First dates, first impressions: a minefield of potential faux pas, in which choosing the right restaurant is only the first. The desire to impress is a given, but what impressing someone entails is a whole other story. If your chosen restaurant is not smart enough you risk deterring your (hopefully) future partner: no one likes a cheapskate. But appearing flash is even worse, especially in a university town. Pierre Victoire is the solution to your dilemma.
The atmosphere is relaxed but has unmistakable class. If your date’s expectations are low then she won’t feel uncomfortable; if they are high then she won’t be underwhelmed. The dimmed candle lighting is universally flattering; the soft lighting combined with the wooden tables of the local French favourite are unmistakably romantic, but without being embarrassingly overt. PV is authentically French; it lacks any crude traces of a typical chain restaurant; the vibe is intimate but each table has enough space to secure against your conversation being stilted by the fear that every word can be heard by the next table, or being interrupted by hearing theirs. All of which sets the stage for the perfect first date.What to eat: The food itself is only indirectly important; it is the effect of the food that steals top priority. Your choice will unavoidably reflect on your character. Start with the mussels. Not only is the close hand-mouth action subtly sexy, the mussels themselves are an aphrodisiac. For the main course, sharing is the hottest thing to do and the delicious cheese fondue is designed for such purposes. Moreover, the classic dish yields multiple opportunities: play-fight over whose piece is whose; feed it to your prospective partner; and venture into the drinking game equivalent world of fondue games. And the infamous sticky toffee pudding is the ultimate dessert. But whatever you order, the menu changes daily to ensure that it is always fresh. And the handwritten menu is charming, a vibe that you definitely want to encourage. The added bonus, since we don’t yet earn a banker’s bonus, is that PV is unbeatable value for money. Where to sit: Upstairs, at the back. It is irresistibly romantic and you won’t be disturbed.ARCHIVE: 0th week MT 2005
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