as it is probably the least messy.

Chocolate cake could end up around your mouth and it all depends on how kind your date is in telling you that you have food on or around your mouth. The rich taste and disarming texture of chocolate will stimulate the senses, rev up your libido, and make seducing your date just another sexy walk in the park. Chances are if you are going to a nice restaurant, there is going to be foreign food you cannot pronounce. Do not pretend like you know what you are saying if you do not at least make a joke and admit you have no idea what you are saying. Keep it simple and enjoy your eating out date.

Next week we will talk about who pays the bill.

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