Thu. October 23, 2014
By Eric Wilkerson
Trying a new restaurant is like going on your first date after a long-term relationship just ended. Will you like the flavors? Will you appreciate the decor? What do you wear? Is this going to be a good fit? Will you go out again or is this just a one-night-stand? Who knows? This is all part of fearing the unknown.
Dinner reservations are at 8:30 p.m. It's a swanky restaurant in the trendy West Loop. It's called La Sirena Clandestina. You live in the North part of Chicago, so going to the West Loop is an absolute treat. You found this restaurant one of three ways: A) An online app that has a picture of its sexy menu that you just couldn't resist; B) A friend of a friend of a friend who has this friend that highly recommends this restaurant; or C) You bump into this restaurant every now and then, finally have the balls to get his phone number, swiftly making a reservation.
C, the letter C is how you found this restaurant. You get there promptly at 8:30. You are instantly impressed. While you haven't taken a dive into the menu yet, you've definitely inherited a bird's eye view of what to expect. Dim lighting, reclaimed wood, restored furniture, colors of gray, teal, and mahogany all make up the concoction of this well dressed man. He's trying to impress you and it is working.
It's time to get to know one another and the perfect bottle of red wine is a good way to begin this relationship. Fruitful, bold, and confident flavors, a swirl of your wine glass, and a slow sip of this tasty blend has created the recipe for a perfect first date. If all goes well, the rest of the night should fall into place beautifully. Is it bad that you are already getting excited about dessert?
You accept an exotic recommendation and agree to order something called Moqueca. You have no clue what this is. You can't feel ignorant on the first date so you go along with it and act like you know what this dish could possibly be. Google instantly becomes your best friend and you discover that moqueca is simply a "Brazilian recipe based on salt water fish stew in coconut milk, tomatoes, onions, garlic, and coriander." Now that we have a clear understanding of what just happened, the moqueca has arrived. This fish, mussel, and shrimp stew is the perfect end this part of the date. There are no bold and surprising flavors. There was nothing arousing. There was nothing sensual about this dish. And that's okay. It worked. It made sense. And it was the perfect last entrée.
You have finished the meal and the bottle of wine is nearing its end. There's an opportunity for dessert. You're full. You have to work tomorrow. He has to work tomorrow. So... do you order dessert? No. You order a dessert drink... because that's sexier and less committal. It could also lead to a happy ending. [Not the kind of happy ending that you're thinking... but a true happy ending to a perfect evening of dining out] Nothing about cake is sexy, by the way. Cake doesn't seal the deal for that next date. Parfaits don't say "take me home and let's get wild." But La Sirena Clandestina's signature cocktail, the caipirinha, does. Sweet, tasty, and fittingly captivating, the deal is sealed and there's definitely going to be a second date. This trendy venue serves brunch, so perhaps this will be our next experience. Until then, this has been a delicious first date.
La Sirena Clandestina, 954 W. Fulton Market, 312.226.5300
Images from lasirenachicago.com.
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