Suggestions for a double date night with a couple with food restrictions?

[ethnicchick]

The hubby and I are doing a (double) date night with a friend and new gf. We're looking for a nice 'date vibe' place in the Cambridge/Arl/Som/Belmont/Winchester part of town....

While we will eat anything so long as it's good, our suggestions of Hungry Mother, Oleana, and Rendezvous have all been nixed as too rich, too ethnic or too acidic (?!?) respectively....

I'm trying to come up with the next round of suggestions. I'm thinking maybe suggesting Catch, and would love any additional help for nice, 'date vibe', middish range priced, good food that will meet finicky needs.

Thanks much!!!

[almansa]

I don't think of Oleana as being particularly ethnic per se. Nothing is really out there, so to speak. The 'too acidic' stymies me, as such a label could be applied to almost any contemporary restaurant if it is applied to Rendezvous. You could try Central Kitchen or the Blue Room in Cambridge, or Flora or Tryst in Arlington. But they might be too acidic, too.

[Joanie]

I was also thinking Blue Room (and EVOO below) but if Rendezvous is too acidic, these might be too. I have no idea what that means, but think of these 3 restaurants in the same vein. What about that new place Savino's in Belmont?

[lgss]

Have you tried the vegan tasting menu at Flora? If so, how was it? It's fairly new, right? Looks like the main menu is probably gluten-free (I would obviously call ahead) but desserts are not.

[lgss]

Ok, I went ahead and called and found out the current (spring) menu is GF and they have a flourless chocolate cake. The real questions now are...is it good and worth the money? How formal/informal. Thinking of it as a possibility for my husband's birthday...

[junior coyote]

I went to Catch recently. It was very nice.

[pollystyrene]

Maybe EVOO or the Monday Club at Upstairs on the Square. Neither is too rich or too ethnic. I can't speak to the PH, though.

[mcel215]

I second EVOO.

[Snoop37]

i think the monday club at Upstairs on the Square could be a fun place for your double date. It would probably put the new gf at ease.

[hotoynoodle]

ALL restaurant food is richer than what people generally cook at home. it's delicious due to the copious amounts of olive oil and/or butter. whatever "too acidic" means -- i am stumped.

central kitchen might work.

if they have so many "no's", why don't they pick a place?

[pemma]

Catch sounds good, but will it be "too fishy"?

In Harvard Square, how about Harvest, Rialto or Henrietta's Table?

[galleygirl]

Harvest; too "seventies"...
Rialto; too "hotel-ish",
Henietta's Table, ditto....

[Joanie]

Henrietta's Table actually sounds like it'd be perfect for these people. Fancy home cooking, nothing too out there, pleasant setting. Esp. if you can sit outside.

[Stride]

Highland Kitchen is fun and the food is good without being too exotic. I don't think it's too acidic, but then again that's not a classification that comes to mind for any place.

[pollystyrene]

I like HK, but it's very casual and very loud, maybe " too casual" and "too loud." Too bad.

[Bluebell]

I was thinking HK as well - pretty middle of the road, but good. The jukebox is fun if they enjoy music more than food.

Also, what about Green Street - that could work.

[Quine]

I am thinking since you suggested 3 places that they nixed, now is the time for them to suggest!

I am sorta thinking that nothing you are going to suggest will "pass" with them; they just don't want to take the responsibility fro being so picky.

[StriperGuy]

Get new friends...

[ethnicchick]

Thanks all...forgot about Highland Kitchen...that passed...whew....now we can have a good meal too...

[BostonCookieMonster]

How about a nice movie?

("Too acidic"? WTF?)