San Francisco, 2012

Every Friday night my husband and I have date night, or that’s the goal. I know a lot of thirty/forty-somethings have a similar plan in an effort to keep that spark alight, especially after a decade of marriage. For us, the purpose isn’t so much to get romantic, it’s more to connect and catch up. He travels just about every week, and that combined with me at home with our three kids, our coziest time is on the couch at 10pm watching Mad Men (ahem, which I wrote about here).

However, Friday night is our consistent night out together. Date night usually starts around happy hour, at about 5:30, and we’re home paying the sitter by 9pm. We meet up downtown or in the Mission, have dinner, and then bookend the meal with a couple of drinks. We have been hitting so many tasty spots I thought I would jot them down and take some pics.

My purpose is not to compete with Zagat, or even Yelp (which I appreciate.) I’m not a food connissour, but I am a foodie and I have a relatively experienced palate just living and eating in San Francisco for 13 years. I’m more of a fish and pasta lover, and my husband’s taste buds lean toward red meat and shellfish. His is more oysters and I’m more bruschetta. He, a fine IPA, and I, a chilly sauvignon. He – a flourless chocolate cake and me, apple crumble. Get it?

• Boxing Room – SF’s newest Nawl’ns eatery
• Commonwealth – not so common
• Mission Chinese
• St. Vincent’s, not de Paul
• The Pizza Place on Noriega – way out there